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Dear moms, your job is hard (like really, really hard)! From the second those two faint lines flash into view life is changed forever. Days are filled with precious swaddle-induced plans, while nights are spent sleeplessly rehearsing every possible way to reorganize the baby clothes piling up in the corner. Life becomes a balancing act as you turn into a whirlwind of planning, preparing, and asking (daily), ββ¦is this normal?β Sweet baby arrives and you find yourself wondering how your mother did this. Your heart is engorged with the smell of baby hair and itβs a mystery how life existed before them. The world around you is building upwards and simultaneously crumbling. Life before baby is a distant memory and everything is new. Days are spent in a sleep-deprived fog and nights are spent rehearsing every possible way you can find the mysterious, holy grail of motherhood: Balance.
Shelby, who recently gave birth to her second during the writing of this article, says, βI used the poo out of my Crock-Potβ¦Most of what we put together was enough for six people so if anyone was over they could eat too or we would eat it during the week.β They made freezer meals in advance so there would be a surplus of healthy meals in the freezer, ready to throw into the Crock-Pot. Because when hubby is starving and you are exhausted, convenience is a key factor in feeling balanced.
As a studying nutritionist, we learn a lot about what the body needs to maintain a healthy equilibrium. The easy answer I discovered from four years of studies is this: Balance. Problems develop when we eat too much or too little. Problems develop when we obsess with a single nutrient or ingredient. Problems develop when we ignore macronutrients and entire food groups.
There are a few ways to find balance in your life when everything else is tottering. Balance is maintaining the correct intake of all the food groups (donβt worry, eating cheerios out of your hair totally counts as a grain). The USDA recently changed the food pyramid into the MyPlate. This plate is meant to give us a condensed visual of what and how much we should be eating at each meal rather than a general days overview.
The main point of the diagram is that each meal should include fruits and vegetables plus a grain, protein, and dairy serving. Balance. Sounds easy, right? I promise that mastering this concept of balance starting with your plate will make you feel healthy, whole, and strong in every area. Our plates are a beautiful place, because itβs the one place we can always balance when other aspects of life feel out of our control. We can gain assurance knowing our family was properly fed and nourished, even if there are teething toys falling out of the freezer. The best way to fit all the needed food groups into your diet is to prepare ahead of time.
Crock-Pots are seriously making a comeback. Theyβre like the Birkenstocks you scorned to the back of your closet only to realize theyβre the newest trend among the tweenies. Thereβs just something lovable about comfort. Crock-Pots are a mommy miracle. You can throw anything inside and 6-8 hours later a masterpiece emerges. Not to mention it is a major cost saver. Who wants to blow their precious income on crappy pizza, am I right?
One of the best ways to prepare before baby is to fill your freezer with prepared Crock-Pot meals conveniently stored in gallon Ziploc bags. The best part is that you can make multiple meals in the same day and then freeze them for later. This is super easy to do and only takes a few steps:
*Safety Note: Itβs best to pull out a freezer meal the night before and let it thaw in the fridge until morning, that way everything will come to a safe cooking temperature in a safe amount of time.
*Safety Note: Itβs best to pull out a freezer meal the night before and let it thaw in the fridge until morning, that way everything will come to a safe cooking temperature in a safe amount of time.
You may not have all the answers to all the questions, but how comforting to know that you can have full control of what your family is eating. You can feed them, nourish them, and connect with them in the midst of busy. You can find that magical balance of food and family. You can embrace healthy and breathe deeply, knowing you are doing your best to nourish your family β and that is more than enough. Thereβs only one thing left to doβ¦go rev up that Crock-Pot, ladies!
Julia Griffin is a senior at California State University of Sacramento pursuing a Bachelors of Science in Nutrition. She currently spends her days interning at the California Dept. of Public Health and cooking for her husband and puppy, Sullivan. Follow her food adventures on Instagram @juliaboboolia.
Moms: Balance is Possible. No, Reallyβ¦Iβm Serious.
Dear moms, your job is hard (like really, really hard)! From the second those two faint lines flash into view life is changed forever. Days are filled with precious swaddle-induced plans, while nights are spent sleeplessly rehearsing every possible way to reorganize the baby clothes piling up in the corner. Life becomes a balancing act as you turn into a whirlwind of planning, preparing, and asking (daily), ββ¦is this normal?β Sweet baby arrives and you find yourself wondering how your mother did this. Your heart is engorged with the smell of baby hair and itβs a mystery how life existed before them. The world around you is building upwards and simultaneously crumbling. Life before baby is a distant memory and everything is new. Days are spent in a sleep-deprived fog and nights are spent rehearsing every possible way you can find the mysterious, holy grail of motherhood: Balance.
Shelby, who recently gave birth to her second during the writing of this article, says, βI used the poo out of my Crock-Potβ¦Most of what we put together was enough for six people so if anyone was over they could eat too or we would eat it during the week.β They made freezer meals in advance so there would be a surplus of healthy meals in the freezer, ready to throw into the Crock-Pot. Because when hubby is starving and you are exhausted, convenience is a key factor in feeling balanced.
