One of the best ways to prepare for a new baby is to have a freezer stocked with ready-to-eat meals. Here are 50 Freezer Meals for New Moms – everything from breakfast freezer meals to healthy lunches and hearty casseroles.
Whether you’re a new mom preparing for the new arrival, or looking for freezer meals to bring to a new mom, you’re going to want to check out these make-ahead postpartum freezer meals!
Related article: Thoughtful Gifts For New Moms After Birth
I have lots of meal prep tips below, but if you just want to get to the recipes, you can use the table of contents:
Healthy meals for new moms – not just casseroles
Casseroles are an amazing food idea to bring to new moms, but us mamas can’t live on casseroles alone, can we?? This list has freezer-friendly breakfast ideas, snacks that can be made ahead and frozen (so that new moms can have healthy snacks instead of reaching for chips!), as well as freezer lunches, dinners, and casseroles.
There’s a good mix of healthy and comfort-food recipes, a mix of dairy-free and cheesy recipes, as well as some vegan and lighter options for new moms.
Related article: Best New Mom Gift Baskets
Helpful tips for getting started with meal prep
Tip #1: The most important tip is to LABEL, LABEL, LABEL! Use a permanent marker to write directly on the freezer bag, or get labels such as these to label your food. Here’s what to write on the food label when freezing food:
- Recipe name. Kind of obvious, but sometimes I think “oh I know what this is, no need to label it” and then everything looks the same when frozen, and a month later I have no idea what’s what.
- Date frozen, or a “use by” date.
- Cooking instructions or thawing instructions. This is the most important tip so you don’t have to go try to find the original recipe to figure out how to thaw or cook the frozen food. For example, I would do a simple: “Cooked. Bake from frozen at 350F for 30 minutes” or “Raw. Thaw overnight. Dump in Instant Pot and cook at 20 minutes. Natural release.“
Tip #2: Another really helpful tip is to divide the freezer into separate sections, if you can. For example on the top shelf you can place frozen cooked food that can be reheated from frozen and/or has to be thawed overnight. On the bottom shelf you can put raw prepared ingredients for dump-and-start recipes. This way you know where to look depending on whether you’re looking for a meal for tomorrow’s dinner, or need a hands-off dinner on the table in 30 minutes.
Tip #3: Ask your family and friends to help. Seriously. When a well-meaning friend asks what they can help with, just send them the link to this blog post and tell them to pick a recipe to bring over.
Related article: When It is OK To Say No As A New Mom
Tip #4: And finally, don’t get overwhelmed. You don’t have to freezer prep 50 meals like a freezer-prepper madwoman! Start with one meal. See how it goes. Then try another next week.
You can even do this after the baby comes. Many of these recipes are simple dump-and-start recipes. Just double the batch, have some for dinner, and freeze some for next week. Voila! Meal prep is done!
Related article: Brilliant Gifts For New Parents After Birth
Must-have tools for freezer meal prep
→ Get a few different sizes of disposable aluminum baking pans. Rectangular ones are great for casseroles and pasta bakes, while round ones are great for quiches and tater tot casseroles. This set has a nice variety of sizes, and this is a great set of the typical 9×13 inch pans. Here are round ones perfect for quiches and pies. And don’t forget foil and plastic wrap! The reasons you want aluminum baking pans are: (1) no risk of breaking them in your sleep-deprived state, (2) no risk of cracking your nice casserole dishes when going from freezer to oven, and (3) you don’t want to have all our nice dishes in the freezer, in case you need one later!
→ Get a few different size freezer-safe storage bags and containers. Quart-size freezer bags are great for dividing cooked food into 1-2 serving portions for freezing. Gallon-sized bags are great for those dump-and-start recipes where you prep all the ingredients, freeze them, and then cook them later in a slow cooker or an Instant Pot.
→ Get quart-sized and pint-sized soup containers, if you plan on meal prepping soups! This is a great variety set that is BPA-free. Or try this silicone freezer tray for freezing soup in portions.
→ Get a slow cooker and and Instant Pot, if you don’t have one already. Such life savers for meal prep and busy mom life! You can have dinner ready in 20 minutes thanks to the Instant Pot, and you can cook meat FROM FROZEN in an Instant Pot – perfect for those days when you forget to take the meat out to thaw.
→ Parchment paper is great for freezing pancakes so they don’t stick to each other.
→ Get a chest freezer / deep freezer if you have the space and budget. We ended up getting one to store breast milk, and it was also such a life saver for meal prep! It might seem expensive, but think about how much money you will save not ordering takeout if you can meal prep before baby arrives and have a deep freezer full of meals ready to heat up and enjoy.
