If you’re planning ahead and getting some postpartum freezer meals ready to go for your upcoming fourth trimester, you may be wondering… when is the best time to do freezer meal prep? How long are these meals good for in the freezer anyways? Is there anything else I should know about here?
Well, mama, I’ve got you covered! Today I’ll be answering all of these nitty gritty fourth trimester meal prep questions and more. Let’s get right to it!
The BEST time to do freezer meal prep
When it comes to prepping postpartum freezer meals, the perfect sweet spot is during your seventh and eighth months of pregnancy. This is right around weeks 28-35. Why? Because this is late enough in your pregnancy that your meals will still be nice and fresh in your freezer for quite a while during postpartum, but you also aren’t waiting til the very end of pregnancy when you will likely be pretty tired and baby could come “early” before you get around to doing it!
Can you start prepping earlier? Absolutely. Some moms choose to begin freezing meals at 20 weeks. This is a great strategy if you prefer to cook incrementally (like cooking double batches of dinner here and there and freezing half rather than doing fuller meal prep days).
Can you start later than 35 weeks? Of course! If you’ve got just a little bit of time and energy it’s never too late to throw some meals together that will seriously help you during postpartum. I’ve seen mamas do it during weeks 38 and 39 and be so happy they did! But in my opinion, if you can plan ahead and do it earlier you will benefit from resting as much as you can during your final days of pregnancy. You deserve to kick your feet up and bask in your own glow! And hey, if you wanna do some cooking then, who am I to stop you?
How long are freezer meals good for? Are they dangerous after a certain point?
Ideally, fully cooked meals stored properly in the freezer are best consumed within 3-4 months. Six months is also okay. Let’s be real, I’ve eaten food from my freezer that’s been in there waaaaay longer than that! It’s not so much a food safety concern as it is a problem of food quality degrading and ultimately becoming less appealing. This most often happens with freezer burn and thankfully it can be prevented or at least inhibited with proper storing.
How do you store freezer meals properly?
The key is storing things airtight and with no excess moisture (both cause freezer burn). There’s a variety of methods as well as containers you can use. My favorite is glassware.
What’s freezer burn?
Freezer burn happens when excess moisture gets pulled out of food and your meals essentially become dehydrated in your freezer. Freezer burn sucks because it can alter the taste and texture of food and can create brown or grayish patches. Again, this isn’t really a safety concern— just a bummer that your delicious meals got a little funky. Good news is you can completely avoid it with proper storing techniques and consuming your meals in a timely manner.
Other concerns some mamas have
I’m so tired! I’m afraid I won’t be able to do it all on my own.
You don’t have to do it alone! This is what your tribe is for! Invite a friend or family member to come food prep with you. One of my fondest memories from my pregnancy is the day my mother came over for a big food prep date with me. :) We made breakfast casseroles, soups, and meatballs! Make it fun. If you wanna roll solo, prioritize your meal prep as a fun nesting activity.
Is it okay if I just wait until my maternity leave starts to begin meal prepping?
It’s up to you! If your maternity leave doesn’t start until 38 weeks I would recommend doing a little prep sooner than that (start with doubling your dinners and freezing half right away), but if you have a strong support system and want to do it with them during your final days you sure can.
My freezer is so small. Will meal prepping work for me?
You don’t need a lot of space to do freezer meal prep, you just need to use it well. :) The first step I teach is actually cleaning out and organizing your freezer. It’s amazing how much you can fit in a standard sized freezer if you organize it!
How many meals should I prep?
This one is up to you. I say, for sure, the more the better! Trust me, you will not regret having a plethora of food. Nobody wants to spend their first days after birth in the kitchen (you should be resting in bed then and cuddling your baby!). On the flip side, if you only prep a couple dishes, you will still be helping yourself out during postpartum. Just two meals prepped are two mealtimes when you get to stay in bed with baby rather than finding ingredients and figuring out what to cook! Plus when you prep nutrient dense meals you ensure you're supporting your recovery later. In an ideal world, I would encourage mamas to prep food in advance for six weeks. I stocked an entire deep freezer for my second birth (see the photo!) and we also had a meal train, so it lasted us for several months. IT WAS ABSOLUTELY GLORIOUS!!!!! This would be my dream for you too.
Wanna make your freezer meal dreams a reality? Let me guide you through it, step by step, in my short and sweet program, Postpartum Food Prep. As a health coach and mama who has been there (twice!) I’ve made the perfect system to help you rock your own journey.
Did you freezer meal prep for your postpartum? Share below!