How many meals should I make in advance?

[Lilly24]

So my first baby is due at the end of next month and I'm starting the meal prep tomorrow (planning to cook a couple of meals in bigger batches every week until he's born so that I can freeze the excess in preparation for having a newborn). I'm making hot pot tomorrow (should hopefully make enough to feed us tomorrow and then be able to freeze 6 portions 🤞) and then a curry on Tuesday (which should leave me with at least 4 freezable portions).
In the coming weeks I'm planning to make chilli con carne (should have 6 portions leftover to freeze), chicken and broccoli potato topped pie (should also leave 6 portions to freeze), lasange (again, leaving 6 portions to freeze) and some breakfast burritos (makes 16 little burritos so probably 8 portions). So altogether if I follow this plan we should end up with 14 evening meals (28 portions) and about 4 breakfasts 🤔
Should I be aiming to do more than this? How many would you aim for?

I wouldn’t make lasagna or pie, you need food you can eat with a fork only.

We never ate most of the stuff I made. Cooking was my few moments of daily sanity with a newborn.

Nothimg like this amount, maybe a few lasagne portions. DH cooked as normal while he was off work then we managed between us.

@MyDcAreMarvel

I wouldn’t make lasagna or pie, you need food you can eat with a fork only.

That's very dramatic IMO, you aren't constantly holding the baby with absolutely no time to ever eat with 2 hands anyway we didn't bother with batch cooking, just bought things that were quicker to cook for a few weeks. Chicken Kievs, pre prepared veg etc.

Who are you feeding other than yourself - presuming as you say it’s your first and refer to ‘us’ that there is another adult in the household?

Fair enough if you want/need to do this but perhaps if the other adult isn’t much of a cook you’d be better off spending that time teaching them some basics if it’s possible? Also whilst simultaneously changing the mindset that it’s your sole responsibility to feed/cook for the household even when you’re otherwise occupied giving birth/recovering from birth (which is probably one of the key moments that it’s time for the other parent, if they are involved, to step up & get on with it - it’s good practice for the next 18 years!).

That all aside two weeks of meals is plenty , even if you have c-section & you’ll be up & about by then. However, hopefully you’ll have loads left as you’ll have had lots of lovely, fresh, home cooked food made for you in the meantime!?

Hi Op - two weeks sounds like enough. It gives you time to consider if batch cooking is best or if you can manage day to day with cooking. Lasagne and pie is fine as hopefully you won't have to hold baby 24/7.
Best of luck with everything.

Oh do as many as you like, you'll eat them at some point! Start with your favourites as you might find after a few days of doing big batches you can't be arsed and so not all of your things get done (or is that just me?). I think it's a great habit to get into. We also, as PP have said, had other 'dirty dinner' stuff in the freezer like chicken kievs but also the ready chopped ingredients and veg, they cook surprisingly well from the freezer. Cake packet mixes, the cupboard meal kits (Thai green curry etc) and all that meant that we could always rustle up something if we hadn't done a food shop recently, even if it was based on a mix of vegetables. We discovered Gousto since first baby so will possibly have one or two weeks of those when the second comes, I've also planned to batch make some of the things DD likes the most to help out a bit.

If you want to do it, have time, funds and space to store it, go for it. I found it helped me to feel a little bit of control going into a period where life was going to get (pleasantly) turned upside down.

We just filled our freezer (not a huge one) and were a bit sad when it ran out! But we managed fine cooking again once it did. So do what you can but don't worry about it.

Agree with PP that if your DP can't cook, it's far more important to get them skilled up.

I didn’t bother batch cooking in advance, it was my bit of sanity with a newborn.

I cooked a load of chicken breasts 2-3 times a week and had them in wraps or salads for either lunch or dinner.

Also lived off fresh pasta and sauce, sometimes adding lardons, chorizo or chicken and a ton of veg, plus garlic bread.

Sainsburys Just Cook stuff was great too, with pre prepared veg and potatoes. Just banged it all in the oven/microwave.

I didn't batch cook, I was just too ill with my first and with my second I was having to feed the first anyway so DH cooked when he was on PL and then I did it.

