5 Recipes I'm Using to Meal Prep for Maternity Leave
Do you consistently prep your meals ahead of time? If we’re being totally honest, meal-prepping isn’t something I’ve felt that I needed in the past. While I am one of those people who saves every last blog post rounding up “easy dinner recipes to meal prep”, I can’t say that I’ve used them in the way they are intended.
At the most, I could stretch and claim that I have dipped my toes into meal-prepping because I enjoy making a big batch of gluten-free and dairy-free soup a couple times per week. Generally though, Sam and I eat half the batch that night for dinner and he takes the leftovers to work to have for lunches in the days that follow.
In any case, once I started planning for maternity leave, I realized that it was probably in our best interest to finally tackle meal-prepping once and for all, and to invest a few days into making freezer meals. While Sam and I will be adjusting to becoming first-time parents, I don’t want us to feel stressed about finding the time to go to the grocery store and cook dinners every night, or alternatively, blow all of our money on take-out.
I also want to make sure that I am eating a healthy diet, especially because I know that when I am sleep-deprived, I tend to avoid cooking and instead reach for snacks and foods that wind up making me feel even worse in the long-run.
The 5 recipes I’m using to meal prep for maternity leave are classics that I have made countless times for Sam and I. They are delicious and fit in with each of our respective diets. The main tools I used for meal-prepping and keeping our meals organized are: an Instant Pot (the best kitchen tool we’ve ever owned), Glass Storage Containers (BPA-free), and a Label Maker (to add dates and names).
I have designated a section of our freezer for the prepped meals and labeled each container using my label maker to add in the name of the recipe and the date frozen/good to date.
At the time of posting this guide, I currently have 16 healthy dinners prepared in our freezer and am hoping to add in 4 more this week to round it out to an even 20 before my 40-week mark!
Shop my meal prep essentials:
Lastly, it wouldn’t be fair to leave out the final hack I’ve been using in my preparations for maternity leave. As I shared recently on Instagram stories, I also started testing out a healthy pre-made meal service: Eat to Evolve. This is unlike any of the services I’ve tried in the past as it is fresh meals that require no prep work or cooking.
They have a variety of different diets to choose from online including Keto, Paleo, Whole 30, Primal, Gluten-free, Dairy-free, and more.
So, in addition to the freezer meals I have prepared myself, I am also stocking up on some of the Eat to Evolve meals to add in some variety. You can eat the meals fresh as they come in, or freeze them by the date printed on each container and eat within 6-8 weeks. Sam and I are doing a bit of both at the moment since we have been extra busy with work and trying to get the last items on our checklist completed prior to my due date, and it has been a MAJOR help.
Our top 3 meals we’ve tried and loved so far are: Coconut Lime Steak Tips with Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Chuck Burgers with Home Fries and Secret Sauce, and Cajun Chicken Thighs with Broccoli.
For 15% off your first order at Eat to Evolve, use my discount code “ANNA15” at checkout!
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Want more pregnancy-related posts? Check out What I Eat in a Week: Second Trimester and How I’m Preparing for Labor.
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xo Anna Elizabeth