How I Show Up (Virtually) for New Parents: Meal Planning and Easy Recipes

Babies cry when they're hungry. Parents get hangry.

Sometimes they cry too or just forget to fill their tank as they fall asleep on the couch.

No matter how you've come to have your child, you and your body are working hard to meet the demands of caring for your little one. If you've recently given birth, your body needs to replenish and restore the nutrients that it lost. New moms, especially those who are breastfeeding, need nutrient packed foods rich in fatty acids and iron. Plus, you'll need at least an extra 500 calories a day to help maintain your milk supply.

When I can't be in your home to do food prep or cook a meal, there's still much I can do. After chatting with my clients about food preferences, allergies, and aversions, I create a meal plan specifically suited for their family. I generate grocery lists and supply new parents with easy recipes to prepare at home. I like keeping it simple as most of the recipes have few ingredients and make use of common pantry items.

When you don't have the energy to cook, it helps to have homemade frozen meals already in your freezer or a meal-train organized by friends and family. But if you don't have a stocked freezer or when the meals run out, it's important to have easy access to nutritional food that you will love to eat. (Although, new parents report that ANY food tastes good. That's how hungry they are!)

One-handed snacks are also important when you just can't wait another minute to eat. Whether you're vegan, gluten free, vegetarian, nut-free, dairy-free, kosher and/or hate cilantro, I've got a recipe you'll love!