Oh My Munchkin

The Best for Babies and Moms

  • DIY
  • Reviews
  • Tips
  • Picks
  • About
  • Contact

8 Easy Freezer Meals for New Moms

09.14.2015 by Kiersten //

8 Easy Freezer Meals for New Moms
One of the things every parenting site tells you about impending motherhood is that you must! prepare! meals! before your due date, or you’ll starve. And you know what? Those sites are totally right. You and your partner are not going to want to cook for several weeks after the baby is born. Sorry ’bout it. I’ve done a lot of freezer cooking over the years and these are my picks for the best types of easy freezer meals for new moms.

Chili

Chili is the ultimate freezer-friendly meal. It’s hearty, it’s easy to double (or triple! or quadruple!), and it’s just as good frozen and reheated as it is fresh off the stove. This Veggie-Loaded Chili recipe forgoes the meat and uses beans and vegetables instead.

Soup

If you have limited space in your freezer, you don’t have room for casserole dishes and Tupperware containers in various sizes. You need things that freeze flat, like soups! And soup is usually pretty easy to make. Before Baby Girl was born I had a soup day where I made one soup recipe after another and froze them all. Filling soups that make a meal, like this Creamy Chicken Sausage Tomato Tortellini Soup, will give you the most bang for your buck.

Quiches and Egg Casseroles

You might not guess it, but eggs freeze surprisingly well, especially when they’re in quiche or casserole form. And eggs are a fantastic source of protein, which you’ll need when your nursing (not to mention recovering from birth!). This Southwestern Quinoa Egg Bake gets an additional boost of protein from quinoa.

Burritos

Sure, you can buy frozen burritos at the grocery store and you can send your husband to pick them up at Chipotle, but you can make them yourself too! And when you make them yourself, they’re not calorie bombs that weigh as much as your baby. Get creative by loading them with vegetables and using alternative grains instead of rice, like in these Black Bean and Quinoa Freezer Burritos.

Sauces

There aren’t many sauces that don’t freeze well. I’ve frozen gravies, pestos, marinara. If it’s saucy, you can probably freeze it. This Lentil Marinara Sauce freezes beautifully and it’s loaded with protein too. Thaw it, reheat it, and toss it with pasta for a quick and easy dinner.

Lasagnas and Casseroles

Like sauces, you pretty much can’t go wrong freezing casseroles and lasagnas. Of course, the problem with casseroles and lasagnas is that they’re usually heavy and not the healthiest choices for dinner. Look for casseroles that are heavier on veggies than on carbs, like this Pizza-Style Zucchini Lasagna.

Breakfasts

So many breakfasts are freezable! And you’ll be so glad you have healthy homemade breakfasts waiting for you in the freezer when your baby thinks 4am is the perfect time to start the day. Muffins, waffles, tofu scrambles, baked oatmeal and these frozen pancakes are all great breakfast foods for freezing.

Slow Cooker Recipes

If you’re banging out a bunch of recipes in one day, make sure you put your slow cooker to use! Because it allows you to cook hands-off, you can have a meal cooking in there while you tackle more hands-on recipes on the stovetop. A versatile recipe like this pulled tandoori chicken can be used as a component for several meals.

5 Freezer Cooking Cookbooks

Looking for more freezer cooking ideas? Check out these cookbooks:

The Everything Freezer Meals Cookbook

Fix, Freeze, Feast: The Delicious, Money-Saving Way to Feed Your Family

Not Your Mother’s Make-Ahead and Freeze Cookbook

Once-A-Month Cooking Family Favorites: More Great Recipes That Save You Time and Money from the Inventors of the Ultimate Do-Ahead Dinnertime Method

Make-Ahead Meals Made Healthy: Exceptionally Delicious and Nutritious Freezer-Friendly Recipes You Can Prepare in Advance and Enjoy at a Moment’s Notice

Categories // DIY Tags // food

5 Alternatives to Baby Swings

09.12.2015 by Kiersten //

When I was asking fellow moms about what I should register for when I was pregnant with Baby Girl, the most common item mentioned was a swing. And when I told people I didn’t want to use a swing? The response was always, “Well, you’ll change your mind when you have the baby.”

