Make Ahead Meals For The Parents-To-Be

My due date is around the corner and I think I have done everything that I can to prepare to bring home baby. The last bit of preparation is to stock up my fridge and freezer with easy meals for when my husband and I are hungry and too exhausted to cook.

Below are some suggestions for make-a-head meals that freeze well and, as a bonus, go straight from the freezer to the over, no defrosting needed. You will want to bake each at 350 degrees for about an hour, or until the middle is warmed through. And, you may want to cover with foil so the top doesn’t get too brown.

TIP: buy foil pans at the grocery store and divide the recipe in two! This way you won’t use all your pans, the clean-up will be easy and you can maximize the recipe and your time in the kitchen!

Homestyle Chicken Pot Pie
Pot pie is a comforting classic any time of year.

Lasagna
Make a big one and divide it up into smaller servings. Then just pop in the oven!

Easy Lasagna Roll-ups
These tasty roll-ups are great for single-serving meals too.

Roasted Carrot Cream Pasta
This easy dish is enhanced by the sweetness of carrots

Chicken Enchiladas With Roasted Poblano Chile Sauce
Don't be daunted by the sauce! Roasting peppers is actually super easy!

Other foods that are great make-a-head and freeze are soups and stews (don’t forget to put your crock pot to work!). Also, pasta sauce freezes really well, so keep a supply of dried pasta on hand. My husband will make his mom’s tomato sauce on a weekend and it lasts in the freezer for a few months. The easiest way to store soups, stews and sauces is in the disposable plastic containers you buy at the grocery store. They seal well and come in 1 Cup and 2 Cup sizes, that way you will have either one or two portions ready to go at meal time.

Don’t forget about breakfast! Make a large batch of waffles and freeze a portion. You can do the same with muffins as well. I am thinking these will also make great mid-night feeding snacks!

Anna Reorda is a Guest Contributor on Foodista.com. She is expecting her first child in May.

Photo by: beccapie