Although newborns are actually quite simple beings - feed, change, cuddle - those three simple tasks can completely consume your first few weeks with them. Whether you're tied to the sofa breastfeeding for hours each day, recovering from a C-section, or trying to get your colic baby to stop crying for just 30 straight minutes, there are lots of ways in which a baby can distract you from your own basic human functions. And in my experience, eating is the first thing to go (followed closely by showering)! I'll never forget those first few weeks alone with my son, when my helpers (aka. family) had gone back to work/school/home, I basically survived on granola bars and cucumber chunks during the day. And when it came time for dinner.....? Well, it was a lot of late meals because we had to wait for my husband or sister to get home to start cooking. I just COULD NOT! And daily takeout just wasn't an option.
My second and third time around I knew better, and I've prepared accordingly. On Sunday my girlfriends and I went to Costco and did a massive grocery haul.
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| Another thing you will really NOT feel like doing after birth: grocery shopping! |
When I got home I spent about 3 hours preparing 8 crockpot freezer meals. I also bought 8 small pre-made chicken pot pies, so in total we have 10-12 days worth of dinners taken care of.
For your shopping and cooking convenience, I've included all the recipes I used and my grocery list below :-) I chose recipes that had at least a protein and vegetable, and ideally also included a starch. I dunno... I just feel like it's not an "easy meal" if the meat is done in the crockpot but I still have to cook a separate veg and carb. Are these recipes squeaky clean? Meeeeeeehhhhh. They'll fill your belly and won't break the bank. Are these recipes kid-friendly? Well, I guess that depends on your kid ;-)
Grocery List
Meat
-lean ground beef 4 lb
-beef stew cubes, 5 lb
-chicken breast, 2.5 lb
-bone-in chicken thigh, 3 lb
-kielbasa sausage, 12-14oz
Veggies
-onion, 6 medium
-carrots, 11 medium
-red potatoes, 4 large
-celery, 1 head
-mushrooms, 1.5 lb
-diced butternut squash, 2 cups
-limes, 2
-cilantro, 1 bunch
-red onion, 1
-garlic, 2 heads
Dry
-onion soup mix, 2 pkg
-mild taco seasoning mix, 1
-chili seasoning mix, 1
-barley, 1 cup
-brown lentils, 4 cups
Canned
-black beans, 2 (16oz)
-Red kidney beans, 1 (15oz)
-stewed tomatoes, 2 (14oz)
-diced tomato, 5 (14oz)
-tomato sauce, 3 (16oz)
-cream of mushroom soup, 3 (10oz)
-vegetable stock, 2 qts
-diced green chilis, (4oz)
-coconut milk, 1 (14oz)
Frozen
-frozen corn, 2x 16oz
-green peas, 10oz
Pantry Staples
-curry powder
-Italian seasoning
-salt
-pepper
-gallon-sized freezer/storage bags
-gallon-sized freezer/storage bags
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| Getting ready: colander, scale, can opener, scissors, peeler, bags and labels, cutting board and knife, and instructions! |
Recipes
1) Black Bean Taco Soup (Six Sisters Stuff)
Ingredients:
1 lb lean ground beef (or turkey)
1 medium onion, chopped
1 package mild taco seasoning mix
1 (16 oz) bag frozen corn
1 (16 oz) can black beans drained and rinsed (you could use
kidney beans or pinto beans)
2 (14 oz) cans stewed tomatoes
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (4 oz) can diced green chilis
Directions:
Brown meat and onion, drain. Let meat cool for a minute, then
dump into a resealable gallon-sized freezer bag. Dump the remaining ingredients into the bag, mix together, and
zip bag closed. When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in fridge for 24
hours.
Cook time: HIGH for 1-2 hours or LOW for 2-3 1/2 hours.
Serve with: sour cream, guacamole and tortilla
chips
2) Hearty Beef Stew (Six Sisters Stuff)
Ingredients:
1 lb beef stew cubes
4 carrots, sliced
4 red potatoes, cut into large cubes
1 package dry onion soup mix
2 cans 98% fat-free cream of mushroom soup
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1 (10 oz) package frozen green peas
Directions:
Place all ingredients in a resealable gallon-sized freezer bag. Mix together and zip bag closed.