A Few Words on Balance:
As a studying nutritionist, we learn a lot about what the body needs to maintain a healthy equilibrium. The easy answer I discovered from four years of studies is this: Balance. Problems develop when we eat too much or too little. Problems develop when we obsess with a single nutrient or ingredient. Problems develop when we ignore macronutrients and entire food groups.
There are a few ways to find balance in your life when everything else is tottering. Balance is maintaining the correct intake of all the food groups (donβt worry, eating cheerios out of your hair totally counts as a grain). The USDA recently changed the food pyramid into the MyPlate. This plate is meant to give us a condensed visual of what and how much we should be eating at each meal rather than a general days overview.
The main point of the diagram is that each meal should include fruits and vegetables plus a grain, protein, and dairy serving. Balance. Sounds easy, right? I promise that mastering this concept of balance starting with your plate will make you feel healthy, whole, and strong in every area. Our plates are a beautiful place, because itβs the one place we can always balance when other aspects of life feel out of our control. We can gain assurance knowing our family was properly fed and nourished, even if there are teething toys falling out of the freezer. The best way to fit all the needed food groups into your diet is to prepare ahead of time.
Crock-Pot meals will be your fairy godmother while balancing all the roles of a busy mommy.
Crock-Pots are seriously making a comeback. Theyβre like the Birkenstocks you scorned to the back of your closet only to realize theyβre the newest trend among the tweenies. Thereβs just something lovable about comfort. Crock-Pots are a mommy miracle. You can throw anything inside and 6-8 hours later a masterpiece emerges. Not to mention it is a major cost saver. Who wants to blow their precious income on crappy pizza, am I right?
One of the best ways to prepare before baby is to fill your freezer with prepared Crock-Pot meals conveniently stored in gallon Ziploc bags. The best part is that you can make multiple meals in the same day and then freeze them for later. This is super easy to do and only takes a few steps:
*Safety Note: Itβs best to pull out a freezer meal the night before and let it thaw in the fridge until morning, that way everything will come to a safe cooking temperature in a safe amount of time.
7 Steps to Easy Crock-Pot Meals
1. Scour Pinterest for Crock-Pot freezer meal ideas. There are so many. Pick whatever looks good for your family. I love adding extra vegetables and herbs for extra health benefits with minimal complications. The more veggies in your pot, the better (and less side dishes to deal with later). I love throwing everything in a bag so itβs ready to put in the Crock-Pot. I usually donβt use exact measurements because itβs a beautiful, simple process and precise measuring really isnβt necessary (choose your battles, am I right?) A few of my favorite freezer meals are:
2. Make a master list. This is the fun part. Take all the ingredients needed for your different freezer meals and combine into a master list of ingredients. This makes grocery shopping a predictable breeze. You can scribble your own or find a free printable master list here.
3. Shop, shop, shop your heart out girlfriend.
4. Prepare needed materials: Gallon Ziploc bags, sharpies, recipes.
5. Prep: I like to keep things relatively simple so I usually do βdump bagsβ where you take all the raw ingredients and dump them in a gallon Ziploc. Then the only things that need to be prepped are things like chopping onions, opening cans, and portioning herbs.
6. Label bags with recipe name, date, and any special prep instructions.
7. Freeze
Eight Favorite Recipes
Here are a few of my favorite easy Crock-Pot freezer meals. Add all ingredients to a gallon Ziploc freezer bag.>>> Click here to download a PDF of the recipes! <<<
Teriyaki chicken (Serve with brown rice)
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Creamy Lemon Garlic Chicken (Serve with mashed or roasted potatoes)
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Bolognese Meat Sauce (Serve with whole wheat pasta)
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BBQ Ribs (Serve with cornbread and green beans) β Can also store in a disposable tin container
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Quinoa Chili (Serve with cilantro, cheddar, and plain Greek yogurt instead of sour cream)
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Beer Braised Carnitas *A HUSBAND FAVORITE* (Serve as tacos, burritos, or burrito bowls)
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Honey Soy Pork (Serve with fresh salad and steamed edamame or sugar snap peas)
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Tomato Basil Tortellini Soup
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>>> Click here to download a PDF of the recipes! <<<
You may not have all the answers to all the questions, but how comforting to know that you can have full control of what your family is eating. You can feed them, nourish them, and connect with them in the midst of busy. You can find that magical balance of food and family. You can embrace healthy and breathe deeply, knowing you are doing your best to nourish your family β and that is more than enough. Thereβs only one thing left to doβ¦go rev up that Crock-Pot, ladies!
Julia Griffin is a senior at California State University of Sacramento pursuing a Bachelors of Science in Nutrition. She currently spends her days interning at the California Dept. of Public Health and cooking for her husband and puppy, Sullivan. Follow her food adventures on Instagram @juliaboboolia.