What Is A Good Meal To Bring A New Mom
Here are some things I like to keep in mind when bringing food to someone after their baby arrives:
- Do they have other kids? Be sure it is kid/toddler/whoever friendly
- What do they like to eat normally? If you know they love Mexican food for example, that would be a real treat?
- What take out do they get? They are probably ordering takeout right about now, so try to think of something different. If they always order pizza, dont bring a frozen pizza.
- Do they tend to eat healthy or prefer comfort food?
When in doubt, text or call someone other than the mom and ask!
Feeling lazy? Here are the best ready-to-eat meals for new parents you can get at Costco!
Survival Food But Make It Gluten Free
Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the bestproducts youcan learn more about ourreview process here.We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links.
Just because you follow a special diet shouldnt mean you cant find survival food options for everyone. There are plenty of emergency food kits that are gluten free for those with gluten intolerance or celiac disease. Whether youre looking for a full breakfast-lunch-dinner supply or single meal, you can rest assured that your food will not only sustain you nutritionally but will adhere to your special diet.
Here, the best gluten-free survival food kits on the market.
This hefty 27-pound supply of survival meals by Legacy offers about 346 calories per serving and is gluten-free, GMO-free, and made in the United States. Meals are packed into Mylar pouches that offer a 25-year shelf life, all conveniently packed into one bucket for easy storage. All you have to do to prepare your meal is add water, so its not only great for emergency situations, but its useful to have on hand for any camping trip or other outdoor adventure. This survival food supply includes meals like enchiladas, pasta, and chili.
Trader Joes Organic Frozen Broccoli Florets
Sure I love fresh broccoli, but honestly, sometimes frozen just works easily. I keep this on hand for busy nights when I may not have a side vegetable to serve. I also love to throw it into smoothies as it doesnt taste like much and adds so much nutritional value to it.
For a simple meal idea, cook up some of the cauliflower gnocchi with these broccoli florets, top it with marinara and add some hemp seeds to the top. Yum!
Recommended Reading: Dove Chocolate Gluten Free
Larabar Coconut Cream Pie
Per 1 bar : 210 calories, 10 g fat , 5 mg sodium, 31 g carbs , 3 g protein
Not That!: Even though this is one of the top-selling gluten-free products on Amazon, we regrettably have to dub it a “Not That.” Even though it’s made with five simple ingredients , it contains 24 grams of sugarwhich is excessive to consume in one sitting for only providing 5 grams of digestion-slowing fiber. It’s not an everyday snack, but you can certainly reserve it for a post-workout treat once in a blue moon.
What Our Brand Is Worth:
The consequences of buying an unreliable brand because it is cheap are serious. Unreliable products are more likely to occur when you buy a cheap brand. While well-known brands give more attention to maintaining their reputations, other brands do not.
Brands like gluten free frozen meals stand out from the competition due to their unique characteristics. As a result, we hope that you will find something on our list that you will like.
Also Check: Franz Gluten Free Bread Review
Duncan Hines Gf Vanilla Creme Cake
Per 1/16 package : 210 calories, 9 g fat , 150 mg sodium, 32 g carbs , 2 g protein
Not That!: Like we said before, “gluten-free” should not be synonymous with “healthy.” This is the perfect example of that. Duncan Hines’ cake mix is gluten-free, but that doesn’t erase the negatives of stuffing a cake full of shortening, sugar, inflammatory carrageenan, artificial flavor, and artificial dyes Yellow 5 and Yellow 6.
Things To Keep In Mind When Gifting Freezable Meal Recipes For New Moms
- Always use disposable dishes or things you dont want back. No new parent wants to be washing and returning your casserole dish!
- Be sure to ask if there are any dietary restrictions or special needs. Some breast feeding moms have to go gluten free or dairy free suddenly to deal with newborn digestive issues.
- Check to see if they have a crock pot or instant pot before gifting a frozen meal that requires one.
- If your meal is complemented well with a sauce like barbecue sauce, sour cream, or salad dressing throw in a bottle. Nothing worse than having to eat a dry baked potato, and new parents fridges arent always stocked!
