Super fast & easy meals with a newborn!

[Stillmonday]

I have a clingy little baby and am not able to do the type of meals I used to due to only having 1 arm free! If I'm able to put him down it's for 10 minutes each time.

What meals can I do ?!

Cheat! Buy your veg ready chopped, frozen chopped onions and diced butternut squash save serious time.

Waitrose do a frozen pack of mixed grilled Mediterranean veg, really versatile, add to pasta, fritatas, puff pastry tarts etc.
Fish is almost always quick, salmon fillets with sweet chilli sauce or put cod fillets in a bowl with yoghurt and curry paste, leave to marinate then bake in the oven.
Chicken breast, dusted with paprika and and grilled, served in ciabatta rolls with salad.
Pasta with cream cheese, peas and bacon
Large mushrooms stuffed with cous cous, herbs and topped with mozerella

Have you got a toastie machine?
Tuna melt and a salad?
I just made the veg equivalent - mashed chickpeas with pepper and mayo and Sriracha in a toastie with cheddar.

In the same boat here. My son does not let me put him down. The only time I can cook is when my husband comes home. Some quick meals I make: chicken stir fry is really quick, but the ready made stir fry mix and the sauce and noodles that only take 5 mins. I throw everything in the wok at the same time, 10 mins later it's ready to eat. Other than that I make a lot of sandwiches. Pastry pizzas, beige frozen food...

Have you tried a sling? When my son was tiny he was a proper Velcro baby so I got one of the fabric stretchy wraps and he would snooze while I prepped all the dinner, and then I’d pop him down to do the actual cooking if on the hob, but basically did everything with him in the sling and used the slow cooker so he didn’t get splashed and burned. It does get easier-once he got to about 3-4 months I put him in the newborn bit on our high chair next to me and gave him a wooden spoon to play with and it would work for a good half hour if he was fed and not tired

Slow cooker for me in a similar boat - I find my baby happiest to be put down in the morning so I spend ten mins throwing things in the slow cooker (and then am hungry all day as I can smell it cooking). So curries (vege or meat), chilli, stews/casseroles, pasta bake, pulled pork etc
Also - not necessarily quick but I’m assuming you mean low effort and not stand in the kitchen and cook for ages type things - jacket potatoes or chicken tray bakes
Fresh pasta (bought) and sauce takes minutes
And when you’re really struggling have pizza, and ready meals on hand!

Buy ready to cook meals - Aldi and Asda both have stews prepped you just through in the pan, also fajitas etc. Waitrose have great 8 minute cook meals like Thai curry and stirfry

Super quick and easy sauce for spaghetti - or any pasta.

Get pasta boiling.
Chuck in a pan - frozen peas, frozen spinach, cream cheese, salt and pepper and a bit of mustard (if you like). Melt it all together.
Drain pasta (leaving it a bit wet) and stir in the sauce.
Serve with a bit of Parmesan or other grated cheese.

It's really tasty, pretty nutritious and no chopping required.

Also recommend a slow cooker, OP. You can put all the stuff in as soon as your baby has a nap and then it can just sit there. It stays warm until you're ready for it. Sling stews etc on a potato, do Bolognese sauce in it and cook your pasta when you're ready later. Rice cookers are also good for this it cooks and then stays warm for ages (without giving you food poisoning!). You can then just have salad and fish or mix with egg and peas and soy sauce for a special fried rice type dish.

I also really like Rukmnini Iyer's' roasting tin books. She's done about three and everything in them cooks in one tray. Hardly any take more than 5 mins to prep and they feel like a 'proper' meal once you've exhausted all the beans on toast and omelette options!

red pepper risotto - very very easy and if you use frozen onion even easier. I added chorizo too for extra flavour

I was in the same boat 3 months ago! The slow cooker was my best friend. Here are some of my favourite recipes:
Lamb tagine
Sausage casserole
Santa fe chicken
Chicken chasseur

He now sits quite happily in his bouncer while I make more involved meals, it doesn't last forever.

Slow cooker! You can just chuck everything in and it turns out a delicious meal at the end of the day! Because of the slow cooking meat doesn’t need to be trimmed up that well or you use whole items like chicken drumsticks or joints. Veg doesn’t need to be cut small or precisely as it cooks for so long it will defs be done. I have a few recipes that don’t even require browning of the meat first.

and for really short time in need get some aldi shopping done.they do all in one pack ingredeitn meals.from chines to curry to fajatica to lemon chicken and fish.stew.chicken casserole. etc and you just pour them into the pan first the meat then the veg pack then the sauce pack. or the casseroles in the oven.

anniehm they are awesome aren't they.all fresh ingredients in one pack!

Look at dump bag meals- you can assemble a bunch of them, freeze them, and then just bung them in the slow cooker or Instant Pot. Buy those microwave things of rice/quinoa to go with them for an easy meal.

I definitely recommend an instant pot/programmable pressure cooker though- much quicker and tastes better.