Healthy Postpartum Meal & Snack Ideas (2 Under 2 Edition)
I Thought Feeding Myself Was Easy. Then I Had Two Kids.
For over 9 weeks, I’ve been navigating newborn life with a toddler. Logistically, it’s a lot. Emotionally, it’s also a lot. Mentally, physically, spiritually-- you guessed it-- it’s a lot.
Pediatrician appointments. Tantrums. Night nursing. Walking in the house with a crying baby and a hangry toddler, only to discover the dog has gotten into the diaper genie (does anyone want a 9-year-old mini Aussie??)
Before becoming a mom, I didn’t truly understand why so many of my clients neglected themselves. I thought, how hard is it to make a freakin’ turkey sandwich when you’re home all day?!
Boy, do I feel silly now!
When the chaos of children is all around you, it’s hard to tune into your body’s hunger and rest signals until they’re screaming at you to tear into a bag of chocolate-covered peanuts before bed.
It’s also easy to push off nutrition planning. Grocery shopping and organizing dinners for the week feel heavier when you have more than one or two mouths to feed.
Still, eating well is vital for not only our physical wellbeing but our mental health. When my blood sugar is balanced and my stomach isn’t growling, I have more patience for the craziness and resilience for when everything goes to sh*t. I feel more in control when my body and mind are nourished.
To make this possible, I’ve relied on two things: simple meals and hand-held snacks.
A simple meal for me checks a few boxes:
Contains protein (ideally one rich in iron)
Contains a fruit or veggie
Takes less than 20 minutes to prepare
For me, simple meals don’t require a formal recipe or any intermediate culinary technique. They’re typically just meals where I assemble some healthy, ready-to-eat ingredients. Bonus points if they taste good cold because reheating food with a newborn takes precious time I may not have.
Here are 5 simple meals I can’t get enough of lately:
Burger Bowls: Seasoned ground beef with frozen sweet potato fries (or baked potatoes if you’re up for it). Top with cottage cheese or avocado, pickles, onions, tomato, lettuce, ketchup, and mustard.
Chickpea Pasta with Meatballs: Sometimes we use marinara, other days it’s pesto. But the meatballs are always pre-made from Publix, and I add veggies by mixing in diced zucchini.
Chicken Sausage Sheet Pans: What could be easier than dicing Applegate chicken sausage and baking it on a sheet pan? I like to buy my veggies and starches pre-diced from a Publix Steamable bag, but you can dice whatever you like-- sweet potato, butternut squash, onion, Brussels sprouts, tomatoes, etc. Eat over massaged kale with a drizzle of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.
Veggie-Packed Turkey Chili: To a pot, saute onions, garlic, ground turkey, and 3 veggies of choice in olive oil (I typically use carrots, onions, and zucchini). Once the meat is brown, add tomato sauce and diced tomatoes, plus a splash of broth. Bring to a boil and simmer. Add chili seasonings, frozen corn, and beans. Serve with whole grain tortilla chips
.Chicken Salad: Buy the pre-shredded chicken from Aldi or Target (Good & Gather brand) and mix with plain, full-fat Greek yogurt (this way it doesn’t taste sour). Add lemon juice, pickles, and salt & pepper. Mix in things like pre-diced celery, apples, grapes, cranberries, and/or pecans. Eat with whole grain crackers or Wasa Crackers.
But what’s an index of meals without a companion list of healthy snack ideas?
Here are 7 snackaroonies I’ve been dependent on since popping out this baby. For me, the right snack can be eaten with one hand. However, I do treat myself with utensils when I somehow get both the toddler and baby to sleep independently at the same time. This happens approximately 1 out of 10 attempts... So if you know any spells or witchcraft to help me get my stats up, I’m all ears.
Protein waffles topped with Greek yogurt and frozen berries (that I zap in the microwave, of course). Aldi has good protein waffles, but I also like Van’s.
RxBars and Aloha Bars will always be my go-to protein bars. I also enjoyed Stars + Honey bars, specifically the cherry chocolate waffle cone flavor. Yum!
Sliced apple and baby carrots dipped in peanut butter. Don’t knock it til ya try it!
Smoothies mixed with frozen banana, Chocolate Naked protein powder, chia seeds, and almond milk. My toddler loves these, too!
Turkey wraps on a whole wheat tortilla with american cheese, pickles, and mustard.
Homemade trail mix with raisins, cashews, pecans, peanuts, and air popped popcorn.
Kodiak protein muffins. I buy the mix and include my toddler because it’s quick n’ easy. We love to add Lily’s chocolate chips for a lower-sugar sweetness.
Honorable mention: whole milk lattes. They offer 7-8 grams of protein and keep me functioning after those long newborn nights.
Bring These Ideas to Your Team
On the days I’m not elbow-deep in diaper genies, this is actually the same message I bring to the stage: how to fuel your body for real energy without adding one more impossible routine to your plate.
If your company, conference, or group wants a speaker who makes nutrition feel doable instead of like homework, I’d love to come talk to them. You can check out my keynotes or Reach out to my team at Inkwell MGMT (hello@inkwell-mgmt.com).
Thanks for reading and if you liked these dietitian-approved meal ideas, I’ll keep ’em coming.
PS-- Despite the chaos, maternity leave with two is also a lot of fun :-)
I’m reading a ton of historical fiction in the middle of the day, and my husband and I are rewatching all of the Harry Potter movies after bedtime.
My toddler has learned how to fart on command, which is hilariously disgusting, and our new baby smiles and laughs every time we coo in his face (my first baby mean-mugged us until he was 6 months old).
If you’re on the fence, have the 2nd kid!!
FAQ: Booking a Florida Dietitian Speaker
What is a dietitian speaker and nutritionist speaker?
It’s a registered dietitian (hi, that’s me) who takes the science out of the clinic and onto the stage, speaking at corporate events, conferences, and community groups about energy, focus, and sustainable eating, without the fluff or fad diets.
Where is Kait Richardson based?
I’m based in Orlando, Florida, and speak at events across the state and nationwide.
What topics does Kait speak on?
My keynotes cover nutrition, energy, and burnout prevention for busy professionals and parents, biology over willpower, not another list of food rules.
How do I book Kait to speak at my event?
Reach out to my team at Inkwell MGMT (hello@inkwell-mgmt.com) or book a 15-minute discovery speaker call with me here.
Does Kait only speak to corporate audiences?
Mostly corporate wellness programs, leadership events, and conferences, but I also love speaking to women’s groups and community organizations. If your audience could use a dose of food without the fear, let’s talk.
