Meal planning and cooking wholesome food is a life skill some of us have, others don’t, but ALL moms face the same hurdles when it comes to feeding ourselves and our families. How do we create nutritious, delicious meals that everyone will love and enjoy, in time allotments that actually fit into our busy mom schedules?
It sounds impossibly Herculean even just typing the words, let alone executing them. However, I come from an avid gardening and home-cooking family, and I am married to a professional chef. So, we have some very real tips and tricks up our sleeves that I’m going to share with you for how to achieve the meal-planning and nutrition gold star for yourself and your family.
Like all seasons of life, motherhood has a very special arc to it, particularly when it comes to personal nutrition. So, let’s start with the science of nutrition and what your body actually needs in order to thrive.
Your Mom Body’s Evolving Nutritional Needs
Moms don’t need 30-step recipes for 8-course meals. They need practical, nutritious recipes that can be done in as little as half an hour and that they can reap the most enjoyment from.
Nutritional Needs in Pregnancy
During pregnancy, a woman's body undergoes significant changes, necessitating a shift in nutritional focus. It's vital to consume a well-rounded diet rich in essential nutrients to support both maternal health and fetal development. Key nutrients include folic acid, which helps prevent neural tube defects, and iron, which supports increased blood volume. Protein is crucial for growth, while calcium and vitamin D are essential for strengthening bones. Staying hydrated and opting for whole foods over processed ones can help maintain overall well-being during this crucial time.
Nutritional Needs in Postpartum
After giving birth, your body is depleted. It’s undergoing an enormous amount of spontaneous healing, and your entire hormonal landscape is in free-fall. Nourishing yourself with whole foods that are packed with protein, folic acid, calcium, and quick energy like fruits and whole grains are literally your building blocks to your recovering body and mind. If you’re breastfeeding, focus on hydration and protein intake. Foods rich in iron, like leafy greens and lean meats, can help restore energy levels, while omega-3 fatty acids support brain health for both mama and the baby.
Nutritional Needs in The First Few Years
The first two years after birth are the years when your hormone levels will go through the biggest transformation to try to stabilize themselves. This can present in a variety of symptoms, including intense mood swings, insomnia, hair loss, skin texture changes, and much more. To help tackle these symptoms, meeting your nutritional needs is essential to managing their severity.
During this period, there are several essential vitamins and minerals that women need to consume for optimal health.
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Vitamin B12
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Vitamin A
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Vitamin D
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Choline
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Iron
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Zinc
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Selenium
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Iodine
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Omega-3 fatty acids
Getting enough fruits and veggies into your diet can cover a lot of the essential nutrients your body needs during this time period. Apart from that, lean proteins high in omega-3 fatty acids, especially high-quality sources of fish, can help take care of your neurological health and reduce fatigue.
Nutritional Needs Beyond the First Year of Motherhood
As you hit your mom stride, the initial healing period is complete, and you’re in what I call "the marathon of motherhood," meaning, you’re now in the multi-year long-game of healthy lifestyle. This is where nutrition can become much more stable and habituated.
You’re exhausted, yes, we all are. Your hormones are still adjusting, your stress and sleep deprivation are catching up to you. Still, you need to make sure to limit your caffeine intake. Replace it with rest, fresh water, and whole foods that are packed with lasting energy (like nuts and grains instead of processed ‘kid snacks’). Even if you’re not sitting down to eat a meal, try to make sure you eat at somewhat regular intervals with your family and choose simple and fresh over packaged and processed. Fresh fruit, raw veggies, nut butters on whole grain bread, lean proteins and veggies, soups, and stews that can be prepped during nap time and can cook in a single pot for a couple of hours are slam dunks for keeping fresh, whole foods in front of you.
Nutritional Needs in Perimenopause & Beyond
This is a big window of time and it truly differs from woman to woman. Some women experience perimenopausal symptoms as early as 35, and some women don’t officially hit menopause until their mid to late 50s. The first key thing here is that the habits you established above, in your early mom-years, will be paying you back exponentially now.
That’s because, during perimenopause, your hormonal roller coaster impacts everything from your metabolism rate (how quickly your body can digest and burn food calories) to every other major bodily system.
