Postpartum Meal Prep (My Favorite Snacks, Treats and Breakfasts!)
If you’re getting ready for a new baby, a little postpartum meal prep can go a LONG way when you’re deep in the newborn haze. Having a freezer stash of breakfasts, snacks, and treats absolutely saved me. 😅 Whether it’s first thing in the morning, during a middle-of-the-night feed or somewhere in between, these simple recipes will prepare you when hunger strikes!
These 12 freezer-friendly recipes are great for postpartum recovery, but they’re also the kind of things the whole family can enjoy. Think breakfast burritos, a breakfast casserole, muffins, snack bites, granola and sweet treats you can make ahead and pull out whenever you need them. They’re also perfect for busy seasons like back to school, travel, moving or anytime you want to make life a little easier. I’m not in the baby season anymore, but these are still recipes that I come back to time and time again.
Postpartum hunger is REAL.
I remember the groggy, hangry mornings of breastfeeding a newborn baby and my husband bringing me a cup of coffee and a breakfast burrito. A filling breakfast you can eat with ONE HAND and hold a baby in the other? Get outta here. The best. Turns out standing on my feet for 14 hours prepping food at 39 weeks pregnant was worth it. 😂
But breakfast burritos weren’t the only thing I was grateful to have around. When you’re barely sleeping and feeding a baby around the clock, having food that is easy to grab is clutch. And if you’re breastfeeding, your body is doing a lot. So this is not the time to be surviving on random handfuls of crackers.
A few things worth noting:
You’ll notice that a good chunk of these recipes have options to add essential nutrients, like ground flaxseed, hemp hearts, chia seeds, brewer’s yeast, oats and nuts. They’re simple add-ins that can bring more protein, fiber and healthy fats to the mix, plus plenty of overall energy to help keep you going. And most of these nutrient powerhouses are also considered galactagogues, which means they may help support your milk supply.
That’s really what I wanted this list to be – a mix of filling breakfasts, easy snacks, and a few sweet treats. Because sometimes you just need a cookie! They can be wrapped in individual portions, laid flat in gallon-sized freezer bags, or piled in freezer-safe airtight containers. Grab exactly what you need to thaw and leave the rest tucked away for later.
And this does not have to be something you do alone. If someone asks what they can do before baby arrives, SEND THEM THIS.
WHAT READERS ARE SAYING
“Just prepped these for postpartum and had to bake a few up first to try them out – amazing!! So excited to be able to pop a few in the oven whenever I need a treat after baby arrives!”
– Eva, Lactation Cookies
Stay tuned for part 2 with postpartum freezer meals you can make ahead for easy lunches and dinners. And at the bottom of this post, you can grab a FREE postpartum meal prep guide with all 12 recipes in one place, including the ingredients, instructions and storage tips for the freezer so you can print it out and use it while you meal prep.
12 Freezer-Friendly Recipes for Postpartum Meal Prep:
Best Breakfast Burritos
Crispy roasted hash, fluffy scrambled eggs, savory Italian sausage and melted cheese all wrapped up in a warm tortilla. Swap out the sausage for black beans if you want a vegetarian option. Pop one in the air fryer or microwave on a morning when cooking is the last thing you want to do.
Cozy Vanilla Cinnamon Granola (aka our house favorite granola)
Homemade cinnamon granola with rolled oats, nuts, seeds, warm vanilla flavor, and big crunchy clusters. Easy to customize with your favorite add-ins and so good over Greek yogurt, with milk or straight from the jar.
Caramelized Shallot and Bacon Egg Bake
A hearty egg casserole with bacon, spinach, caramelized shallots, cottage cheese and Gruyère, plus optional buttery croissant pieces on top. My daughters even love it as breakfast-for-dinner. Once it’s cooled completely, cover it tightly with foil and stash it in the freezer for easy meals later.
Wholesome Oatmeal Apple Cake
Subtle apple flavor, warm fall spices and hearty whole grains make this oatmeal cake such a good breakfast, dessert or snack. Wrap the entire cake or individual slices tightly in plastic wrap before freezing. And highly recommend drizzling on the cream cheese glaze before serving.
Seriously the Best Lactation Cookies Ever
These soft chocolate chunk cookies are loaded with lactation-supporting ingredients like brewer’s yeast, flaxseed and oats. I always make a batch for friends who are breastfeeding during the postpartum period, but ANYONE can eat them! Scoop the dough onto a cookie sheet and freeze until firm before transferring to Ziploc bags.
Double Chocolate Oat Muffins
Tender, chocolatey and full of good-for-you ingredients, these muffins have some staying power to help keep your energy levels up. Plus, they’re made in the blender with minimal effort. Perfect whenever you’re in the mood for something sweet.
Peanut Butter Oatmeal Balls
These no-bake energy bites are made with nutrient-dense foods like oats, coconut, natural peanut butter and ground flaxseed. Rolled into easy portion sizes, they’re perfect for grab-and-go snacking and keep beautifully in the fridge or freezer.
Incredible 5-Ingredient Date Snickers
Caramel-y Medjool dates get stuffed with peanut butter, topped with peanuts and coated in dark chocolate. Keep a batch in the freezer for whenever a sweet-and-salty craving hits.
Morning Glory Muffins
I first made these as a hangry postpartum mom needing a quick, nourishing bite before a “real breakfast.” Studded with apple, carrot, pecans and coconut, these soft muffins are warmly spiced with cinnamon and ginger.
Frozen Cottage Cheese Bark
Cool, creamy cottage cheese bark with peanut butter, banana and chocolate makes an easy high-protein snack. For the best quality, store it in an airtight freezer-safe container and let it sit at room temperature for 5-10 minutes before eating.
Peanut Butter Baked Oatmeal
This peanut butter baked oatmeal is a beautiful balance of protein, complex carbohydrates and heart-healthy fats that will keep you full until lunch. It is perfect for postpartum freezer meal prep or a special occasion breakfast!
Soft Cottage Cheese Banana Bread
This loaf is sweet, moist and perfectly tender, with banana and chocolate chunks bringing amazing flavor. Cottage cheese and hemp hearts add a little nutrition boost too. New moms, do NOT feel guilty if you eat a slice as an afternoon snack for three weeks straight. I definitely did.
Now I’m craving a sweet treat! Stock the freezer now, thank yourself later. For specific expert tips, variation ideas, and answers to frequently-asked-questions, be sure to check each individual recipe.
And if you want the whole roundup in one place, download the free postpartum meal prep guide below.
If you try and like this recipe, please don’t forget to leave a comment and star rating down below! For more lifestyle, behind-the-scenes and ‘eating in real life’ type of content, come find me over on Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, Facebook, or Youtube – I love connecting with you all there!
