Postpartum Freezer Meals (grocery list + printables)
Published 9/24/2023
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Looking for postpartum freezer meals so that you can prep ahead of time before baby? Check out our guide to meal-prepping 4 main meals, a snack, and a dessert!
Disclaimer: This post is sponsored by Instacart. We were compensated and all opinions are our own. Thank you for supporting Fit Foodie Finds!
Having make-ahead meals in my freezer was one of the best gifts I got when I had my baby. Not having to think about prepping nourishing meals and care for a newborn was such a gift!
Postpartum freezer meals are now my go-to for all of the new moms in my life and we’ve created a simple guide that allows you to prep 4 main meals, 1 snack, and 1 dessert in just one afternoon.
Prepping for Postpartum Meals with Instacart
This post was (quite literally) made possible by our friends at Instacart. We’re avid Instacart users (have been for YEARS) and use their grocery delivery service multiple times per week when ordering groceries to the Fit Foodie studio.
I love that you can truly get everything on this list (and then some) delivered right to your door from your favorite retailer in as little as 1 hour. Instacart has personally saved me hours upon hours of time shopping time and IMO, would also be a great gift to postpartum moms! You bet this is what we’re meal prepping for Em’s baby 😀
Don’t have a grill? Here are the oven directions:
Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Place a grill pan or cast iron skillet into the oven, and add 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Let the pan heat for 5 minutes.
Add the chicken to the skillet and cook the chicken for 8 minutes on the first side. Flip the chicken and place 2-3 slices of tomato on top, followed by mozzarella slices.
Cook the chicken for an additional 6-8 minutes or until the internal temperature of the chicken is 165ºF. Remove the chicken from the grill and let it rest for 5 minutes. Top the chicken with fresh avocado, basil, and micro greens. Serve immediately.
Freezer Meals for Postpartum Menu
As we’ve mentioned, this guide will provide you with recipes for 4 main meals, 1 snack, and 1 dessert. We’ll provide you with both freezer instructions and reheating instructions to make this process a breeze. Here’s what’s on the menu:
- Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup: There is nothing better than a fibrous, flavorful soup. Make our Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup and turn them into freezer soup cubes for a simple, single-serve meal!
- Pesto Cubes: freeze homemade pesto into single-serve cubes so that you can quickly make a delicious pasta sauce in less than 10 minutes!
- Lactation Cookies: the ultimate postpartum cookie is our lactation cookies made with rolled oats, brewer’s yeast, maple syrup, flax seed, and eggs.
- Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas: Prepare our slow cooker chicken fajitas in a freezer bag so you can easily thaw it overnight and transfer it into your slow cooker to cook hands-free.
- Breakfast Quesadillas: our breakfast quesadillas are the perfect single-serve meal for postpartum. Once frozen, pop them in the microwave for a quick, protein-packed meal.
- Collagen Cookie Dough: collagen cookie dough is the perfect late-night snack while you’re nursing. Prep a double batch and store them in the freezer.
Downloads – Shopping List + Printables
You can either pick and choose any of these recipes to prep and freeze or you can download our shopping list and freezer guide to make this process as easy as possible
- Shopping List
- Freezer Guide (recipe + freezer instructions)
The Investment
Total Cost (ish): $80
Total Time: 3 hours
The reward
- 4 full meals
- 1 snack
- 1 dessert
- 30 servings of snacks/dessert
- 30 servings lunch/dinner
- A bunch more hours to spend with your baby 🙂
Storage Containers for Freezer Meals
In this post we’re featuring a handful of storage containers that are best for freezing. Here they are in one place!
- Freezer-Safe Gallon Size Bags
- Silicone Freezer Tray for Soup
- Small Silicone Freezer Tray
- Reusable Silicone Storage Bags
Instant Pot Butternut Squash Soup
- Cost: $11
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Servings: 6
Freezer Instructions
- Begin by making the butternut squash soup as directed.
- Let it cool for about 20 minutes and then transfer it into a silicone freezing tray. You can fill 4 portions or 6.
- Cover and let freeze for at least 12 hours.
- Once frozen, transfer into a freezer-safe gallon-size bag and store for up to 3 months.
Reheating instructions
There are a few different ways to reheat your butternut squash soup and we’re sharing the easiest way!
- Remove 1 cube from the silicone mold.
- Place it into a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat.
- Stir periodically until soup is fully melted and heated.
- You may need to thin the soup out. You can do so by adding broth or water until it reaches the desired consistency.