50 Freezer Meals for New Moms
Tasty Freezer Breakfasts
Let's start with a few breakfast ideas that new moms can pull from the freezer and reheat.
Breakfast Burritos
Make a large batch of these flavorful Breakfast Burritos and freeze them for a quick breakfast you can enjoy while juggling a baby. To reheat, thaw them in the fridge overnight and microwave or bake until warm. Or if you forget to thaw these (mom-brain!), simply microwave them to thaw.
Vegan Sheet Pan Pancakes (Blueberry Baked Pancakes)
Make a large batch of blueberry pancakes and freeze them for quick and easy breakfasts! This recipe is for sheet pan pancakes, meaning you don't have to flip a single pancake! This recipe is dairy-free and egg-free, perfect for mamas who need to avoid dairy because of their baby's sensitivities. You can substitute half the flour for whole wheat flour in this recipe, for a healthier pancake breakfast.
Whole Wheat Carrot Cake Pancakes
Whole wheat is so healthy for new mamas, so make a batch of these whole wheat pancakes loaded with fresh carrots and tasty carrot cake spices for a healthy breakfast option. Just freeze these with a sheet of parchment paper in between to make them easy to separate, and reheat in the toaster or oven.
Related article: 25 Mouthwatering Vegetarian Instant Pot Recipes
Strawberries and Cream Baked Oatmeal
Baked Oatmeal is the perfect hearty, filling healthy breakfast. We love that this is loaded with heart-healthy oats, and nutritious (and delicious!) strawberries.
As a bonus, oats may help boost milk supply, which is especially important for many postpartum moms.
Freezer-Friendly Croissant Breakfast Sandwich Recipe
Some days you'll crave a breakfast sandwich. If you prep these ahead of time and have these delicious croissant sandwiches in your freezer, you can go from hangry mama to hot breakfast in 2 minutes! Simply microwave to thaw and enjoy!
Protein-rich foods may help with lactation, so these egg and cheese-filled sandwiches are a great breakfast idea for new moms!
Banana Pancakes
Pancakes are one of the most freezer-friendly breakfasts out there! These banana pancakes couldn't be simpler to make - just 4 main ingredients! They're naturally sweetened with banana and absolutely delicious. These bananas will keep in the fridge for 3 days, and can be frozen for a month or two. Simply toast to thaw and enjoy!
Related article: Toddler Breakfast Ideas
Easy Brie and Spinach Quiche
As a new mom, it can be hard to get a good meal in. Why not prep ahead for baby with a delicious quiche? Your future self will thank you. To freeze quiche, prepare it according to the directions and allow it to cool completely. Then wrap it in a double layer of plastic wrap and freeze. To reheat quiche for a quick breakfast (or lunch!), place the quiche directly from the freezer to a preheated oven (350F) and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until thoroughly heated.
More helpful resources for new moms: Questions to ask when choosing a pediatrician (with a free printable checklist!)
Freezer Snacks for New Moms
Before we get into lunches and dinners, we absolutely need to list some snacks that can be prepped ahead and frozen, so that mama can quickly grab a snack that is NOT a bag of potato chips.
2 Ingredient Pumpkin Muffins
Muffins are always great to have in the freezer. The best part about these is that they're ridiculously easy to make and so delicious.
More new mom snack ideas: Healthy Snacks for Breastfeeding Moms
Vegan Banana Muffins
Another great nutritious muffin option to keep in your freezer! These are dairy-free, which is great for nursing mamas who need to avoid dairy for their baby.
Related article: 64 Muffin Recipes
Yellow Squash Tots with Garlicky Yogurt Dip
These little veggie tots freeze and reheat well (just pop the frozen ones in a preheated oven at 350F for about 10 minutes!) and make a great veggie-filled snack.
Vegan Black Bean Taquitos
These taquitos make a GREAT snack or quick lunch for new moms because they can be eaten with one hand. They freeze well and are easy to reheat in the oven. So batch prep these ahead of time and enjoy during the busy postpartum days! These are dairy-free, which can be great for many nursing mamas.
More helpful resources for new moms: Breastfeeding Tips for New Moms
Freezer Dinners for New Moms
I have a whole section below on casseroles to make for new moms, but before we get into those, I wanted to share these amazing, flavorful, healthier dinner options to prep when preparing for a new baby.
The BEST Instant Pot BBQ Pulled Chicken
This 4-ingredient BBQ Pulled Chicken is super easy to make and very flavorful. Best of all, it freezes well in zip lock bags, so you can pull it out of the freezer and have the quickest meal ever! This chicken tastes amazing in sandwiches, over rice, on pizza, tacos, in quesadillas, or over a baked potato. Perfect freezer food for new moms! Dairy-free, so it is versatile for all moms even if their baby ends up being sensitive or allergic to dairy!
