When I was pregnant with Emma, I kind of *briefly* explored the idea of prepping some postpartum freezer meals, but ultimately just never got around to doing it and didn’t feel all that motivated to do it. The second time around, however, has been a different story.  I think because since I have a toddler now and a lot of our evening routine currently revolves around her bath & bedtime, that when we throw a newborn into the mix, it will just be nice to have some easy meals that are ready to go to take another thing off our plates.

I also just want to be able to rest and soak in the newborn time as much as possible, too, while still making sure I’m feeding my family.  Little things to make life easier, right?!

Now, none of these recipes are my own creation but I have noted when I’ve made some additions or tweaks just based on personal preference.  I’ve linked the original recipes for you.  Each of these make large 9×13 casserole size portions (sometimes I split them into two 8×8 portions) so I know they will each feed us for at least a couple of days!  Also, these are the pans I’ve been using but I am covering with aluminum foil, not the lid it comes with. Then I’ve been writing what the dish is + the cooking instructions on a post-it note with packing tape over it.  You could just write directly on the foil with sharpie but for some reason mine wasn’t writing well, so I did this instead.

I hope you find these postpartum freezer meals helpful!

Postpartum Freezer Meals

Chicken Pot Pie + Buttermilk Biscuits – made mostly according to the directions but I used pulled rotisserie chicken as a shortcut, as well as store-bought biscuits.

Baked Spaghetti – used whole wheat spaghetti

Chicken & Sweet Potato Black Bean Enchiladas – used pulled rotisserie chicken, omitted corn, added diced green & yellow pepper. also used pre-chopped sweet potatoes.

Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole – used pulled rotisserie chicken and frozen broccoli (lightly steamed before mixing in)

Mexican Lasagna – omitted corn, added chopped green, yellow, & orange peppers as well as both pinto and black beans.

Broccoli Chicken Bacon – used frozen broccoli (lightly steamed before using) and pre-chopped sweet potatoes instead of regular potatoes. Also used turkey bacon instead of regular bacon.

Southwest Chicken Alfredo – used that recipe but made several swaps- omitted onions & honey, used shredded Mexican cheese instead of cheddar, used a can of Ro-tel instead of plain diced tomatoes. I also just used pre-made taco seasoning instead of making my own! But, it didn’t specify how to freeze, so I searched around for other similar dishes and found one with instructions: Allow to cool. Cover and label, then place in freezer. (You may want to use a disposable aluminum pan for the freezer.) When ready to use, remove from freezer the night before and allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes, until top begins to brown slightly and sauce is bubbly. Remove from oven, garnish with parsley (if desired) and serve.

Root Vegetable Casserole – I wanted a meatless option & this was really easy to make.  I used sweet potatoes, carrots, & parsnips. I made my life a little easier by doing canned sliced carrots and pre-cut sweet potatoes!  Would also make a great side dish for Thanksgiving!

I will update this post if I make anything else!! But I only have so much room in the freezer haha, so we shall see!

Do you have any favorite freezer meals? If so, share them in the comments below!

xo,

Bess