Did I change my mind? Nope! We don’t have a swing and we’ve done just fine. There are lots of reasons not to buy a swing. Baby swings take up a lot of space, most are made in China and sprayed with chemical flame retardants (I wasn’t able to find any non-toxic baby swings when I was searching!), some babies don’t like swings, etc. If you’re not buying a swing for your baby, here are my favorite alternatives to baby swings.

Happiest Baby on the Block CDProblem: You need to soothe your baby.
Solution: The Happiest Baby on the Block “Super Soothing” Calming Sounds CD

Seriously, buy this CD. Just do it. I bought it on iTunes and have it on my phone for emergency situations. My 87-year-old grandma, who has 6 kids and 9 grandchildren, watched in awe as I turned on Fast & Vigorous and my screaming daughter immediately stopped crying and started falling asleep. (The Happiest Baby on the Block book is great for fussy babies too.)

mamarooProblem: Your baby isn’t into the back-and-forth motion of a swing.
Solution: 4Moms Mamaroo Bouncer

Some babies like motion, but not necessarily the motion of a swing. The Mamaroo Bouncer has 5 different motions to calm babies: car ride, kangaroo, tree swing, rock-a-bye, and wave. While it’s on the pricey side, put it on your registry and a few of your guests might go in together to buy it for you!

Boba WrapProblem: You need to get things done around the house!
Solution: Boba Baby Wrap

There are a lot of wraps and carriers on the market, but the Boba Wrap is my favorite. It works for newborns without an insert and you can even breastfeed while using it! Wearing your baby will allow you to clean, run errands, do laundry, and cook without worrying about what to do with her. It’s also a great way to soothe fussy babies.

Baby Bjorn BouncerProblem: Your baby has reflux and she needs to be upright after feedings.
Solution: Baby Bjorn Bouncer

Got a baby with reflux? I feel your pain. Our pediatrician said to hold Baby Girl upright for 30 minutes after feeding, but once she hit 2 months, she got bored with being held and would kick and push to get down. Luckily, she loves her Baby Bjorn bouncer. Because she still projectile vomits even while upright, we put a bib on her and put burp cloths under her when she’s in this chair and it works like a charm. Be sure to get the wooden toy attachment too!

Boppy LoungerProblem: You need a place for your baby to sit, but you have a limited amount of space.
Solution: Boppy Newborn Lounger

The nice thing about this infant lounger is that it’s so easy to bring from room-to-room in your house, unlike a swing. It takes up very little space compared to other infant chairs (not to mention swings!) and it lets babies observe the room around them.

Categories // Picks, Tips Tags // baby swings

Equipment For Making Your Own Baby Food + The Best Baby Food Cookbooks

09.09.2015 by Kiersten //

As soon as I found out I was pregnant, I started plotting to make our own baby food. And if baby food kept in the freezer that long (and if I didn’t have horrible morning sickness), I probably would have been whipping up purees for Baby Girl that first trimester. Homemade baby food is easier to make than you think (really!) and it’s often a lot healthier than the food you find at the store—you know exactly what’s in it, so you know it’s good for baby.

This list of equipment for making your own baby food isn’t comprehensive, but it’s everything I found that I needed for my baby food adventures.

Baby Food Makers

These come in 3 different varieties: blenders, mills and processors (i.e., things that puree), steamers, and small appliances that both steam and process. I have the BEABA Babycook and I love it, but if space and budgets are limited, you really don’t need any of these (see the next section of this post).

