I’m a New Mom Who Needs Protein-Rich Meals. Ideas?

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I had a baby recently and breastfeeding makes me feel constantly hungry, but I have very few chances to cook and most food delivery options near me are not as protein-packed as I need them to be. I tend to make a big amount of, say, chicken mole, which I really like, portion it and freeze it, but become bored by the second time I have to eat it. How do I start diversifying my recipes or even developing my own? I find I resort to the same recipes and ingredients constantly! —Got Protein?

Congrats! And phew. I’m also postpartum and breastfeeding, so I’m right there with you, navigating the same maze. Isn’t it—what’s a gentle word here—ironic to be hungrier than ever, and have so little time and energy to cook? Not great, Bob! But you are on the right track with the freezer. The freezer is our friend.

On weekends I’ll double or even triple a recipe, then freeze it in portions in reheatable containers (I use these). One way to switch things up is to freeze only the sauce/stew/etc., and add the protein at the reheating stage. For example, I often freeze this saag—just saag, sans feta. Then, when I’m warming it up on the stove, I add whatever protein I’m in the mood for. Maybe it’s halved boiled eggs. Or chunks of feta (as called for) or paneer. Or cubed tofu, or canned chickpeas, or shredded rotisserie chicken. That way I don't have to eat the same meal over and over, and I can lean into whatever I’m craving or whatever is easiest that night. (On that note: The accompanying starch is another opportunity to sidestep repetition and boredom. It could go with rice or flatbread, or onto spaghetti or udon.)

The same approach can be applied to your go-to mole. Skip the chicken and transform the sauce into a wider range of meals. I’m picturing it spooned over cheesy pinto bean burritos. Atop fried egg tacos with Greek yogurt, raw onion, and cilantro. Draped over crisp salmon like in this rice bowl (mole instead of spicy mayo; radishes instead of cucs); this is a form of recipe development, sewing together patches into a colorful quilt. This Japanese curry is another nice option I turn to time and again. Freeze just the curry and add your veg and protein of choice à la minute; or freeze it with veg and add a protein in the reheat stage.

Are you a snacker? I didn’t use to be. But snacks, it turns out, are invaluable to stretch the hours between meals. These nutty granola bars are not too sweet and chock-full of nourishing ingredients, like oats and dried fruit. And whether these lactation cookies (gifted to me by a dear friend) boosted my milk supply is unclear, but I looked forward to them, fervently, for months; they freeze perfectly. If you don’t want to make a snack from scratch—I get it!—my colleagues rounded up some nourishing (and delicious) options you can buy.

Hope this helps—let me know how it all goes in the comments. And because I don’t think any new parent can hear it enough: You’re doing great.

Readers, what protein-packed meals do you keep in the freezer?

Warmly,
Emma

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