Question

I dropped the ball and was planning on doing a ton of freezer meals before my baby makes her appearance, but I never got around to it and now I have less then 2 weeks until she’s here and I have NO time to make a bunch of freezer meals. If I don’t have easy, quick recipes on hand (I’m talking like “throw a frozen pizza in the oven” level of easy), I know we will end up getting food delivered most nights, and that gets so expensive. So what are your SUPER easy meal ideas? I need to stock up on groceries next week so trying to plan our meals. So far I’m thinking sloppy joes, tacos, grilled cheese, etc.  

Answer 1

You could make double of every meal and whatever you don’t eat, throw it in the freezer?  

Answer 2

Did you get Miko’s email today? She linked to an article where she did a month of crockpot meals last December. She lists off every meal and links to the recipes. Crockpot meals are sooo easy and time saving.  

Answer 3

I agree with double or tripling recipes for the next couple weeks! Also, there are a bunch of “20 freezer meals in 2 hours” on Pinterest. If you do dump recipes for the crockpot, it’s really easy and you can find ones to fit a specific budget or store like ALDI. Easy meals for us are spaghetti, oven fajitas (with frozen pepper and onions), sausage and peppers, grilled cheese and soup, breakfast for dinner, salsa chicken (chicken in a crockpot with a jar of salsa, can of corn, can of green beans - eat over rice, in tacos or burritos, by itself, over scrambled eggs for breakfast), pulled chicken sandwiches.  

Answer 4

If you have an air fryer - shake n bake chicken is good! 7 mins on each side. Add a microwave veggie steamer and that’s about as easy as it gets!  

Comments

@kristinkristina9 we do have an air fryer! I NEVER would’ve thought about this! Thanks!  

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@mosqueda I’m currently on maternity leave and didn’t do any freezer meals - just did easy recipes. Just take full use of your air fryer and instant pot is my best advice! And have sandwich stuff, lunchables, etc when the baby has a different idea  

Answer 5

Are you in Utah by chance? If so, look up Citrus Pear freezer classes and see if there's one near you. It's only takes 2 hours and you get 20 meals!  

Comments

@gorden yes I am! I’m considering doing it but I’ve heard a lot of mixed reviews on it.  

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@mosqueda I've done it twice now and love it! Meals are good and my whole family likes them. Slightly more expensive than doing the meals yourself but the time you save not shopping and prepping is totally worth it.  

Answer 6

My 2nd baby came 3 weeks early so I was also not prepared. I had my mom go shopping for me (once she got here from Chicago) and she bought a bunch of frozen stuff that cooks easily in one pan or on one sheet in the oven. I’m stocked up on salmon, pot stickers, veggies, and smoothie makings. I also stocked up on ramen and cereal and quick throw together stuff from the fridge - sandwiches, grilled cheese, cheese and crackers, cheese sticks, drinkable yogurt. And as everyone said double recipes and eat left overs. My hubs cooked a turkey and a ham both with a large bag of potatoes and we are off those for a good week.  

Comments

Also soups! Just toss everything in a pot and leave it then eat that night or freeze in portions. That’s honestly what I’ve been living on for the past month since giving birth.  

Answer 7

Instant pot mac and cheese

Answer 8

Sheet fajitas  
https://realsimplegood.com/chicken-...bake/

Answer 9

Pro tip, partner does it. Give them a heads up now. Done.  

Answer 10

Two weeks is plenty of time plan a couple meals with the same base. Like lasagna and baked ziti. Make up ground beef and make chili and taco meat and freeze. I’d people ask if you want help then say you’ll love a freezer meal or snack. Ask the baby’s father to grill up some chicken breasts and brisket or something. You don’t need to have huge meals after giving birth because you won’t want it even and won’t have the desire for dishes and big sit down meals. You can plan and buy a few gift cards for a pizza, healthy fast food place you like and buy a ore made lasagna. Plan for a few grab and go meals that you can eat while feeding. Buy a Walmart rotisserie chicken they are large, cheap and you can toss the bones in a slow cooker and water and carrots, onion and scraps and make broth. Then strain and use leftover chicken and make a soup. Make Packaged pasta noodle and sauce and a salad. Make up 5 lb ground beef and you can turn it into tacos, chili, sloppy Joe’s, burritos, a soup. With staples from pantry. a few days or week after having the baby you should be able to go grocery shopping and drive thru and do most of what you do now. Sleep when the baby does if it’s your first and if you have other kids then make them all have same routine so when they go to bed you do too. You can clean and cook with the baby in a swing or seat or wearing baby in you. Don’t ask for help make a plan now and everyone has chores and daily routine so you aren’t doing it all and if people ask to help you say yes. People want to help and get that you need it. Accept Simone running errands and cooing or offering to help you cook or bring you a meal or babysit while you shower or do laundry.  

