Why Batch Cooking is Important For New Mothers and Their Babies
So motherhood has begun, and the only person you used to cook for is your hubby. Well, aside from those days he fed you because of all the cravings… unless your husband is a chef then haven't you been one of the lucky ones! Either way, meal preparation becomes an even greater task, because taking care of the baby requires a lot of attention, so how does mama make her load lighter? Batch cooking!
For new mothers, batch cooking is one of the most important things they can do for their baby and family. It really takes some weight off daily cooking, and makes meal-time easier for the whole family, ensuring that everyone is getting a balanced diet with all the nutrients they need. It also helps new mothers save time as it allows them to cook once and have meals ready for several days. With batch cooking, mothers can ensure that their baby is getting healthy, nutritious food without having to worry about spending hours in the kitchen every day.
Hey mama, we know it can be daunting to meal plan and cook nutritious meals for your baby and family. But don't worry… batch cooking meals is a great way of ensuring that you are providing your family with balanced meals without having to spend too much time in the kitchen. In the long run, it will helps you save time, money, and energy since you prepare multiple meals in one go. This means less hassle for busy moms who need quick and easy solutions for their meal planning needs. With batch cooking, you can make sure that your baby and family get healthy food from fresh ingredients without sacrificing quality or taste.
Batch cooking involves prepping, cooking, and storing meals in batches so that you can quickly reheat them when needed. This method of meal preparation can help save time, money, and even reduce food waste. Quite ideal for busy parents who want to make sure their family has nutritious meals with minimal effort. It also allows you to control what ingredients are used in each meal, so you can make sure that your baby is only consuming the best ingredients.
By preparing meals ahead of time, you can have peace of mind knowing that your baby and family will always have access to good food. To undertake batch cooking for new mothers, follow these steps:
1. Plan meals that are nutritious and easy to reheat. You can get inspiration from the internet, mom blogs, your baby's doctor, mom groups… The help needed is in every corner you look! You don't have to do it alone.
2. Make a list of ingredients needed for the recipes. This will make it even easier for you to either shop for yourself or send someone to do it for you. In this dynamic world we even have chore buddies! Just a list mama, this will help in future meal preps as well.
3. Shop for groceries in advance. Nothing sucks like looking in the fridge and finding ingredients missing or not enough for the week's batch. Always make sure you even have a 'market day' every week where you make sure you are sorted in advance.
4. Set aside a dedicated day for cooking. That is the essence of batch cooking. One day of cooking so you don't have to cook on a daily basis. Choose a day that works for you, makes you completely dedicated and then prepare your meals. Religiously.
5. Prepare and cook multiple meals in large quantities. This avoids the monotony of eating the same food for a week. You will get sick of it. However, multiple meals in large quantities lets you eat whatever you want, without feeling bored.
6. Portion the meals into individual servings. Instead of raiding the fridge, each serving gives you ease in just picking a batch and closing the fridge. No need to keep serving food from containers all day long. Who is going to wash them? Daddy? 😂
7. Label and date each meal for easy identification. It's all about convenience.
Store the meals in the freezer. Keep them fresh for longer.
8. Make sure your reheating instructions are clear to you. Some meals reheat badly so it's good to know what you are reheating and how to reheat it.
Even with all these steps listed above, many new mothers may not use batch cooking due to lack of time and energy. You may not even know where to start. However, that should be a problem mama. You can get help from your paediatrician, or a nutritionist who can help by providing personalized meal plans and recipes tailored to new mothers' needs, making batch cooking easier and more efficient.
Happy cooking mama and papa!