A lack of time is often what contributes most to poor nutrition amongst new mums. Being prepared is the key to managing this period successfully. Filling the freezer with meals before the baby is born is a great idea. Also don’t be afraid to ask a visiting friend to make you a sandwich, or to bring something with them.
Breakfast Ideas
- Porridge – soak oats overnight in milk with handful of nuts and seeds for protein. Heat briefly on the stove in the morning and add fresh fruit.
- Scrambled eggs or smoked mackerel on toast with spinach or watercress.
- Boiled eggs on toast with rocket – boil enough for several days
- Make a big batch of homemade granola on a weekend. Add natural yogurt and fresh fruit.
- Green smoothie (spinach, ½ banana, ¼ avocado, protein powder or yoghurt, milk or coconut water) followed by toast with almond butter or tahini
- Good quality shop bought muesli e.g. Dorset Cereals but add extra nuts and seeds
- Avocado and cannellini beans crushed with lemon and olive oil on toast or rye bread
Lunch Ideas
- Scrambled or boiled eggs with greens as above.
- Smoked salmon, spinach and cottage cheese on pumpernickel bread
- Left overs from dinner
- Cook a big batch of quinoa on weekend and add salad vegetables, canned beans, eggs or cooked chicken, olive oil etc.
- Soup – homemade is best otherwise something like Covent Garden or other fresh bought brands (not canned). Add extra protein like beans, lentils, cooked meat or quinoa and some broccoli
- Make a large salad base with greens, tomatoes, peppers, olives, cucumber, celery etc. that will last several days. Just add protein and fat e.g. olive oil, feta, boiled eggs, canned beans or avocado
- Roast a large tray of root vegetables e.g. squash, sweet potato, beetroot, potato etc. and add to salads through week or eat with hummus and a green salad
Dinner Ideas
- Remember to focus on using as many fresh vegetables as possible and include protein, good healthy fats and carbs such as quinoa, brown or wild rice or starchy vegetables such as squash, sweet potato and beetroot as they contain more nutrients
- Stews and curries such as beef casserole or lentil dhal with spinach are easy to make big batches and reheat on stove for lunch
- Pasta is okay as long as you include plenty of vegetables such as broccoli, spinach or rocket with good protein – chicken, feta, mozzarella etc.
- Baked sweet potato (more nutritious than potato) with beans fried with olive oil, garlic, lemon juice and parsley. Steamed kale or sprouting broccoli
- Roast root vegetables as above with roast chicken, pork chops, grilled fish and green vegetables
Healthy Snacks
- Hummus with oat cakes or vegetable sticks
- Handful of nuts and seeds with a piece of fruit
- Oat cakes or rye bread with almond, cashew or peanut butter
- Natural, full fat organic yogurt with coconut flakes, flaked almonds, berries and cinnamon.
- Bounce bars and Nakd bars are good to have in your bag but are quite high in sugar so go easy. Take tubs of oatcakes, nuts and seeds to snack on as well as fresh fruit or blueberries
- Smoothies – as long as these contain protein such as almond butter, tahini, protein powder or natural yogurt and fat such as nuts, avocado, coconut cream or yoghurt they can be a very well balanced and nourishing snack. Just make sure it’s not just full of fruit and therefore sugar
- Berries are a great snack as they are naturally low in sugar and high in antioxidants. Have with almonds, walnuts or pumpkin seeds
- Chia puddings – Soak 2 tbsp of chia seeds in coconut or almond milk for at least 15 minutes then eat with flaked coconut, goji berries, chopped mango or pineapple and sunflower seeds. Add 1tsp maple syrup if you want
- Dark chocolate is also high in antioxidants. Choose at least 70% cocoa and one with as little ingredients as possible. If in doubt, go organic.
Published by Bridget Hurd, 28th of May 2015