Answer 11

Check out the batch lady. She’s English but it’s all the same as in I don’t think there’s any things you guys wouldn’t be able to get. 10 family freezer meals in an hour. Can’t go wrong! Xx

Answer 12

My super easy go to is crock pot shredded chicken with canned veggies! Leave the chicken plain and switch up the sauce you use each day!  

Answer 13

Beef stroganoff. Make the sauce and you can both put it over what you want. 1 pack bacon (I love using precooked for this meal) 1 family size cream of mushroom 1small cream of mushroom Equal (or close to it amount of sour cream as soup) 1 lbs ground beef Brown up the meat. Cut bacon into bite sized pieces and brown a little. Add sour cream and cream of mushroom soup. Warm and serve over whatever you want. I must say also, non of my family likes mushrooms, but we love this. We prefer no yolk egg noodles to serve it over.  

Comments

You could premake a huge batch of sauce and throw in the freezer and pull out when you are ready to use.  

Answer 14

Filipino Chicken adobo: 1/2 cup soy sauce, 3/4 cup white vinegar, 2 bay leaves, 2-5 smashed garlic cloves (depends on how much you like garlic) and 1 Tablespoon whole peppercorns. Pour into saucepan with 6 chicken thighs and boil/simmer for 20-30 minutes until dark brown and meat looks like it might come off bone. Fast. Easy. Leftover sauce is a nice “gravy” on rice. Can be doubled for a family pack of thighs.  

Answer 15

I spent 3 hours 1 week before my second with my mother in law and we made these freezer meals: easy ravioli lasagna Mac and cheese Beef and broccoli Honey garlic chicken Chicken pot pie Butternut squash soup Creamy pesto tortellini Enchiladas Chili I put in a click and collect order and had everything organized, a lot of the dishes used the same ingredients. It was the best thing I did for our family before baby was here and we save so much money not eating out. (When I had My first baby we spent so much on take out)

Answer 16

Also cheeseburgers are fast. So are tacos (cook meat, add taco mix, heat up shells). Garnish with cheese, sour cream, salsa and if you’re feeling fancy, a can of refried beans!  

Answer 17

Taco soup! 2 lbs ground sausage (I like hot! ), A brick of cream cheese, 1 can Rotel, a package of taco mix, and 4 cups chicken broth. Brown the sausage and then throw everything in the Crock-Pot on low for 5ish hours. It's delicious and makes a ton!  

Answer 18

Everyone is going to say: “let me know if you need something! ” And I want you to tell them THIS.  

Answer 19

Ask for family and friends to do a food train. Have them bring something for the freezer anything they come to visit you and the baby. Co workers and church friends usually ask how to help too. That’s a great way. I’m not sure of the website but I know there is one to organize who is bringing things on certain days.  

Comments

@lobachevsky27 YES TO THIS! My friend just had her 5th baby and this is our gift to her! ❤️❤️❤️

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We use Meal Train

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Read my mind. We’ve used www. takethemameal. com.  

Answer 20

Never underestimate the power of a grilled cheese or panini and a cup of soup. You could totally make a couple of big crock pot soups and freeze them between now and then. I would also make a big batch of baked ziti and freeze it, along with some shredded BBQ chicken or pulled pork

Answer 21

My go to is beef stew in the Crock-Pot. I chunk my potatoes, use frozen peas, 1 1/2 lbs of baby carrots, stew beef and 2 or 3 McCormick Hearty Beef Stew packets for slow cookers. Turn it on low for 8 hours, and you have plenty of leftovers.  

