Freezer meals for when baby comes?

[splath]

Is anyone already planning their list? I know it's early but is always a good topic in my house LOL. We just got a big chest freezer, so I'm hoping to freeze lots of ready made meals.

[MyFullHouse]

I keep telling myself to start my list, but just haven't gotten there. A friend of mine is 6wks behind me, so I'm trying to decide whether or not to ask her to join me in prep. I don't know how much of a pain it would be though, since she's got a household of 2.5 (step-child there part time) and I have a household of 5!

I'm also feeling discouraged, because most of the easy meals include ingredients that are common annoyances for breastfed babies. Heaven would be a freezer full of lasagne, sausage and peppers, and pulled BBQ pork. And then, with my luck, the baby will hate them all!

[annettemarie]

I had a big huge linky thread going when I was pregnant with Daniel that had tons of recipes. Let me see if I can find it...

[annettemarie]

OK, here it is-- tons of recipes!
http://www.mothering.com/discussions...d.php?t=582533

[splath]

I'm kind of excited planning the meals for when this baby will be born since it will be the winter. For dd, it was April in NC and it was hot. This time around soups and chili will be great!

[mahiisland]

Checked out your link annettemarie. Thanks!!! I was planning to do some freezer meals too, wish I had done the same before MS hit! Will do next time.... I have a great freezer burrito recipe, made from soaked beans and all sorts of wholesome goodies, so I was surprised when I read that there are BF unfriendly foods. FTM here! No clue! Does anyone have a link to tell me what sorts of foods baby or BF won't like? Happy cooking!

[annettemarie]

Some people believe broccoli, too much onions/garlic, etc can cause fussiness in breastfed babies. Basically anything that causes gas in grownups might cause gas in babies. Additionally, some babies have milk/dairy sensitivities when the proteins pass through breastmilk. HOWEVER I am a firm believer that it's not a problem until it's a problem, you know? I think it's silly and unnecessarily restrictive to limit your diet based on the very remote possibility that your baby has a sensitivity. So what I would do is go easy on those ingredients, but not stress out about it. More babies don't have issues than do, you know, and there's no sense making life with a new baby harder than it needs to be.

[Qbear'smama]

I've been thinking about this, thanks for the links, Annettemarie!! I don't have a chest freezer, however, so I am wondering when I should start to store meals. I looked into buying premade meals for the freezer, there are a few places around here that prepare them or you can go in and assemble the ingredients yourself, holy expensive! It was a real motivator to do it myself.

[nova22]

Thanks for posting this, I need to get started. AnnetteMarie ~ your list is awesome!!! I agree with your sentiment about food problems. A couple of my kids have reacted badly when I ate broccoli, but others didn't seem to have any reaction. It's my favorite vegetable and it's so healthy, so I always try a couple times and see what happens with the baby's diaper later.

I have a OAMC cookbook that I use for ideas sometimes, but usually instead of batch cooking I just double or triple whatever I'm making for dinner anyway and freeze it. Some things I've done:

Beef Enchilada Mix
Salisbury Steak (basically individual meatloaves with gravy)
Twice-Baked Potatoes
Meatloaf
Bean Soup
Ham Soup
Chicken Broth
various casseroles
breakfast sandwiches

[splath]

Thanks for the link Annette I agree that most babies are just fine with everything, but dairy can sometimes be an issue, so I plan to freeze some things that don't have dairy just in case. Some things that froze well last time around:

cooked and seasoned ground meat for tacos
cooked and seasoned ground meat for spaghetti
meatballs
meatloaf
cooked chicken for casseroles
cooked fajita mix (onions, green peppers, chicken)
stroganoff casserole

[MyFullHouse]

Originally Posted by annettemarie

Some people believe broccoli, too much onions/garlic, etc can cause fussiness in breastfed babies. Basically anything that causes gas in grownups might cause gas in babies. Additionally, some babies have milk/dairy sensitivities when the proteins pass through breastmilk. HOWEVER I am a firm believer that it's not a problem until it's a problem, you know? I think it's silly and unnecessarily restrictive to limit your diet based on the very remote possibility that your baby has a sensitivity. So what I would do is go easy on those ingredients, but not stress out about it. More babies don't have issues than do, you know, and there's no sense making life with a new baby harder than it needs to be.

