Skip to main content

4 easy meals for new parents to cook when they’ve just brought home a new baby

Easy eats to make that'll fit your newborn's schedule

When you’ve come home from the hospital with your newborn, things are going to change quickly. There are going to be intermittent feedings, countless diaper changes, and more. One thing you’re not going to want to do for the first week or so is cook meals.

First of all, you need to take it easy on yourself. But there are plenty of easy meals for new parents when it comes to “fix-it-and-forget-it” favorites! Just think, toss these dinners in the oven and you’re done! We’re sharing some of our favorite easy meals to cook when you have just brought home your baby. Enjoy!

Easy meals for new parents who have little time and energy to cook

Chicken Burrito Bowls

A delicious chicken burrito bowl can be a wonderful and easy kit to have put together and ready and waiting for when it is time to make them. But what exactly goes into a burrito bowl? It has rice, black beans, tomatoes, southwestern flavored chicken for protein, and salsa and cheese. You can, of course, add other things like lettuce and Greek yogurt. But this wonderful recipe from Thriving Home Blog shares how easy it is to put this meal together. Putting everything into a freezer bag until it is time to use it is a great idea. These bowls are easy to make and are customizable just for you. With a prep time of five minutes, you cannot go wrong with these burrito bowls.

Bread pizza
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Quick and Easy Pizza Breads

If your family loves pizza, then this quick and easy recipe from Pinch of Yum will have them chomping at the bit. With only eight ingredients, you will be able to spend more time with your little one. They’re nourishing with the delicious vegetables that they have on tap. The best part about this recipe, though? It only takes a total of about 15 minutes of prep that you can easily do ahead of time, along with the cooking. Once cooked, they are easy to toss in freezer bags and thrown into the freezer for dinner another night.

Slow Cooker Chicken and Bean Chili

Sometimes, there’s just nothing like a hot soup or chili. This one from Sweet Poppy Seed can warm and nourish not only the body but the soul as well. When all the ingredients are together in the slow cooker, you simply set it and forget it. Just throw all the ingredients in and set it to cook for around four to five hours. After that, whether it is lunch or dinner, mama will relish the incredible slow-cooker chili that was made for her. Of course, it’s a great dish to share as well. It can also freeze for up to six months.

Shepherd's Pie
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Shepherd’s Pie

What can solve your hunger in a second? Shepherd’s pie, of course! With only a few ingredients, it’s easy to make ahead of time with ground beef, vegetables, potatoes, peas, and carrots. You can toss it in the fridge, and then when you are ready the next day to make it, just grab it and toss it in the oven for around 15 minutes after cooking the meat and vegetables at approximately 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Shepherd’s Pie can be true comfort food for the whole family indeed.

Lasagna roll-ups on a white plate
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Lasagna Roll-Ups

With a recipe like lasagna roll-ups from Crystal and Comp, you definitely cannot go wrong. With a few ingredients and some tasty spices, you can put your lasagna roll-ups together. Use meat, cheese, ricotta, and egg for the filling. You can cook up some ground beef in the sauce and add that as well. You can keep them in a glass casserole dish until you are ready to heat them up, which would be somewhere around 350 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 25 minutes. Now mind you, for this dish, it is best made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator, then just heat them up when you’re ready.

There are plenty of other wonderful meals for new parents to try that are quick and easy. They are easy to access by a simple search on the internet. These are just our favorites! You’ll have to choose what kind of food you would like during the first new days at home with baby. Quick and easy meals are invaluable when those first few weeks. Adjusting to a new baby can be chaotic for certain, so don’t let mealtime get in the way of bonding with your little one. These meals are great for “setting-and-forgetting,” which is perfect for new parents.

Editors' Recommendations

Jennifer Passmore
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Jennifer has written two books on how to deal with living with chronic illness using the power of positivity. She has written…
When can babies have chocolate milk? This is when it’s safe to let your child indulge
A glass of chocolate milk with a straw

Oh, chocolate milk is the ultimate treat! It's creamy, chocolatey, and just oh-so-tasty! While you are having yourself a glass, you may be tempted to give your child some of that rich, chocolatey goodness. But are little babes old enough to try it yet? When can babies have chocolate milk? It can be quite the job to keep up with what babies can have and at one age. So, for this delectable treat, we will help you find out when little ones can indulge in a glass.

Babies shouldn't have sweets or milk if they're not at least one year old. But even if they've celebrated that first birthday, there are other factors to consider.

Read more
Win weeknight dinner with these easy chicken fajitas you can make at home
delicious chicken fajitas on a cutting board

Weeknight dinners can be tough to get on the table especially when your kids are involved in multiple after school activities and sports. It's what makes takeout so attractive. Takeout isn't the healthiest, however, and it does tend to take a bite out of the family budget. The solution is simple and quick meals like tacos, but tacos can get boring when you eat them every week.

This is why busy parents are always on the lookout for fast dinners that can be made at home. Next time you're wondering what's quick to whip up for a weeknight dinner, think easy chicken fajitas. Like tacos, chicken fajitas don't require a lot of preparation or cook time. You can use a chicken fajita kit to cut the prep time or use a simple recipe. Chicken fajitas are also hands-on, just like tacos. Kids can fill their tortillas with their favorite toppings. Chicken fajitas are a win-win for weeknight dinners and we've got your go-to preparation guide.

Read more
7 easy and healthy ideas for toddler meals you can make in 30 minutes
toddler-meal-ideas

Toddlers are so much fun because they seem to grow and learn new things daily. It's also exciting once your child reaches toddlerhood because they can start to eat many of the same foods as the rest of the family. As toddlers explore new food options, they also learn how to be picky and selective with what they eat, which can often lead to parents wondering what they can make their 2-year-old for dinner that they'll actually enjoy and still provide the nutrition their growing body needs!
One cannot live on crackers and yogurt alone, no matter how much your toddler wishes they could! You're not alone if you've been wondering what a 2-year-old should eat and how to create some easy and healthy meals for your toddler. Keep reading for seven easy and healthy meal ideas that you can make quickly and that your toddler will love.

Tacos
Who doesn't love Taco Tuesday?! Tacos are a great meal for your toddler to enjoy with the family. Whether you do a traditional ground beef taco, a chicken and corn taco like these from Yummy Toddler Food, fish tacos, or a vegetarian option of just cheese, tacos are a great way for your toddler to eat a meal complete with protein, dairy, and whole grains.  You can prepare your protein options in advance and just heat them up as needed, which makes these not only nutritious but convenient as well.
Deconstructed Cobb salad
Cobb salads are a healthy and delicious way to enjoy a nutritious meal and we love this deconstructed version by Pinecones and Pacifiers. The best part about this deconstructed salad is that you can change it up to suit your toddler's likes. Traditionally a Cobb salad is made with chicken breast but you can substitute turkey if your toddler prefers or if you simply happen to have it on hand. Slice up some avocado, bacon, eggs, tomato, fresh mozzarella, cucumber, and add some ranch dressing on the side to dip and you have an easy, nutritious, and balanced meal. A store-bought rotisserie chicken makes creating this salad even easier.
Baby pasta bolognese
Toddlers love pasta of all kinds, and if you've got the time to create a quick sauce, this recipe by Red Kitchenette is full of vegetables. In just about 20 minutes, you can create a flavorful pasta dinner using whichever kind of whole-grain pasta you like. The best part is that you can freeze any leftover sauce to have handy for future meals you need to make quickly. Of course, you don't have to make your own pasta sauce. The grocery store has many jarred options that are great for a fast and easy meal option.

Read more