Food and recipe ideas post baby

[-Cat-]

Okay a bit of forward planning here. Once baby is born, we will have little time to prepare ourselves any gormet dinners. Now I dont know about anyone else but I like to eat healthily and dont eat convenience/frozen ready meal rubbish. and I certainly dont want to start eating crap food, especially when I will be wanting to get my figure back, plus I will be breast feeding, so what I eat is what the baby will eat!
I know a suggestion is to cook meals in advance and freeze them, but I have very limited freezer space.

So I thought it would be a good idea to start a post where people can exchange quick and easy recipes or even let us know of any yummy easy cook food you have found in youur loval super markets. So once baby arrives we can cook a load of great healthy easy meals.
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[Rosieroo]

Cat, that's a good idea.

I don't know if you're a mince fan, but I make a beef cobbler with steak mince. 2lbs of mince more than does us both for 2 nights tea and it's really easy to make. You can put in whatever veg you've got and I've also used frozen carrots in the past when I haven't had any veg. It's warming and DH loves it. You can also use it as the base for a shepherds pie if you want to, that's what I did yesterday and I made 2 massive pies. 1 did us for tea last night and for tonight, and I made one for my mum.
For the carrot and swede you can buy ready chopped and cubed bags so that saves even more time.
I cook it on the hob to start with, then move to the oven.

I normally use
2lb steak mince
2 onions
4-5 carrots
half a swede
1-2 tin of baked beans
Oxo cubes
Beef Gravy granules

Cook the mince and onion on the hob in a lidded metal casserole pan, a big one. At the same time in a medium sized saucepan cook the carrot and swede in together.
After 20 mins put the carrots, swede and water that it's been cooking in into the casserole pan with the mince and onion. Add the tins of beans and oxo cubes. Mix well and put in the oven for approx 1-1.5 hours (with the lid on).
Take out of the oven. At this point it will still look runny and watery, you need to add gravy granules gradually until you are happy with the consistency. Serve with green veg if you want, we normally have it with savory cheese scones that I make from a packet mix and add cheese (can't make dumplings). You can have it with potatos or whatever. If you only want to make enough for 1 night then only use 1lb of mince and dont use as much carrot/swede and cook the carrot/swede in a small saucepan.
If you're making a shepherds pie then you will want it to be thicker. Obviously for a shepherds pie you just dollop into a dish and add mashed potato to the top, return to the oven for 25 mins until golden on top.
You can make lots of smaller shepherds pies and when cool freeze some.

It's really easy as there is no measuring out of anything. But it might not be to everyones taste I guess )

 

[Sarahe]

Hi Cat,

I know this wouldnt applie to me at this point of time, but seeing as the weather is turning and salads will soon be replaced with hot steaming vegetables (I too love my healthy food)

a slow cooker would be a great idea for vegetable stews, Chicken/ meat, chillis and bolognaise, I have one and use mine whilst at work you could prepare it the night before and switch it on in the morning.

it will cook it for you and all you have to do when you get five is dish up a healthy meal with no effort.


either that or order a curry and eat the salad they deliver with it


Sarah
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Sarah 27 Nick 24 (partner)

 

[beanie]

I'm hungry now

Rosieroo, can you make me some of that as it sounds really nice x

 

what ive done was brought them silver take away boxes and made up spag bol... corned beef hash... home made soup... and other meals and frozen them.. so we now have a freezer full of healthy home made ready meals... and its kept me busy in the last weeks too.


also for veg... ive cut and prepared them.... then put them in boiling water for 20 seconds then put in cold water to cool and frozen them in portion sizes..... kils the germs boiling them first.

dad is a masterchef so hes been giving me ideas... he cooked me a beef joint and cut it up into them portion boxes and poured the gravy on and weve frozen them too. so we can still have roast dinner with out all the hassle and washing up

hope this helps

 

[Urchin]

what ive done was brought them silver take away boxes and made up spag bol... corned beef hash... home made soup... and other meals and frozen them.. so we now have a freezer full of healthy home made ready meals... and its kept me busy in the last weeks too.


also for veg... ive cut and prepared them.... then put them in boiling water for 20 seconds then put in cold water to cool and frozen them in portion sizes..... kils the germs boiling them first.

dad is a masterchef so hes been giving me ideas... he cooked me a beef joint and cut it up into them portion boxes and poured the gravy on and weve frozen them too. so we can still have roast dinner with out all the hassle and washing up

hope this helps

Wow how organised are you!?!

I too have limited freezer space, so will probably get by making stews and stuff as I go.

The best easy thing I make at the moment is just casseroles using those "colemans" sachets you buy in the supermarket.
It's so easy, big pot with all your meat/ veg and casserole sauce in, then a mound of mashed potato. Great in winter!

 

[Sarah W Baby Belly]

I too love to eat healthily and am quite weight conscious.

For me, by far the easiest meal in the world is to go back to my student days. pasta! It cooks in next to no time and will give you all the carbohydrates you need for breastfeeding.

I intend to keep a large supply of stir-in sauces in the store cupboard. I can see me living on pasta in the first couple of weeks when time and enthusiasm is low.

How fattening it is depends on you. Sainsburys do some lovely Be good to yourself stir in sauces and I will also buy things like pesto as well for a change.

If you cook a large quantity of pasta, it will keep in the fridge for a couple of days. Keep a large supply of fruit in the house and you should be fine for the first few weeks.

Failing that eggs are a real superfood! I am eatng more now that I am pregnant as they seem to contain more vitamins and minerals than any other food. Served up on wholemeal toast is a great filling nutritious snack!

Hope this helps