[mamamilkers]

I'm starting to panic that I don't have much food in the freezer, or anything else quick to prepare set aside. I'm going to have friends helping out here and there through the delivery and a bit afterwards, but then it's just me and the two little ladies to fend for ourselves! I want to make sure I have enough food on hand but am drawing a blank as to good things to have ready ahead of time.

What has everyone else done to prepare?

 

[veganf]

Ten people promised to bring food by after the baby was born. So far only 1 friend has done so, with chili, and it was great. But none of the relatives (even the ones who have visited already) have brought us anything (not even a congratulations card

).
So it's definitely worth stocking up on food if you can. While I'm still cooking daily, it's great to have one meal that I just set out to thaw. Besides all the store-bought stuff, I froze:
- lots of soups
- breads & muffins
- pasta sauces & pestos
- curries
- mac & chreese
- various frozen steamed frozen veggies
- chili
- lasagna
- burritos
- veggie burgers

Krista

 

[Sailmom]

I have in my very small freezer...

Spinach Lasagna
Zucchini Casserole
Chili
Spaghetti Sauce
Burritos
Quorn nuggets
ice cream (you know, the really important stuff)

and I have plans to make carrot soup tomorrow.

 

[Meeshi Mama]

My last babe was a c-section and I still didn't have issues making food. Hopefully it doesn't bite me in the butt, but I didn't really stock up that much this time. We have some of the frozen Amy's things like pot pies, some canned soups, things like that. I'm not going to be too concerned if we survive on sandwiches and veggies + dip and cereal and the like for a week or so. We graze a lot anyway.

 

[JENinOR]

I didn't do a whole lot but it feels good to have a little something to help out pp. I did...

~ 3 quiches using store bought pie crust
~5 lasagnas (didn't precook noodles, bought already shredded cheese & store bought spaghetti sauce instead of hm)
~1/2 dozen or so hm alfredo sauce stored in freezer (super easy recipe!)
~I also stocked up on canned beans and tortillas (in freezer).

but my favorite thing I did was precook hamburger and grilled chicken breasts and freeze. I use these for salads, spaghetti, sloppy joes, burritos, quesadillas, bbq and regular sanwiches, etc. I actually do pregnant or not and it is so nice to have on hand. I grill a whole costco bag (or more) of chicken breasts at a time and freeze individually. I cook and freezer bag the hamburger in 1/2 lb portions.

My husband and I did this together at night or on Saturdays or he did something with the kids so I could concentrate on cooking.

HTH!

 

[Lact-o-Mama]

just lurkin' Mammas...

I would also suggest having some pre-marinated meats in the freezer. you can buy them at your local super-market or buy fresh and marinate then put into ZipLoc Bags. I always felt that if we had the *main* part of the meal done and all we had to do was some noodles/rice/potatoes and a salad, it would be easier. I second the frozen lasagna idea. Pop by your local Italian specialty store and you can get homemade goodies there...sauces, pestos, cookies...yummmmm.

My sister was due on the 9th and I have stocked *my* freezer in preperation for helping her. She's a single mom and lives just a few doors away from me. Every meal I cook for my family will feed her too.

 

[mamamilkers]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lact-o-Mama My sister was due on the 9th and I have stocked *my* freezer in preperation for helping her. She's a single mom and lives just a few doors away from me. Every meal I cook for my family will feed her too.

Lact-o-mama, you sound like an awesome sister! I am sure my sis would do the same for me if I didn't live 2,000 miles away from her

These are really great ideas, I especially like the meat ones. I only recently started cooking meat for myself and I am totally clue-less as to how to go about preparing and storing it. I should head over to Costco this weekend and have myself a little cook-a-thon after DD heads to bed!

Keep the ideas comin'

 

[AmieV]

I am slacking on this. I think I'm going to not bother. We're not opposed to take out when the going gets rough, and my mom is here so hopefully she'll bail me out.

I probably will get some frozen stuff from Trader Joe's. I just don't even want to turn the oven on most days, let alone make a bunch of casseroles and stuff.

 

[coop_mom]

we've got a casserole, a lasagne and a thing of pulled pork in our freezer so far, not to mentione a zillion peaches (see aug. chit chat thread for peaches details

luckily, DH does much of the cooking, and he's home these days (i guess there are *some* benefits for his being unemployed...) so he will probably do the cooking after the baby comes

mommyjen - I really like the idea of pre-cooking the meats and freezing them...that would make throwing a salad or something together that much easier!

I also like the marinating idea, lact-o-mama

 

[mrs rockstar]

I've been trying to stock up...and failing miserably. I have one meal of our favorite chicken dish frozen, several mornings worth of pancakes and today I put away two helpings of carrot pasta...that my daughter is suddenly refusing to eat, so it was sort of silly to make that much of it and freeze it!

I'm sort of hoping my mother goes overboard and cooks a bunch for me.

 

[~PurityLake~]

My mom came over the last week in July and helped me cook. She baked a banana nut bread loaf and some cranberry bread. Unfortunately, those have both already been eaten

. They were sooo good. We also cooked up 3 casseroles (just rice, meat and veggies) and a meatloaf. One casserole has already been eaten. I guess it's not a good idea to plan too far in advance. I didn't pre-cook any meals, though, with my first. I don't even remember what we did for meals. This time, since I have a 14 months old, born May 29, 2005, I know I will have less time available to cook once this baby is born (due aug 14th).
Just recently, our fridge/freezer has been acting up anyway, so it looks like we have to buy a new one. I have lots of canned food, and bread, peanut butter, tuna fish, and will buy lots of fresh fruit. OH, I also keep frozen berries in the fridge, which I can just put cool whip on as a snack, or mix with cereal.

 

[eleven]

We generally keep a good amount of quick and easy Trader Joe's frozen meals on hand, so we should be okay.

Most importantly, I've instructed DH to order some Godiva since they are having their semi-annual sale right now.

 

[rebeccalizzie]

Pretty much nothing. All my usual frozen dinners are casserole type, and I cannot even think about making them right now, let alone eating them in the next few weeks...it's *WAY* too hot here for lasagna or chili or chicken casseroles. Ugh.

DH is taking 3 weeks off, and he can cook and has been informed that he is going to be in charge of meals

. I bought a bunch of chicken breasts today so he'll have something easy to throw together. My mom and my sister will also bring us food, I'm sure, and hopefully at least one or two other people. If all else fails, I'm not opposed to takeout, sandwiches, canned soup and frozen Stouffer's lasagna, and I know my mom will go grocery shopping for me if i need her to.

We'll eat somehow, I'm not terribly worried about it.