Whatever amount you prepare I'm sure you'll appreciate

I did this many years ago before my daughter was born. We were both very grateful for an easy meal despite my girl being a very easy baby. Some days I cooked from scratch but it was good to know that there was a meal available if I couldn't be bothered. Go for it!

What @chipsandgin. If your partner can’t cook then this is an ideal time for them to learn. There are lots of great videos online.

@Ohshittt That's very dramatic IMO, you aren't constantly holding the baby with absolutely no time to ever eat with 2 hands I pretty much was , I breast fed and the fourth trimester is very important.

I batch cooked but had to throw a lot of it when we realised DC had cmpa and most of it had dairy in.

We did some curries and pasta sauces (double and single portions) and that was it. I think it is good to cover the first couple of days to adjust to whatever your baby throws at you and if you need to stay in hospital you OH has some single portions to heat up if he is short on time.

I love cooking and it actually relaxes me so I handed baby over and cooked. Saying that, I had one who breastfed by the clock. But I also soon discovered that spices made her silent reflux really bad so DH ate the curries all on his own.

That sounds plenty. As PP have said, you are unlikely to need to eat batch-cooked meal every night but good to have some in so you can if needed. So probably for first couple of days, then another couple of times whilst DP presumably on paternity leave but rest of that time take advantage and either get him to cook or him to take care of DC. Then depending on when DP gets home from work, get used to eating later if needed and one of you cooking once he's home - but also some nights have your batch-cooked meals or really simple meals that only take a few minutes to prepare.

And like a PP, for the first few months most of our evening meals meant at least one of us eating one-handed (often me as I'd be BF at same time as only way to stop DC crying if sitting still) so definitely have meals you can eat with one hand - and all the things you mentioned fit into that - not sure why @MyDcAreMarvel can't eat pie and lasagne with a fork - the Chicken Kievs someone above mentioned are tricky though.

Op I think it's a great idea and you've made a good amount and even if you don't have them straight away, I'm absolutely sure they will come in handy.. In the days and weeks after the birth.

I think you've got plenty.

In the early days there were a lot of quick meals here - fresh pasta and sauce, omelette, sandwiches, frozen pizza etc Being able to eat one handed is a massive bonus

As much as you have freezer space for and can be bothered to cook I guess! Also don't worry about the 'things you need a knife and fork for' - I had a very clingy baby who was a horrible sleeper, I could still usually manage to eat lasagne! You can also always pre chop into bite-size pieces (like for a toddler!) and then eat one-handed with a fork/spoon for the odd time you really want to eat whilst your baby has just fallen asleep on you / is breastfeeding non-stop etc.

Frozen meals take ages to defrost, even in the microwave.

It is much easier just to have some simple go-to foods, such as pasta carbonara.

Fresh chilli/bolognese is quicker than defrosting.

ISTR loving eggs (4 at a time).

As a PP said, you need food you can scoop up with a fork.

That’s a lot!
We didn’t do batch cooking, it’s not something we ever do tbh, but dh does all the cooking here so it’s not even something I needed to consider.
I would struggle to think of anything other than a curry that I don’t mind eating after it’s been frozen to be honest! I’d probably live off of beans and toast or boiled eggs and soldiers
I was able to eat with 2 hands mostly though, our dc were very easy as tiny newborns, it was when they were a couple of months old that it seemed to get harder for us but even then could usually manage to eat dinner although sometimes it might have sat waiting while I whipped out a boob and made myself comfortable. Not much comes between me and my food

What @chipsandgin said. Assuming you’re not a single parent and there is another able-bodied adult living with you, he or she can handle cooking. I didn’t batch-cook anything. DH did all cooking.

We batch cooked before and was really grateful that we did as my stitches burst and I couldn’t get about much. What you’ve done sounds great especially as it sounds like you’ve made things you’d eat anyway.

When I needed to eat one handed, DH just prechopped everything for me once it was reheated so that I could eat one handed. So if you live with someone they can do it, or you can do it quickly yourself when reheating.

Good luck with the baby!