Baby Food Makers1. Magic Bullet Baby Bullet Baby Care System // 2. Baby Brezza One Step Baby Food Maker // 3. Babymoov NutriBaby Zen Food Processor with Steaming, Sterilizing, and Warming systems // 4. Munchkin Baby Food Grinder // 5. Cuisinart BFM-1000 Baby Food Maker and Bottle Warmer // 6. BEABA Babycook Pro

Kitchen Equipment for Making Baby Food

If you don’t want to buy a specialized baby food maker, you probably already have everything you need to make baby food right in your own kitchen: a steamer basket and large pot for steaming foods, a roasting dish for baking anything in liquid (like peaches and apples), a sheet pan for baking everything else, and a food processor or immersion blender for pureeing. (A regular blender works for pureeing too if you’re making large batches of baby food.) Just remember, babies are extra-sensitive to chemicals because of their body weight, so make sure any kitchen equipment you use is free of BPA, phthalates, and non-stick coatings.

Kitchen Equipment for Making Baby Food1. KitchenAid 7-Cup Food Processor // 2. Cuisinart Smart Stick 2-Speed Immersion Hand Blender with Attachments // 3. OXO Good Grips Silicone Steamer // 4. Le Creuset Signature Cast Iron Rectangular Roaster // 5. Norpro Stainless Steel 15 Inch x 10 Inch Jelly Roll Baking Pan

Freezer Trays for Baby Food

Unless you’re planning on using the baby food right away, you’ll need to freeze it. The easiest way to do that is to freeze it in a tray, pop the frozen portions out, and re-freeze them in a zip-top bag. Regular ice cube trays work too—baby food can be tricky to remove when it’s frozen, so silicone trays are best. Because babies start out eating only a few teaspoons of food at a time, I like the smaller trays and I personally used the green sprouts Silicone Freezer Tray.

Freezer Trays for Baby Food1. green sprouts Silicone Freezer Tray // 2. OXO Tot Baby Food Freezer Tray with Protective Cover // 3. Mumi&Bubi Solids Starter Kit, Baby Food Freezer Storage Trays // 4. BEABA Multiportions Container

Storage Containers for Baby Food

Once you’ve taken your frozen baby food cubes out of the refrigerator, you’ll need someplace to put it. Pouches are one option, especially if your baby is old enough to feed herself—there’s even a kit for filling them. Otherwise, thaw your frozen baby food in small containers with covers. Make sure they’re BPA- and phthalate-free!

Storage Containers for Baby Food1. Reusable Food Pouches // 2. Wean Green Wean Cubes 4oz/120ml Baby Food Glass Containers // 3. Sage Spoonfuls Big Batch Food Storage // 4. OXO Tot 12-Piece Baby Blocks Set

The Best Baby Food Cookbooks

I own a ridiculous number of baby food cookbooks, but you really only need one or two. If you have the BEABA Babycook, I suggest buying the Babycook Book because the recipes in there are developed with the Babycook in mind, and then one additional cookbook.

Best Baby Food Cookbooks1. 201 Organic Baby Purees: The Freshest, Most Wholesome Food Your Baby Can Eat! // 2. Top 100 Baby Purees // 3. The Baby and Toddler Cookbook: Fresh, Homemade Foods for a Healthy Start // 4. Real Baby Food: Easy, All-Natural Recipes for Your Baby and Toddler // 5. Cooking for Baby: Wholesome, Homemade, Delicious Foods for 6 to 18 Months // 6. The Amazing Make-Ahead Baby Food Book: Make 3 Months of Homemade Purees in 3 Hours // 7. The Best Homemade Baby Food on the Planet: Know What Goes Into Every Bite with More Than 200 of the Most Deliciously Nutritious Homemade Baby Food … More Than 60 Purees Your Baby Will Love // 8. BEABA Babycook Book

Categories // Picks Tags // baby food

Recent Posts

  • 8 Easy Freezer Meals for New Moms
  • 5 Alternatives to Baby Swings
  • Equipment For Making Your Own Baby Food + The Best Baby Food Cookbooks

Subscribe for New Posts

Copyright © 2019 · Modern Studio Pro Theme on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in