Postpartum Meal Prep

Having had babies myself, I remember just how much the little things meant during those early postpartum days. You’re recovering, running on little sleep, feeding a baby around the clock, and somehow you’re also supposed to remember to feed yourself.

One of the best things you can do for a new mom is make life just a little easier.

So when one of my friends recently had a baby, I wanted to stock her up with a few nourishing, protein-packed meals and snacks that would make those first few weeks less overwhelming.

Here’s everything I made for her postpartum meal prep:

Blueberry Oatmeal Lactation Breakfast Cookies

Makes 12 large cookies

These are such an easy grab-and-go breakfast or snack, especially for those mornings when sitting down to eat an actual breakfast feels impossible. They’re made with oats, banana, Greek yogurt, flaxseed and brewer’s yeast, plus blueberries for a little natural sweetness.

Ingredients

• 2 cups old-fashioned oats
• 1 cup ripe banana, mashed
• ½ cup nonfat Greek yogurt
• 2 eggs
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• ¼ cup ground flaxseed
• 3 tbsp brewer’s yeast
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¾ cup blueberries

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, mash the banana.
3. Add the Greek yogurt, eggs, maple syrup and vanilla. Mix until combined.
4. Stir in the oats, ground flaxseed, brewer’s yeast, cinnamon and baking powder.
5. Gently fold in the blueberries.
6. Scoop the mixture into 12 large cookies on the prepared baking sheet. Flatten each cookie slightly with the back of a spoon since they won’t spread much while baking.
7. Bake for 14–17 minutes, or until the centers are set and the edges are lightly golden.
8. Allow to cool for about 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Maple Chicken Sausage, Egg & White Cheddar English Muffins

Makes 1 sandwich

If you’ve ever been postpartum, you know the hunger is REAL.. especially first thing in the morning. I wanted to make her a protein-packed breakfast she could keep in the freezer, heat up quickly and eat with one hand if needed.

Ingredients

• 1 English muffin
• 1 large egg
• 1 maple chicken sausage patty
• 1 slice white cheddar cheese
• Salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Toast the English muffin.
2. Cook the egg to your liking and season with salt and pepper.
3. Heat the maple chicken sausage patty.
4. Layer the sausage, egg and white cheddar on the toasted English muffin.
5. Close the sandwich and allow the cheese to melt slightly.

For freezer prep: Allow the sandwiches to cool completely, wrap individually and store in a freezer-safe bag or container. Reheat when ready to eat.

Monster Cookie Protein Balls

Makes 12 balls

These might have been my favorite thing I made. They taste like a dessert but good for you ingredients. They’re perfect to keep in the refrigerator for an easy snack during the day or during a middle-of-the-night feeding.

Ingredients

• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• ½ cup creamy peanut butter
• ½ cup Promix vanilla protein powder
• ⅓ cup honey
• 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
• ¼ cup mini chocolate chips
• ¼ cup mini M&M’s
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of sea salt

I use Promix protein powder—you can use code SAM.

Directions

1. Add the oats, protein powder, flaxseed and sea salt to a bowl and stir together.
2. Add the peanut butter, honey and vanilla and mix until well combined.
3. Fold in the mini chocolate chips and mini M&M’s.
4. Roll the mixture into 12 balls.
5. Refrigerate for 20–30 minutes to firm up.
6. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Freezer BBQ Chicken, Sweet Potato & Broccoli Sheet Pan Dinner

Makes 4 servings

Dinner was all about making something she wouldn’t have to think about. Everything goes into one freezer bag, and when they need an easy dinner, they can thaw it, dump it onto a sheet pan and throw it in the oven.

Protein, vegetables and a good carbohydrate source all in one pan with basically no cleanup.

Ingredients

• 1½ lb chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into small ½-inch cubes
• 3 cups broccoli florets
• ½ cup BBQ sauce ( I used Primal Kitchen)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese

Freezer Prep

Add the chicken, sweet potatoes, broccoli, BBQ sauce, olive oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper to a large freezer bag.

Seal tightly, mix everything together and freeze the bag flat.

To Cook

1. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
2. Preheat the oven to 425°F.
3. Pour everything onto a large parchment-lined sheet pan and spread into an even layer.
4. Bake for 25–30 minutes, tossing halfway through.
5. Make sure the chicken reaches an internal temperature of 165°F and the sweet potatoes are fork-tender.
6. Sprinkle the cheddar over the top during the final 2–3 minutes of baking and return to the oven until melted.

Sometimes loving on a new mom really can be as simple as showing up with a freezer full of food 🤍