Oh, no doubt! I just don't want to wind up with a freezer full of 30 onion or cheese-based meals that might make me resent the rest of my family for a few weeks, lol. I need to branch out a bit. Thanks for the link!

[annettemarie]

Originally Posted by MyFullHouse

Oh, no doubt! I just don't want to wind up with a freezer full of 30 onion or cheese-based meals that might make me resent the rest of my family for a few weeks, lol. I need to branch out a bit. Thanks for the link!

Well, that's a great point. And as someone else pointed out, if you have a family history of allergies/sensitivities, it might be wise to limit those foods. It just makes me sad when people act like breastfeeding is a big fat ball of "DON'T DO THIS!!!!!!!!" when it doesn't need to be.

[thebigfam]

DDCC I am loving the tread that annettmarie linked and I really love the part about first snow because it is SO HOT here and I feel like dieing. Being preggers doesn't help either. We did just move our small window AC unit to our room so that helps with sleeping time. I am so inspired to freeze now!

Big Momma

[rad]

This is something I need to start thinking about. I always have the best intention to make several freezer meals and never get aorund to it. Then we're stuck with fast food and a overly tight budget. It's too hot right now to think about it but I will definitely be making a few come fall.

[laurata]

I need to get moving on this. I have a nearly empty upright freezer that I want to fill. I have extra challenges though, as if I want it to feed the whole family, if has to be vegetarian, egg-free, dairy-free, garlic-free, and gluten-free. Possibly citrus-free as well, but we're not sure yet.

[wholewheatchick]

I've started a list, but that's all. I need to do more research on vegetarian meals that will freeze well...besides chili, dahl, lentils, and more bean dishes! I plan on prepping about 2 weeks worth of meals, but even mroe than that, I plan on preparing snacks. Like homemade breads, muffins, oatmeal squares for breakfast, etc. I hate eating storebought versions of those, and I know that I will have help withmeals for the first month or so, but getting people to drop off homemade breakfast might be more difficult, you know?

I recently got the book Fresh from teh Vegetarian Slow Cooker from the library, and so far LOVE it and I think that is going to be super helpful for after Squirt arrives, too.

[Fat Scottish Gal]

I know I will be making some bean enchiladas, because they reheat nicely when frozen in individual portions, and it's always a welcome meal. Last time I made coconut dahl too which was yummy, maybe I'll do that again. I'm thinking possibly some tempeh meatballs. I really don't know...
We don't have tons of freezer space, but I also don't want to have nothing prepared and end up having to order pizza every night...

[WifeofAnt]

I started thinking about it but I don't know. I'm going to have my mom staying with us for pretty much the whole month of December (I'm 'due' the 5th) and she's having bariatric surgery next week. I'm not really sure what she'd be able to eat! I think she'd agree to help DH with the shopping and cooking though, lol.

[splath]

Ok, I could spend days in those links Annette posted

One other thing that I definitely want to add to my list is to do up some oatmeal "packets" for quick breakfasts for dd and I. I just bought 10 lbs of oatmeal from a local organic bulk foods order, (and 50 lbs of flour), so I want to make up lots of pizza crusts and things, too.

[owlgirl]

SO IRONIC!!! I just got home from researching my standup freezer options at all our local stores!! Plan on buying one by the end of the month!! So excited!!

--I want to freeze various pressure cooked beans (I eat beans daily so I pray to god the little one will be adapted!!) Plan to return to meatfree after pregnancy.
--Fresh fruits, peaches, berries, apples for smoothies later
--gluten free homemade breads, rolls, zucchini breads, cookies. (DP is GF)
--Pesto's with all this basil of summer
--homemade veggie burger patties
--soups, stews, chilis

That's all right on top of my mind. I will have to check out the link posted earlier. I am actually super excited to stock a freezer, I am so part squirrel already!! The fall and winter will be perfect times for us all to cook it up!~!