preparing for baby

I am one busy momma today running after my two year old and trying to get a few things done around the house before my daycare kiddos arrive, but I wanted to share this post with all of the moms-to-be.

I have been asked many times if there was one thing you would do before baby arrives what would it be? Simply, my answer is preparing food which you can freeze and reheat once baby arrives. Having a handful of meals prepared and ready to quickly reheat or put into the crockpot to eat when the time comes can be one of the most rewarding feelings. Once you arrive home from the hospital there are so many things taking place...you are trying to recover, you are getting to know a new human being, visitors come and go, other children still need to be taken care of, and you are battling fatigue. The last thing you want to be doing is thinking about what you will make for dinner and finding the time to shop and prepare the meal.

I have planned to take some time this weekend to finish up a few more batches of food. With that said, we are one lucky family as my mother showed up at our home the other day (an hour drive) to drop off a huge amount of prepared meals. I could not thank my parents enough as I know how much these meals will help us out and the best part was I didn't have to stand on my feet for hours to make them!

I have had a few friends who are expecting and have asked what meals we like to prepare ahead of time. Well, here is a short list of meals that I feel freeze well and taste nearly as good as if they were fresh:

• Lasagna
• Manicotti
• Mexican Lasagna
• Chicken and wild rice casserole
• Soups
• Tomato sauce
• Chili
• Stews
• Chicken/pork cutlets
• Meatballs
• Scallopped potatoes
• Swiss steak
• Cabbage rolls
• Pizza
• Muffins
• Waffles
• Pancakes

Happy Cooking Everyone!!