Good meals to cook pre-birth and freeze for post-birth dinners

[mayaknew]

When da was born we ate a lot of take aways for the firsts few weeks and I really felt horrible and definitely do not want to do that this time .

What are good meals to cook and freeze ? I'm no good when it comes to this type of thing

I'd love to rely on DH to cook meals after the birth, but as he doesn't get home until after 8 and we have 3 other children, it's not really going to work. Paternity leave, even if you qualify for it, is only 2 weeks and the chaos reigns for much longer than that. I'd rather spend time batch cooking when heavily pg as I can't sit for long or do much else and enjoy 2 weeks with my family settling in with the baby without worrying about cooking. And have one less thing to worry about post school/preschool when I'm on my own again.

Love the suggestions on this thread, especially tagine. Need to make a big shopping list!

It's Always a good idea. I have a fabulous Dh, but when he was also up half the night soothing baby and then working all day he was knackered also by 7pm, so would have cooked but something quick like pesto pasta. That's fine, but having given birth it's great if mother can have better nutrition for recovering ( and if breastfeeding). Hence we also made lots both time full of vegetables and protein.

• beef bourginion ( add to ready mash or garlic bread)
• bolognaise ( add fresh pasta)

-cottage pie

• lamb tagine ( instant rice)
• marinated salmon

It meant say on day 10 of new baby, when it's 7pm, baby is unsettled, One of us can just take a meal of cottage pie, straight into oven. 45 mins later eat, with no prep or washing up of extra pans and utensils. In that time I can bath, Dh soothes baby

We made enough for about 6 weeks both time. Ate them maybe half the week, combined with quick steak/ grilled veg etc in between

I'm now looking at the cook website And stealing the recipes online! I'm gonna buy a bunch of those silver trays and cook them

I've just done this!! I made curry, chilli con carne, beef stroganoff, chicken and chorizo risotto, spag Bol sauce (jacket potato/pasta) and marinated some chicken and salmon.

I wrote what it was in the tub and then a list of things to go with (rice for the chilli & beef, pasta for spag Bol etc) tried it out last night with microwave rice pouches and the chilli was ready in under 5 minutes - amazing!!!!

Ooh yes, writing on packets is VERY IMPORTANT. I often forget this step and hasn't been mentioned yet.

To the pp who suggested partners should help. I agree. But my otherwise awesome DP served me some heavily cinnamonned spag-bol last night so I tend to do all the long-range cooking for myself (I'd have preferred pasta pesto to be fair!).

My DC2 is due at xmas, so I think M&S might also be doing a lot of the cooking. Post partum mince-pie anyone?

To add, make a load of pastry, it then takes 5 mins to put eggs, cheese and whatever is in the fridge for a quiche, or to turn leftover casserole into a pie.
Plus speak to friends, when any of mine have a baby instead of yet more clothes or chocolate, I'll cook meals they can reheat or stuff that can be served from the fridge. Ungrateful I know but post labour my favourite gift was my neighbour popping in with just plated up roast dinner.