15+ healthy and delicious freezer meals to make and freeze before having a baby or surgery! Gluten-free, easy to make, and satisfying too.
IT’S BABY WEEK!!!
So wild to finally be able to say that! On one hand I feel like I’ve been pregnant for-ev-er, on the other hand I keep asking myself – how are we already here? Either way, this family of four is ready to become a party of five. Baby sis’ room is ready, my hospital bags are packed, and we officially traded in our cool card for a minivan – a swap I’ve never been so excited to make.
Three words: STOW AND GO. Ok three more: POWDER SLIDING DOORS! I’m never going back. Ben is horrified.
In contrast to our large, empty van trunk, my freezer is filled to the brim with meals to thaw and eat post-baby. I didn’t prepare freezer meals prior to having Lincoln and really regretted it. Ben and I survived on so much Chipotle those chaotic weeks post-birth that it wasn’t even funny. Do you know how many Chipotle burrito bowls it takes to be considered unfunny? A lot, because that ish is good.
That said, I learned my lesson with Cameron and stocked our freezer with soups, snacks, and crock pot “freezer kits” prior to having him. Knowing I didn’t have to drag my butt to the store with a toddler + newborn more often then I had to, and more importantly make the decision as to what to whip up for dinner for quite some time, was life saving. I highly recommend that any expecting parent or heck, anyone preparing to be down and out for awhile after having surgery, etc., prep/cook/freeze as many meals as possible in advance.
That said, today I’m sharing 15+ of my favorite freezer meals to make before having a baby, surgery, etc. Not only are these recipes comforting, nourishing, and EASY, but they’re simple to multiply if you choose. For instance, you can make one Crock Pot White Chicken Chili freezer kit just as easily as you can make 10.
A couple years ago I wrote a big, comprehensive post on 50+ Gluten-Free Freezer-Friendly Recipes that you may want to check out as well. Not only does this post contain, yep, 50+ GF/FF recipes, but also freezing tips and what does/doesn’t typically freeze well. My two most important takeaways from that post are:
- Do not freeze warm/hot meals – cool them completely in the fridge before freezing.
- Thaw meals or freezer kits in the refrigerator 24 hours prior to re-warming/cooking vs cooking frozen or thawing on the counter.
With that, I’m officially signing off until baby girl arrives! One thing I also didn’t do after having Lincoln was take any sort of maternity leave (literally I blogged from the hospital – WHYYYYYYYY??) Taking time off to rest and recuperate after having Cameron was what I needed both mentally and physically at that time, and I plan to do the same with baby girl. Ben, the boys and I appreciate and cherish all of your well wishes, prayers, and excitement, and can’t wait to introduce our DAUGHTER to you! Until then…
15+ Freezer Meals:
CrockPot White Chicken Chili
Easy Turkey Chili
Black Bean Soup
Egg Bites Recipe
Signature Spicy, Smoky, Sweet Chili
Shortcut Vegetable Ragu
Crock Pot Chicken and Wild Rice Soup
Mini BBQ Cheddar Meatloaves
Gluten Free Banana Bread
Slow Cooker BBQ Pulled Pork
Taco Chili
Blueberry Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
Maple Cinnamon Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Bars
No-Bake Cranberry Chocolate Almond Energy Bites
Glad for you and all the family that it’s time for baby daughter! Praying for a good delivery and healthy baby! All the best. And gosh, a minivan family too. Woohoo.
Good Luck! Enjoy your precious little bundle and your time off!
Thanks for sharing. Everything looks scrumptious! Have a relaxing wait for baby girl. Good thoughts and prayers for a safe delivery. Congratulations to all.
Congratulations! Enjoy that baby girl.
Congratulations! Thanks for the great recipes! Quick question- I noticed your egg burrito recipe still had the gluten flour tortilla advertised in the picture. I’m guessing it was a recipe you used before your diagnosis. Do you have a gf favorite now for wrap ahead burritos?
Thank you for sharing this! I’ve been working on a spreadsheet of freezer food to prep in September. A friend made fun of me, but having healthy meals available seems like a critical prep for post-baby chaos. Wishing you a positive birth experience and hoping you can soak it all in while you are away from the blog!
YAY!! So excited for you guys! Will be patiently waiting for you to share her! (You know what else is weird? Three of my friends are also having their third child this week!) Best wishes to you all and a quick recovery for you. Blessings!
Just wanted to say a huge thank you for this post as well as your blog and the work you put into yummy gluten free recipes. Your blog has been a life saver — my son has celiac disease. I am a working mom and these recipes will come in handy to stock up my freezer for back to school time when I rely on good meal prep to make our weeks go smoothly!! Best wishes to you with the new baby!!!
These are also great for busy families who are always on the go because of sports :) Hope your delivery goes well! We traded our SUV last summer for a Chrysler Pacifica van and we LOVE it (I never thought I would say that about a minivan).
Woo hoo! Congrats and best wishes as you transition to a family of five!
EEK BABY WEEK! So exciting! Congratulations to you and your family. Can’t wait to meet her!
Many blessings to you and your growing family Kristen – love your blog!
I legit cannot wait to hear all about baby girl!! Thank you for this post, I am so going to make some of these this weekend to have on hand for when school/sports start!