Vegan Postpartum Meals
5 February 2023
As a new mom, it can be challenging to find time to cook nutritious vegan meals while still spending time with your baby. Preparing vegan postpartum meals in advance before giving birth can help ensure that you have easy-to-make meals on hand when you are too tired or busy to cook. Not only will it save time and energy, but it will also provide your body with the nutrients and energy it needs to recover from childbirth.
In this article, we will discuss when you should start preparing vegan postpartum meals and some of our top tips for making delicious vegan freezer meals for new moms. We will also share our top 10 favourite vegan freezer meal recipes so that you can get started on your postpartum meal prep today!
Preparing for postpartum: Make a game plan
Postpartum is a time of transition and adjustment for new mothers. As your body recovers from childbirth, it’s important to nourish yourself with nutrient-rich, vegan meals that will help you feel energized.
With a little planning, you can make sure that you have delicious vegan postpartum meals ready to go when life gets busy.
When should you start making vegan postpartum meals?
When it comes to planning vegan postpartum meals, it’s important to think about when you should start making them. Frozen meals can last up to 3 months and maintain their quality and flavour. Ideally, we recommend blocking off an entire weekend to prepare all the meals or splitting it up into a few hours over several weeks during your third trimester.
How many vegan postpartum meals should you make?
How many postpartum vegan meals you should make depends on how soon you think you will have the time and energy to cook again after your baby is born. We recommend having 2-4 weeks’ worth of freezer food since both parents will most likely be sleep deprived while adjusting to the change for the first month.
Weeks worth of postpartum freezer foods can be easily made by scaling up your favourite recipes. For example, you can utilize our top 10 vegan freezer meals for new moms and triple the recipe to make 30 meals easily.
How do you store them?
Freezing your vegan postpartum meals can make sure your meals stay fresh and nutritious. You can either use storage containers or reusable freezer bags to store your frozen vegan meals. It is also helpful to label and date your meals on the container or bags so you can identify what it is and when you made them later on.
Deciding the meals and making your grocery list!
Finally, this is the most exciting step out of the entire game plan: deciding what you want to make and eat during postpartum! It is important to ensure your postpartum meals are well-balanced and nutrient-dense to provide the nutrients needed to help your body heal and recover from childbirth. The meals should ensure that you are getting a variety of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, plant-based proteins like tofu/beans/lentils/peas, and healthy fats every day.
From vegan breakfast ideas to dinner recipes, there are plenty of delicious vegan postpartum meals that will help you get through the day. See below for our top 10 vegan freezer meals for new moms!
Top 10 vegan freezer meals for new moms
Here are our top 10 vegan freezer meals for new moms that are delicious and nutrient-packed. These dishes can be easily mixed and matched to create your personalized postpartum vegan meal plan.
Easy Vegan Moroccan Soup
This Moroccan soup is packed with lentils and vegetables while seasoned with a variety of spices to make it flavourful and nutrient-packed. It is also naturally sweetened with prunes to provide additional fibre, vitamins and minerals that can be easily prepared under 30 minutes.
Veggie Fajita Enchiladas
This fajita enchilada is made with black beans, onions and roasted peppers covered in a homemade enchilada sauce. Add a splash of avocado topping for some healthy omega-3 fatty acids to make the dish extra delicious!
Vegan Stuffed Peppers
This easy-to-make recipe not only looks pretty but tastes delicious! The bell peppers are stuffed with mushroom, carrots and onions, making it a hearty meal. Add some tofu or peas to the stir fry for extra protein to make this meal well-balanced.
Roasted Red Pepper Vegan Mac ‘n’ Cheese
This is a classic vegan twist to the famous mac ‘n’ cheese. The “cheesy” sauce is made with onion, garlic, cashew, red pepper, tomato paste and lots of spices to make it super creamy. The nutritional yeast provides an umami-like savoury flavour that makes this dish rich and tasty while adding vitamin B12 into your vegan diet.
Tofu and Summer Vegetable Curry
Tofu is a great source of plant-based protein and it blends in so well with the curry flavour. The zucchini, eggplant and green beans add a variety of colours and flavours to the curry. Be sure to top it with some cilantro and peanuts for some fragrance and crunch.
Broccoli and Cashew Cream Soup
Mmhmm, this broccoli and cashew cream soup is thick and creamy and it can be easily prepared under 30 minutes. The broccoli, fennel and celery blend well together and the cashew cream makes it creamy and savoury. Cashew is a great source of protein and be sure to garnish this soup with some celery leaves, parsley and dill pepper.
Three-Bean Chili
This easy three-bean chilli is perfect for any meal and can be easily prepared in 30 minutes. This recipe uses a mix of kidney beans, black beans and pinto beans that pack loads of protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals into your vegan diet. You can serve it with some vegan sweet chia cornbread that goes great with stews and chilli.
The Best Vegan Lasagna
This vegan lasagna is layered with tofu-cashew “ricotta”, red lentils marinara sauce, and loads of spinach. Not only are lentils, tofu and cashew great sources of plant-based protein, but they are also packed with fibre, vitamins and minerals. This recipe is rich and satisfying when you are craving something hearty.
Lentil Bolognese
This easy-to-make lentil bolognese has so many depths of flavours to it making it the best vegan pasta dish. The carrot and celery add sweetness, while hemp seeds add texture and richness to the recipe. The lentils have a “meaty” taste to them making this a hearty meal with lots of flavours.
Vegan Seitan Saag
Saag is an Indian vegetable dish usually eaten with bread such as roti, naan or rice. Seitan has a savoury taste that is similar to chicken or portobello mushroom and is a perfect addition to a saag dish. This dish is also packed with spices such as curry powder, turmeric, cumin and cinnamon making it super flavourful to eat roti or naan.
Vegan postpartum snack ideas
Vegan postpartum snacks come in handy when you feel hungry in between meals or nursing sessions. It is important to choose nutrient-dense snacks with protein and carbohydrates for the extra energy you need to recover from childbirth.
Some examples of nutrient-dense vegan postpartum snacks are:
- Hummus with veggies and pita bread
- Superseed crackers
- Avocado toast with chia seeds
- Fruit slices with nut butter
- Oatmeal with nuts or seeds
- Chocolate coconut vegan energy balls
Continue your vegan prenatal supplement
If you are breastfeeding your child postpartum, it is recommended to continue taking your vegan prenatal supplement to ensure you have an adequate amount of vitamins and minerals for your optimal recovery.
We recommend prenatal supplements such as: Pink Stork.
Microalgae-derived DHA supplements are optional for the mother to decide but it is highly recommended. We recommend Freshfield Vegan Omega 3 DHA supplement and Good Earth Nutrition Vegan DHA Omega 3 Supplement.
Stay hydrated!
Hydration during breastfeeding is very important. It is recommended to drink 3 litres of water daily so fill up multiple water bottles around the house and remind yourself to take a sip whenever you have time.
Final words
Eating a balanced vegan diet can provide the nutrients needed to help the body heal and recover from childbirth. However, there is no one-size-fits-all approach to vegan postpartum meal planning, so it’s important to consult with a vegan dietitian for personalized recommendations and meal plans.
Book a session with a vegan dieitan to ensure that you are getting all the nutrition your body needs while enjoying delicious postpartum plant-based meals!
Alyssa Fontaine
