Easy real food for postpartum?

[EmmysMama]

DH is going to have to go back to work within a week after this babe's birth, and unfortunately my mom can't come to help me.

My SIL lives across the street and would gladly share food with us, but to be honest, everything she makes comes out of a box. She's the Hamburger Helper/cookie/candy/chips/Spaghetti-O's Queen. I can't eat like that, especially not while I'm recovering, and my toddler wouldn't eat it anyway.

I would make double batches of things now to have some freezer meals, but I don't have much room (we drive an hour for a monthly shopping trip, it's already full of the things we need to make it through) or extra cash to spend on more food right now.

I'd really like to avoid living on pretzels and crackers and such ... so I need ideas. Things a non-cooking DH can prep for me at night, stuff my SIL could handle cooking, snack-type things that are really easy and not too bad for you. All I can really think of is sandwiches (having DH or SIL make some and then keeping them in the fridge) but I think that would get old really fast.

[CHoney]

I'm not sure if this would work, but what if you prepared a bunch of food and asked if it was ok to store it at your SIL's place because your freezer is full?

Something easy DH could make is chili. You can brown and freeze some beef ahead of time, and he could throw that and some cans of tomatoes and beans in a crock pot. Or you could make some ahead of time and freeze it.

You could also brown and freeze beef or turkey to add to a jar of spaghetti sauce.

I made little mini meatloafs in a muffin tin, and flash froze them and then put them into a bag so they didn't take up much space.

Soups freeze really well and are quick to reheat. You could make a huge batch of chicken and veggie soup, butternut squash soup, hamburger soup. Or teach Dh how to make it beforehand...I tried telling DH how and it took the poor guy 2 hours to get everything ready...not sure what he was doing!

For healthy snacks: hummus with pita and veggies, cheese and crackers, toast, rice cakes or crackers with almond butter, apples and peanut butter, hard boiled eggs, smoothies, granola bars, muffins.

Can DH make pancakes? You can make a bunch of those for breakfast and keep the leftovers for a quick snack with nut butter.

I also filled up water bottles, and had cups of juice or juice boxes in the fridge to grab quickly.

Have fun preparing for baby!!!

[MissMommyNiceNice]

Things I regurally freeze by making double or triple batches:

Lasagna (I use the bake-to-cook noodles, but only freeze loaf pans b/c it takes too long for anything else to cook, it's better to cook 2 at a time if you need to)

Mac & Cheese (great side for sausage or bake chicken)

Pot Pie (don't cook the crust before freezing)

Enchillada Pies (who has time to roll enchilladas? Just layer the corn tortillas, cheese, sauce, & fillings)

Mousaka (like the middle eastern version of lasagna - with or without meat)

Chili, Ckn corn soup, lentil soup

quick breads & muffins (blueberry, banana nut, etc - heat them at 350 in a brown paper bag on a cookie sheet and they'll taste just like fresh baked)

Baked Oatmeal (you can add literally anything to this basic recipe as far as fruits, nuts, & sugar source, it is soooo good!)

I always label everything with very clear instructions for my DH so he knows how long to cook things and at which temp. Just add 15-20 minutes cooking time for frozen things. So if a lasagna normally cooks in 35, I mark it 45-50 minutes. I also always freeze in those disposable pans I get cheap from places like Ollies. It makes it easy to stack things up in the freezer.

Good luck!

[HollyBearsMom]

Since you don't have freezer space here are a few ideas for your husband that are easy to make from the pantry.

Hummus- puree canned chick peas, garlic, olive oil ,lemon juice, maybe some cumin and salt. You can add all differn things for flavor-eggplant, roasted reddpeppers, etc. Serve with crackers, veggies, etc.

Blackbean dip-puree canned blackbeans (or dried just soak overnight) with onions, a redpepper, cayanne pepper, olive oil. Great as is or on a sanwich, in wraps, etc

tomato soup- used canned whole plum tomatoes, add garlic, basil, oregano. Add cup of chicken broth. simmer until the tomatoes are cooked thru and have released all their liquid then puree, Add more broth if needed top with a splash of cream. Serve with a grilled cheese sandwich

Cold pea soup- puree frozen peas, fresh mint, chopped celery. Whisk in chicken broth, fresh cream and S&P to taste.

Pumpkin pancakes- use a standard wholewheat pancake recipe, add 1 cup pumpkin and allspice. These freeze really well too!

[EmmysMama]

This is going to sound silly because he IS a grown man, but DH can't do even that.

He can't even scramble an egg. Not for lack of trying ... he just hasn't been able to absorb "how to cook things". He asks a million questions and brings hot pans into the living room to ask me if this is done or he mixed that right. Even if he has a very specific recipe. He can make a sandwich. And microwave/bake things premade things (even then I have to tell him if it's done).

If I can afford to buy some extra food (maybe with Thanksgiving sales and such) I bet my SIL would let me store stuff in her freezer. That's a good idea.

[HollyBearsMom]

[QUOTE=EmmysMama;14621104]This is going to sound silly because he IS a grown man, but DH can't do even that.

He can't even scramble an egg. Not for lack of trying ... he just hasn't been able to absorb "how to cook things". He asks a million questions and brings hot pans into the living room to ask me if this is done or he mixed that right. Even if he has a very specific recipe. He can make a sandwich. And microwave/bake things premade things (even then I have to tell him if it's done).

QUOTE]

That sucks, I am sorry.

The good news is the babe will sleep alot and the stuff I posted can be put together pretty quickly even with a baby in a sling so keep 'em on hand if you get desperate! or better yet hand off to friends!

[welsh]

How about baked potatoes or sweet ones? Toppings options are endless; beans, chili, cheese, tuna, cottage cheese.
Your DH can cook them in the microwave and finish them in the oven to crisp the skins if he has time.

(I've just answered another thread with suggestions of potatoes. I have a one-track pregnant brain!)