Because of these dramatic changes, your nutritional needs must shift to focus on things like bone density, heart health, circulatory support, and navigating menopausal symptoms. Prioritizing calcium and vitamin D intake is crucial for preventing osteoporosis. As progesterone and estrogen decrease, foods rich in phytoestrogens can help support your changing endocrine system, like organic soy, almonds, and oats.
Incorporating whole grains, lean proteins, and HDL fats (olive oil, avocado) helps you maintain consistent energy levels and build muscle and bone density. Staying hydrated, reducing alcohol and caffeine, and of course, staying actively strong (Hello RM REVIVE) also play vital roles in supporting health during this transition, like helping reduce the intensity of hot flashes, night sweats, and mood swings.
Meal Planning Hacks From My Home To Yours
Alright, that’s a lot of changes to one’s diet and lifestyle to keep up with, especially during one of the most time-restricted chapters of your life.
Here’s the secret - or rather, not so secret - of success.
You need:
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Effective ways to create nutritional meals.
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In a limited time.
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Within your family’s budget.
Meal prepping isn’t just a tip for fitness gurus spending hours at the gym. It’s for the moms on the go, the moms working from home, and the moms who need a long shower, not a long cook time.
Meal prepping can help you:
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Save time
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Create multiple meals at once
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Save on groceries
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Mix and match foods to add variety!
Big Tip: Budgeting time is as important as budgeting finances.
It helps you prioritize and execute systems that meet as many family needs as possible each week, while still having fun downtime and personal workout windows! So, plan which day you’ll do the bulk of your shopping and which day you’ll do some big cooking.
For example, we do our farmers market run on Sundays generally because the market is right next to our favorite playground. We can go as a family, the kids are part of the shopping experience, they get to feel things, touch the veggies and even pick out some new produce that they might want to try. What we’ve found is that the more involved the kids are in every step of food creation, the more excited they are to try everything we make.
So, what are the steps you need to consider when meal prepping and planning for the week?
Step 1: Create a list of meals you and your family enjoy that have interchangeable ingredients, like side dishes and vegetables.
Step 2: Create a grocery list that helps you buy in bulk. Buying in bulk might seem like a hassle, but it will actually help you save money by buying fewer foods that you don’t consume or need.
Step 3: Batch-cook your meals on weekends and create portions for each meal to keep in the freezer.
A Fun Extra: A row of simple mason jars filled with dried nuts, fruits, and seeds adorns my kitchen counter. They sit next to a full fruit bowl of rotating, seasonal fruit. This is where my family (and I) look when we are feeling hungry between meals and need a pick-me-up from a snack.
Quick and Healthy Recipes
What kinds of quick and healthy meals can you make ahead of time for you and the whole family?
Breakfast is Served
Breakfast can be quick and easy during those early morning school rushes. Make smoothies ahead of time for some added vitamins and overnight oats for plenty of fiber. Your gut bacteria will thank you for starting off the day with a nice dose of prebiotic nutrition.
Lunch Anyone?
Mix and match sides like roast veggies and rice with one-pot meals. You can create some fantastic protein-packed stews, chilis, and even some pork tenderloin if you know how to use your crockpot correctly. Make undressed salads packed with protein the night before to have on the go between work and the school pick-up line.
Dinner’s Ready
Want an easy dinner that you don’t have to cook immediately upon returning home? Make an overnight stew in a one-pot. You can set it on low for a few hours and don’t have to worry about it for the rest of the day. Some of my personal favorite one-pot recipes include vegetarian chili. Or, if you want something a little more sumptuous, make your own pulled pork at home to serve on top of rice or sliced rye bread. It’s a real crowd pleaser!
Include your kids in cooking. When my oldest daughter was a baby, I would put her in her bouncy chair in the kitchen and hand her stalks of kale to stem. She would take each leaf and strip the stems away joyfully while I did other knife work. Then, the kale would be ready to wash and chop as well.
Cook with Joy & Ease Instead of Frustration
Cooking quality meals can become a practice that brings your family together instead of a one-woman show that is cranking out meals no one wants to eat. Cooking does take time, but with a little practice and familial trial and correction with some recipes and shopping plans, it really can become a lifestyle of nutrition, health, and a deeply fulfilling way to connect with yourself and your loved ones. Focusing on nutritional value, create meal plans and prep accordingly, and mix and match side dishes to help create balanced, delicious meals that everyone will love.