Recommended Reading: Walmart Gluten Free Graham Crackers
Trader Joes Unsweetened Organic Acai Puree Packets
Another great one for smoothies, these packets of acai can add color, flavor and fiber to smoothies, smoothie bowls, oatmeal and chia pudding. The also boast 3 grams of fiber per packet, but at $4.49 for a pack of 4, you may want to use them cautiously. I love that these are organic and a great way to incorporate some solid colors in my kids repertoire of foods. With all of this said, this is an occasional but fun buy for us.
Scott & Jons Frozen Meals
Scott & Jons are known for making healthy frozen meals that contain under 300 calories and only simple ingredients.
Some products say gluten free whereas others says made without gluten ingredients. None are certified gluten free by a third party.
Entrees made without gluten include:
- Garlic Butter Shrimp
You May Like: Is Mozzarella String Cheese Gluten-free
The Value For Money Is:
One of the sayings goes, you get what you pay for.. Buying something for the lowest price is almost never a good idea. Therefore, buying an expensive product with no real value isn’t a good choice at all. The key to evaluating the value of your gluten free frozen meals is to evaluate what you’re getting for your money.
How To Make Freezer Taco Rice Casserole
We love taco night, just like the rest of the world, but sometimes we need our food to have more FOOD in it. With growing kids and busy schedules I need a dish that incorporates the deliciousness of tacos with the hardiness of a casserole loaded with carbs and protein. Over the years, we have mastered this dish. With less than 10 straightforward ingredients, its fast to whip together to toss in the freezer or in the oven.
First, youll brown your ground turkey and chopped onions. Drain any grease and add taco seasoning and water. Let cool.
In a large mixing bowl, combine two cans of diced tomatoes with green chilies, Tofutti dairy-free sour cream , ground turkey, rice, corn, black beans and Daiya dairy-free Mozzarella Shreds
Pour the mixture into two 9×13, greased pans and top with remaining cheese and chopped green onions.
Read Also: Jersey Mike’s Gluten Free Bread Nutrition
Trader Joes Gluten & Dairy Free Homestyle Pancakes
Though I typically make homemade pancakes, these are an occasional purchase since they can come in handy. On the plus side, they are convenient. And my kids love them. On the negative: there are 11 grams of added sugar in a serving. There are multiple ingredients including natural flavors which makes me scratch my head.
For other options when not in a pinch, try these Birch Blenders Paleo Pancakes or make your own with just 3 ingredients .
Ian’s Natural Foods Gf Breaded Chicken Tenders
Per 3 oz : 160 calories, 6 g fat , 210 mg sodium, 7 g carbs , 20 g protein
Eat This: These chicken tenders are made from actual chicken tender meat and not shredded rib meat! Then they’re breaded with a batter of corn flour and Italian seasonings. The result is a protein-packed dinner that’s low in sodium, fat, carbs, and calories.
You May Like: Gluten Free Pasta Flour
Van’s Gf Original Waffles
Per 2 waffles : 200 calories, 6 g fat , 330 mg sodium, 33 g carbs , 2 g protein
Eat This: Van’s proprietary blend of brown rice, potato, and soy flour makes the perfect base for these original waffles. And with only a gram of sugar split between a serving of two discs, you’ll be able to start your day off without worrying about a massive dip in blood sugar mid-morning.
Tips On Reheating Frozen Food
- You can reheat it in the microwave, but it’s safer and the texture is better if you do it in a pot on the stove because you can make sure it has been properly heated through.
- Stir regularly to make sure the heat has evenly distributed.
- Always reheat until piping hot.
- For soups, curries, pasta sauces, stews etc you will sometimes need to add a small splash of water if liquid has been lost during the freezing and defrosting process.
Don’t Miss: Is Michelob Ultra Organic Gluten Free
Barilla Gluten Free Spaghetti
Per 2 oz : 200 calories, 1 g fat , 0 mg sodium, 44 g carbs , 4 g protein
Not That!: Besides corn and rice flour, there are a couple of nasty ingredients lurking in this gluten-free spaghetti: mono- and diglycerides. These man-made additives often contain the same artery-clogging trans fats that the FDA decided to ban in June 2018. The only reason these ingredients are allowed in your food is because the FDA reviewed evidence and concluded that we don’t consume enough of them to count as hazardous however, that “evidence” hasn’t been updated since 1975.
