Having a new baby is certainly one of the busiest times in a family’s life. Added to that, if your baby isn’t sleeping well, you’re probably not getting much sleep either. This combination of exhaustion and lack of time makes consuming a coffee and muffin instead of making a sandwich very appealing. Unfortunately the additional kilojoules can add up, and the lack of healthy foods can exacerbate your lack of energy.
If this sounds like you, you may like to try some of these tips:
• Buy groceries online – this is much easier than getting your baby in and out of the car and waiting between sleeps to get to the supermarket.
• Try home delivered meals – I don’t mean dialling a pizza! There are now plenty of companies which home deliver a recipe and all of the necessary ingredients (such as Hello Fresh, My Food Bag, The Cook’s Grocer and Marley Spoon) to your door, or if you don’t have time to cook either, try a complete home delivered meal option such as Lite N Easy, Fit Foods Club, Dineamic or NuMeals.
• Keep plenty of staples on hand – foods such as tinned tuna, tins of 4 bean mix, frozen vegetables, rice and pasta are great foods to purchase in bulk and have on hand. It doesn’t take long to put some frozen vegies in the microwave and mix through a can of flavoured tuna for a quick, nourishing and easy meal.
• Consider spending more on pre-prepared foods – when your exhausted, sometimes even cutting up a carrot can feel like too much work. If it’s going to make the difference between snacking on carrot sticks or a bar of chocolate, it may be worth spending a little more money on pre-cut fruit and vegetables such as pre-cut carrot sticks or pre-cut apples.
• Keep plenty of nutritious snacks on hand – if you are finding that you don’t have time to sit down to have a proper meal, focus on trying to include more nutritious snacks in your day. Good options can include nuts, yoghurt or fresh fruit.
• Eat with your toddler – when your little one starts solids, try to cook just one meal, then mash a portion of it for your toddler, rather than preparing two separate meals.
• Ask for help – there’s usually plenty of people who would love to help you out, sometimes it just takes the humility to accept help by those who are offering. When people offer, ask them if they’d mind making a casserole, frittata or pot of soup which can be eaten over a few night’s.
What are your time saving tips?