Sweet Potato Chicken Stew with Black Beans
This soup is loaded with healthy ingredients, protein, fiber, and nutrients. It is dairy-free (great for many nursing moms!), and it freezes well.
Jambalaya with Kidney Beans
Make a big pot of flavorful jambalya with hearty, filling beans, and freeze it in individual portions for quick meals for after the baby comes. A great dairy-free freezer meal option for the new moms who need to avoid dairy while nursing.
Golubtsi Recipe (Easy Russian Stuffed Cabbage)
These stuffed cabbage rolls can be prepared ahead of time and frozen before baking. An amazing meal that any new mom would be so grateful to have!
Slow Cooker Honey Chicken
The chicken just slides right off the bone in this flavorful, tender slow cooker honey chicken recipe. Simply transfer the cooked chicken and some sauce to freezer bags and freeze. Thaw for an instant delicious meal when you need it!
Easy Chicken Mole
Mole sauce is super flavorful and delicious, chicken cooked with mole sauce can be frozen for later, for a quick Mexican-inspired meal after baby is bone. This chicken is great for serving over rice, in tacos, in quesadillas, and on tostadas.
More helpful resources for new moms: An amazing breastfeeding class from Milkology
Creamy Vegan Potato Soup
Sometimes a hearty potato soup hits the spot. This is a vegan, dairy-free version for those mamas who can't have dairy. This soup freezes well in individual portions in zip lock bags and makes a quick lunch for those super busy postpartum days!
Freezer Cajun Roast Chicken, Potatoes, Onions, & Peppers
So flavorful and healthy! Combine all the ingredients in an aluminum pan, double-wrap tightly in foil, label it, and freeze. Thaw in the freezer overnight and cook at 375 degrees for 60 minutes, or until the chicken is fully cooked. This gives you plenty of time to tend to baby while dinner is in the oven, without having to prep anything for dinner!
Freezer Crock Pot Chicken Teriyaki Recipe
This freezer meal is even easier than the last one. Combine all the ingredients in a freezer bag, label it, and freeze. Then thaw in the fridge, transfer all the ingredients to a slow cooker, and cook during the day while you spend time playing with baby.
Slow Cooker Italian Meatballs
Meatballs freeze exceptionally well, so make a double batch of these slow cooker meatballs and freeze when for later. Simple thaw in the microwave directly from frozen, cook some pasta, and dinner is done!
Dairy-free, if you're a new mom looking for dairy-free recipes.
More helpful resources for new moms: The best baby sleep resources, including an amazing no-cry sleep training method that we did
Simple Shepherd's Pie
This easy shepherd's pie freezes well and can be reheated from frozen in the oven or the microwave, if you're in a pinch! This can be made dairy-free, if you're avoiding dairy because of baby allergies.
One Pot Homemade Hamburger Helper (Stovetop & Instant Pot Directions)
Make this homemade hamburger helper in the Instant Pot or on the stovetop for a family-friendly meal that is great to have in your freezer if you have older kiddos you need to feed while taking care of a new baby.
Freeze this after cooking, then thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating in a large saucepan. You might need to add a splash of water to loosen the sauce before reheating.
Easy Instant Pot Chicken Fajitas
You can freeze the filling for these chicken fajitas before or after cooking - your choice! For an easy dump-and-start meal, combine all the ingredients in a freezer bag and freeze, and then add 5 minutes to the cooking time. For an even quicker meal when you have a new baby, cook the chicken fajita mixture first, allow to cool, then portion into zip-lock bags and lay flat to freeze.
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Tenderloin
Slow cooker pulled pork tenderloin makes an amazing make-ahead freezer meal. Once it defrosts, just dump it in the slow cooker, shred, and serve. BBQ pork tenderloin in the crockpot is such a great freezer meal to take to new moms, trust me!
Related article: 13 Easy Weeknight Meals
Slow Cooker Hawaiian Chicken
This Hawaiian Chicken with Pineapple can be prepped into a freezer bag so you can skip any meal prep after the baby comes! Simply thaw in the fridge, dump it into your slow cooker, and cook while you do your mama things!
Dump And Start Instant Pot Chicken Spaghetti
Oh how I loved dump and start recipes during those sleep-deprived new baby days! This spaghetti is made in the Instant Pot and can be frozen after it is cooked for an easy spaghetti dinner for new moms.
White Chicken Chili Recipe
White chicken chili is the tastiest chili ever, hands-down. This recipe has instructions for how to freeze it without the cream to make sure it thaws and reheats well.