The 8 Best Frozen Meal Delivery Services In 2022
- Best for paleo diets:Paleo on the Go
- Best for weight loss:Diet-to-Go
- Most customizable:MealPro
Frozen meals are convenient meal options that require very little meal prep or cooking.
However, many store-bought frozen entrées arent the healthiest or best tasting. Often, these meals are heavily processed, containing artificial preservatives, flavors, and colorings.
Furthermore, it can be difficult to find options that fit your specific dietary needs.
Some frozen meal delivery services do offer the convenience of frozen meals but contain higher quality ingredients and great flavors.
Unlike many other food delivery services, frozen meal services come fully assembled and cooked. So, rather than chopping and cooking, all you have to do is pop one in the microwave or oven.
Don’t Miss: Is Knorr Spanish Rice Gluten Free
Is Lean Cuisine Gluten Free
From Lean Cuisines email: We follow the US Food and Drug administrations guidelines of a gluten free food, which state that any food or beverage item bearing a gluten free claim on its labeling does not contain the protein found in wheat, barley, rye, or hybrid grains, such as triticale. Nestlé USA® encourages you to always find the most up to date information about our foods and beverages by reading the product label. In an effort to provide you with the best tasting and most nutritious foods and beverages, we frequently review our recipes and make changes as needed. Please read all products labels for the most current information.
Culinary culture has become richer and more diverse than ever, and our understanding of health and wellness has grown immensely, says the company website. Were proud to announce that were making some major changes, starting with our Marketplace line. In 2015, that meant providing you with choices like dishes that are made with organic ingredients, gluten-free, high protein or provide one cup of vegetables.
Lean Cuisine gluten free options include 15 dishes, such as Chicken Marsala, Ranchero Braised Beef, Sweet & Sour Chicken, and Cheddar Bacon Chicken.
What Type Of Food Freezes Well
- In general, saucy foods like curries, stews, soups and pasta sauces tend to freeze best.
- I find gluten-free pasta is generally not good reheated. For this reason, I find it’s usually easier to freeze just the pasta sauce and boil your own pasta when you reheat the sauce.
- Freezing rice can be a bit hit and miss too. Unless you’re really careful, white rice can get quite mushy/watery/overly sticky when frozen and reheated. Freezing brown rice tends to have better results, especially when it’s in a soup, so I’ve only included recipes that use brown rice.
- Freezing potatoes makes them mushy – any recipes that contain potatoes should be replaced with sweet potatoes or some other vegetable.
Read Also: Enjoy Life Crunchy Rice Cereal
Suggestions For Reheating This Meal:
Microwave: Remember that every microwave is a little different, so be sure to check them every 90 seconds or so. Thaw them in the fridge overnight – so just put the container into the fridge to thaw overnight the evening before you plan to eat it.
- From Thawed: Dump the contents onto a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl or plate. Microwave on high heat for about 2-3 minutes.
- From Frozen: I recommend 2-3 90-second intervals. Youll want to stop and stir / check it in between.
Make sure the food is “piping hot” i.e. steaming visibly since you’re not cooking them ahead of time.
For more cooking methods, please see this post.
How To Make Harissa Chicken Rice Bowl Frozen Meal Prep
You May Like: Jason’s Deli Gluten Free
Crockpot And Instant Pot Meal Prep
The best frozen meal prep can come together easily with the help of a Crockpot or Instant Pot. Several of FreezerFits gluten-free freezer meals can be cooked all together in the Crockpot or Instant Pot. You will find directions for both in addition to directions to prep the meals ahead of time in each recipe. Handy tools like the freezer and the Instant Pot save time and money by helping you be prepared! And the Crockpot leaves time for other activities or chores on a weeknight because you dont have to stand over the stove cooking.
Best For Breakfast: Mountain House Freeze Dried Scrambled Eggs With Bacon
If youre just looking for a breakfast option, Mountain House has you covered with this scrambled eggs and bacon kit. Not only is it certified gluten-free, but it also contains no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives. And there is no need to refrigerate this can is easy to store with the rest of your emergency supplies, whether its in your car, basement, or pantry. Each serving contains 350 calories and 23 grams of protein to provide you and your family with plenty of energy to start the day, whether youre in an emergency situation or simply need an easy-to-transport breakfast for your next camping trip.
Read Also: Costco Gluten-free Pizza Crust