Answer 22

Double recipes that you make now (and after your baby is born) and freeze half as you go. Alternatively (or in addition), brown ground meat with onions/whatever you typically add and freeze flat to have a jump start on future meals (spaghetti, tacos, sloppy Joes. ). Keep meals simple, and when anyone says "I'd love to help! Just let me know, " request a meal or part of a meal (main dish). :) I think one website that helps organize this is Bring Them a Meal, but there are others. Congratulations!  

Answer 23

I find it easiest to cook when they’re teeny tiny as they sleep most of the day. I wouldn’t stress about it too much.  

Answer 24

Meatball vegetable soup is one I love! You take 4 cups of chicken or vegetable broth, a jar of your favorite pasta sauce, two bags of the frozen vegetable soup veggies, and a package of frozen meatballs. Dump it all in the crockpot, cook on high for three hours or on low for six. So easy and so tasty.  

Answer 25

Buy frozen meals that you can just throw in the oven. Like frozen lasgna’s/pastas, frozen pizzas, nuggets and fries, etc.  

Answer 26

Google 15 minute meals and you can get lots of ideas!  

Answer 27

Have someone do a meal train for you. We didn't cook for weeks. We also got some premade things from Costco because I also did not prepare lol

Answer 28

If you just have the recipes ready & shopping lists & menu. You can get help from family & friends. A crockpot meal can be leftovers for a few days. Have groceries delivered or ordered to pick up. That helps me stay on budget. Also in a pinch pre-made meals from a store like Trader Joe’s will help to avoid delivered meals.  

Answer 29

Aldi has a ton of bag meals that are good. My husband made us eat a lot of hamburger helper style meals too. Any crockpot recipe is pretty easy too. Do you have time to cook a few regular (not too difficult) meals to eat this week and next? If so just double or maybe triple your recipe and freeze the extras. It barely takes anymore time then what you are spending cooking that nights meal. Casseroles were my favorite to do this with.  

Comments

@grano Bates I used to do the same thing!  

Answer 30

Look at the batch cooking lady she does 10 meals in an hour

Answer 31

Google “Crockpot Chicken Soup Nothing Fancy Just Yummy” - super easy, super good, and inexpensive. You can also put a tri-tip roast in your crockpot, pour a bottle of BBQ sauce over it and cook in the crockpot on low for 8 hours. Shred with 2 forks and serve the pulled BBQ beef on hamburger buns. Super tasty and easy. There are also a ton of crockpot recipes online. Crockpot cooking or InstantPot cooking is a great way to go. You don’t usually spend any more time putting the ingredients together than you would spend making grilled cheese, etc., but the meals are so satisfying. Hope this helps!  

Answer 32

Everytime you make a meal from here till the baby comes- just make a double batch! Lasagna- make two pans instead of one and put the other one in the freezer!  

Answer 33

You could bag the ingredients for simple freezer meals like Italian sausages and peppers, beef stew - crockpot style to dump in that morning and just add liquid. I made meals like that 2 days prior to the birth of my oldest (I was just reminiscing about this 2 days ago. sorry off topic). I also did the lasagna for the freezer as well. They were simple meals to put together ahead of time to save myself a little bit of time and money after he was born.  

Answer 34

1 pound chicken, 2 packages of brown ready rice, BBQ sauce, provolone cheese and green onions cook the chicken in a skillet. Microwave the rice then bake to warm the BBQ sauce and melt the cheese.  

Answer 35

Chili and soup in the instant pot or crock pot! Also cooking meat like chicken and beef with the spices you want (even add some onions and veggies) and freezing it to throw into pasta or another meal.  

Answer 36

Instant pot meals are beyond easy! Throw in frozen meat, seasonings water and veggies (if you want). Set it and come back in an hour.  

Answer 37

Chicken in the crock pot! Make a lot and freeze some! I do a soy sauce, pineapple juice, brown sugar chicken and then shred after 4-6 hours (depending on your crock pot). Shredding it helps stretch the chicken out. I put it on rice, Hawaiian rolls, by itself. I also do a bbq chicken and shred in the crock pot. I use it for sandwiches, bbq cx pizza and quesadillas. I also make a lot of rice and freeze it. Throw it in the microwave for a few minutes and it’s ready! Another trick, I usually make enough for two meals at once and freeze one.  

Answer 38

Lazy lasagna in the instant pot. Super easy and quick.