When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in fridge for 24 hours.
Cook time: LOW for 7-10 hours or HIGH for 5-6 hours
3) Cilantro Lime Chicken w/ Corn and Black Beans (Six Sisters Stuff)
Ingredients:
1.5 lbs chicken breasts
Juice from 2 limes
1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1 (16 oz) bag frozen corn
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 tsp cumin
salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Place all ingredients in a resealable gallon-sized freezer bag. Mix together and zip bag closed. When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in fridge for 24
hours.
Cook time: LOW for 8 hours (or HIGH for 4 hours).
Serve with: tortillas
and toppings such as with sour cream, guacamole, salsa, and cheese.
4) Slow Cooker Beef and Mushrooms (Six Sisters Stuff)
Ingredients:
3 lbs stew meat, cubed
1 (10.75 oz) can cream of mushroom soup
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup apple juice
1 (1 oz) packet dry onion soup mix
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a resealable gallon-sized freezer
bag. Zip closed.
When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in fridge for 24
hours.
Cook time: HIGH for 6 hours or LOW for 10 hours.
Serve with: rice
5) Mom’s Slow Cooker Chili (Six Sisters Stuff)
Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef (you could also use ground turkey)
1 onion, diced
2 carrots, diced
2 (14 oz) cans diced tomatoes
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1/4 cup ketchup or chili sauce
1/4 cup water
1 (15 oz) can dark red kidney beans
1 packet chili seasoning mix
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 tbs Worcestershire sauce
1 tbs sugar
Directions:
Brown ground beef with chopped onion. While they are browning,
combine all other ingredients in resealable gallon-sized freezer bag. When the browned hamburger and
onion has cooled down, add it to the rest of the ingredients in the freezer bag
and zip closed.
When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in fridge for 24
hours.
Cook time: HIGH for 3-4 hours or LOW for 7-8 hours.
Serve With: shredded cheese and corn chips
6) Mushroom Barley Stew (Hello Glow)
Ingredients:
1 lb
beef stew cubes (wasn't in the original recipe, so I added them)
16 oz mushrooms, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
1 celery rib, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 (15
oz) can diced tomatoes
1
cup uncooked barley
*2
quarts vegetable stock
Directions: Add all ingredients except vegetable stock to a gallon-sized freezer bag. When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in fridge for 24 hours. Add 2 quarts
vegetable stock to the slow cooker before cooking.
Cook
time: 8 hours on LOW
Serve with: hot, crusty bread or
rolls
7) Lentil-Butternut Squash Curry (Hello Glow)
Ingredients:
1 lb chicken breast (wasn't in the original recipe, so I added them)
1 onion, diced
2 cups red or brown lentils,
2 cups butternut squash, cubed
1 large carrot, sliced
1 (14 oz) can coconut milk,
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
1
tbs curry powder
2
tsp salt
Directions: Add all ingredients to a gallon-sized freezer bag. When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in fridge for 24 hours. Add 4 cups water to
the slow cooker before cooking. Check halfway and add more water
if needed. If soup is too thick at the end, add more water.
Cook
time: 6-8 hours on LOW
Serve with: hot, cooked rice,
flatbread, raita
8) Sausage Lentil Soup (Hello Glow)
Ingredients:
12
-14 oz kielbasa sausage, sliced
2
cups brown lentils
2
carrots, diced
1
celery rib, diced
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
15-ounce
can diced tomatoes
1/2
tsp Italian seasoning
Directions:
Add all ingredients to a gallon-sized freezer bag. For best flavor, brown kielbasa and diced onion, let cool completely before adding to bag (optional, but results in a better flavor and texture). When ready to eat, remove from freezer and thaw in fridge for 24 hours. Add 2 quarts of
water or stock to the slow cooker before cooking
Cook
time: 4-5 hours on HIGH
Serve with: fresh bread and/or rice