Pressure Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
Did you know that chicken noodle soup is freezer-friendly? Perfect for those days when you'll have to take care of an under-the-weather baby while not feeling so hot yourself. Make this chicken noodle soup in the Instant Pot and freeze it for later!
Instant Pot Beef Stew
Another great postpartum meal to bring to new parents is this Instant Pot Beef Stew. So hearty!! This recipe has tips for how to freeze it and reheat it.
Freezer Casseroles for New Moms
Thank goodness for casseroles, right?? You can make these during your last few weeks of pregnancy to prepare for baby, or better yet, when people ask what the baby still needs, or how they can help, simply send them the link to this blog post and ask them to prepare a meal for you!
Freezer Friendly White Chicken Enchiladas with Greek Yogurt
These enchiladas are not only incredibly delicious, high in protein, super easy to make, but they also freeze well! Simply allow them to cool after cooking, separate into 1-2 serving portions (for you and your partner), and freeze. Reheat in the microwave straight from the freezer. It doesn't get easier!
No Fail Spinach and Sausage Lasagna
Layers of pasta, sausage, and delicious tomato sauce, chopped spinach and 3 Italian cheeses make this lasagna recipe awesome. Assemble this make ahead recipe for spinach and sausage lasagna in advance, and dinner will be waiting for you even when you think you have no time for dinner!
Store this cooked lasagna in the freezer for up to 3 months. To reheat, thaw in the fridge overnight, then reheat in a 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes, or until heated through.
Chicken Divan
This Chicken Divan has juicy bites of chicken that are smothered in a simple cream sauce with broccoli and topped with a buttery Ritz cracker topping. This is a quick family dinner that you can serve over rice, mashed potatoes, or over biscuits.
Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole
This Cheesy Chicken Broccoli Rice Casserole includes homemade condensed or Campbell’s Soup, flavorful rice cooked in chicken broth, and a buttery, crunchy Ritz topping. The great part is that you can use a rotisserie chicken for this recipe, making it super easy to prep ahead and freeze!
Freeze this in 1-2 portion-sized freezer bags or containers, and microwave from frozen to reheat. Or freeze the whole dish after cooking, and reheat from frozen in a 350 degree oven until heated through.
Baked Feta Pasta
Yes, you can freeze the famous baked feta pasta!! Make this dish ahead of time. To reheat, thaw in the fridge overnight, then transfer to a large saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring gently, until warm. You might need to add a splash of milk to loosen the sauce.
The sauce might split but it should come back together when you reheat it. Keep in mind the pasta will soften more with the process of freezing and reheating.
Pasta and Baked Beans
Beans make this pasta casserole filling, high in fiber, and protein. This recipe has instructions for freezing and reheating from frozen.
Taco Tater Tot Casserole
New moms are always in need of some comfort food, right? This Taco Tater Tot Casserole is what you will be craving once baby comes, and luckily this casserole freezes well right in the pie plates or in the aluminum pan! Just defrost in the fridge overnight, and reheat in the oven to crisp up the tater tots again.
Poppy Seed Chicken and Rice Casserole
This freezer-friendly chicken and rice casserole is great for keeping new moms full and satisfied.
Baked Shells and Cheese
A classic pasta casserole is always a great choice for tired moms who need some comfort food.
Chicken Broccoli Alfredo Casserole
This casserole is great to prep ahead and is kid-friendly, which is amazing if you've got other kids to feed AND you're taking care of a new baby.
Freezer Lasagna
This lasagna recipe was made to be frozen - perfect meal for postpartum moms!
Easy Pizza Pasta Bake
This Pizza Pasta Bake can be enjoyed fresh and then frozen to wait until baby comes!
Tuna Noodle Casserole
A tuna noodle casserole is another great kid-friendly dinner option to prep ahead for baby when you've got older kiddos to feed.
Easy Chicken Fajita Casserole
Casseroles are not just for pasta! Prep this flavorful, delicious chicken fajita casserole and freeze it before baking. Then simply thaw overnight and pop it in the oven and bake according to the recipe directions. Pro tip: write down the cooking instructions on the plastic wrap so you know exactly how to cook this and don't have to search for the recipe again. Your future mommmy brain will thank you!
Green Chile Beef Enchiladas
These beef enchiladas can be assembled and frozen. Simply thaw overnight and bake according to the directions just in time for dinner.
Related: Make some Lactation Brownies for the new mom! Whether she decides to breastfeed or not, they're a delicious dessert that can be enjoyed by anyone!
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Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
Thursday 22nd of April 2021
So many tasty freezer meals here! Thanks for including my recipe.