Silicone
Freezing Tray
This silicone freezing tray is perfect for freezing single-serve portions of soup or chili!
Pesto Cubes
- Cost: $10 (or free from your garden!)
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Servings: 12-15
Freezer Instructions
- Make a triple batch of our homemade pesto recipe.
- Transfer the pesto (1 tablespoon at a time) into a small silicone mold or ice cube tray.
- Cover and freeze for at least 12 hours.
- Once frozen solid, remove them from the silicone mold and transfer them into a freezer-safe plastic bag, and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Serving Suggestions – pesto pasta!
When you’re ready to eat your pesto, you can let it thaw in the fridge overnight and use it as a spread or dip.
Serve it as a pasta sauce:
Melt around 6 cubes in a medium saucepan. Then, add 1/2 cup of pasta water. Toss the pesto sauce with around 8 oz. of cooked pasta.
Silicone
Ice Cube Tray
Freeze your pesto cubes in this reusable silicone ice cube tray!
Lactation Cookies
- Cost: $12
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Servings: 12
Freezer Instructions
- Make our lactation cookies as directed.
- Transfer them onto a wire rack to cool for at least an hour.
- Once cooled, transfer them back onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Place the baking sheet in the freezer and freeze for 2 hours. This step prevents the cookies from sticking together in the plastic bag.
- Transfer the partially frozen cookies into a freezer-safe gallon-size bag and store in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Serving tip
When you’re ready to eat a lactation cookie, simply grab a cookie from the bag and let it sit on the counter for 5 minutes!
Slow Cooker Chicken Fajitas
- Cost: $19
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Servings: 6
Freezer Instructions
Find the ingredient list in our slow cooker chicken fajitas post.
- Combine fajita seasoning, salsa, and avocado oil in a medium bowl and mix to combine. Set aside.
- Next, thinly slice the bell peppers and onion.
- Transfer the chicken breast, bell peppers, and onion into a freezer-safe gallon-size bag. Pour on the fajita sauce and seal.
- Use your hands to squish everything around so that the chicken and veggies are coated.
- Remove as much air as possible form the bag an flatten it out. Seal tightly.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
Cooking Instructions
- When you’re ready to make your slow cooker chicken fajitas, remove the bag from the freezer and let thaw in the fridge overnight.
- Once completely thawed, transfer the contents of the bag into your slow cooker.
- Cover the slow cooker and cook everything for 2 hours on high or 4-6 hours on low. Toss the peppers and onions (if possible) halfway through the cooking time.
- When the chicken’s internal temperature is 165ºF remove the chicken from the slow cooker. Slice into thin strips and add it back into the slow cooker. Toss with the peppers, onions, and sauce.
- Turn the heat on the slow cooker to warm and let the chicken soak up the sauce for 10-15 minutes.
Breakfast Quesadillas
- Cost: $15
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Servings: 6
Freezer Instructions
- Follow the directions on how to make the breakfast quesadillas in this post.
- Let them cool for 10 minutes and then tightly wrap them in tin foil.
- Freeze for up to 3 months.
Reheating Instructions
Microwave: unwrap the tin foil and then defrost it in the microwave for a few minutes before microwaving on high for 1 – 2 minutes.
Oven: preheat oven to 350ºF. Place frozen quesadilla in the oven fully wrapped in tin foil. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until the quesadilla is thawed and hot.
Collagen Cookie Dough
- Cost: $10
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Servings: 18
Freezer Instructions
- Make the collagen cookie dough balls as directed in the post.
- Transfer them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for 2 hours.
- Once they are almost frozen, transfer them into a freezer-safe gallon-size bag and freeze for up to 3 months.
serving tip
Remove a few balls from the freezer and let them come to room temperature on the counter. Enjoy!
The idea of creating a simple guide to prep four main meals, one snack, and one dessert in just one afternoon is practical and convenient.
Yay! These meals were lifesavers for all of us postpartum 😀
This is the MOST helpful postpartum freezer meal prep guide I’ve come across!!! Literally, I was piecing together my grocery list and meal prep needs in a spreadsheet before I found this and it’s taken so much of the mental load off to have the grocery lists and recipes all right here. And because it’s FFF I know it’s all both tasty and nourishing so I don’t have to worry about testing the recipes before I make big batches to freeze! (The breakfast quesadillas are already a favorite around here and I know I’ll need extra of those on hand.) THANK YOUUUUU!