Quick Meal and Snack Ideas for Breastfeeding Parents (or anyone with limited time and energy)

Working with breastfeeding parents, the universal experience is exhaustion. Breastfeeding moms have no time to sleep or shower in those first few months after the baby(ies) is born, much less time to prepare a meal.

However, lactating parents actually need 400-500 more calories than they normally would need just to maintain energy balance.

When parents hear this, it can feel discouraging since cooking and eating are often no longer priorities for the mom. When they are going to eat, many parents ask what foods they should eat to increase their milk supply.

The truth is that there is no conclusive nor sufficiently strong evidence that any food will increase milk supply. Despite any claims, even from somewhat legitimate sources, there just isn't good research that any food can "make more breastmilk." That goes for dairy milk, lactation cookies, oats, fenugreek (which can be dangerous in some situations), herbs, supplements, and anything else out there.

This is good news, though. It means a lactating person does not need to add any more stress to their life; there is no specific diet they need to follow. What is recommended, is to eat from all food groups including fruits, vegetables, protein, whole grains, and dairy (or other sources of calcium and vitamin D).

Infants rely on their breastfeeding mothers for care, nutrition, safety, and love. The best way to have the energy to supply these needs to a baby 24 hours a day is to be properly fueled. Much like a professional athlete needs sufficient calories and nutrition to perform in a game or marathon, breastfeeding parents also need to fuel like a champion. This is not a cutesy analogy, but actually science-based.

While breastmilk has been shown to be produced even in the most under-nourished conditions (studies examined undernourished lactating mothers in Africa), breastfeeding moms have also been shown to give up on providing breastmilk in even minimally malnourished situations.

Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein, and dairy provide not just energy in the form of calories, but also can help with mental clarity, immune support, strength, healing, and pleasure. Without proper nutrition to support these areas of health, breastfeeding can become even more challenging.

To help breastfeeding parents get through what could be the most exhausting months of their parenting experience, below are quick meals that provide all three macronutrients (protein, healthy fat, and carbs). If even these 5 to15 minute meal ideas seem too difficult, continue to scroll for recommended pre-made meal ideas and dietitian-approved snacks.

Remember, the key is not to add any stress to an already taxing time. Instead, each parent can find peace in knowing they will do their best to eat, manage their health, and be there for their children. If all that is available for lunch is a donut, it's ok to eat it. Give yourself some leeway and know there will be time later for getting gourmet in the kitchen.

Here’s a quick recipe for Walnut Waffle Parfait that can be made with frozen whole grain waffles.

Buying natural peanut butter with no added sugar provides a healthful protein option. Peanut butter also acts as a healthy fat, with 9 calories per gram. Lactating parents need the extra calories. Whole grain bread and bagels offer fiber, carbohydrates, and extra calories. Pair the sandwich with a piece of fruit to complete the meal.

Similar to a peanut butter sandwich, avocado offers healthy fats and calories. However, this meal lacks protein. Add in a couple of slices of chicken, tempeh, or turkey jerky on the side.

Scrambling an egg or tofu and heating a tortilla in the same pan takes less than 5 minutes. By adding salsa (or cheese, guacamole, or other veggies), the egg becomes a flavorful taco.

Buying pre-sliced mushrooms makes it quick and easy to build a quesadilla between two tortillas with cheese. Add a side of salsa, sour cream, or guacamole for extra calories and nutrition.

Although old fashioned, rolled, and steel cut oats offer more nutrition, plain instant oatmeal still provides heart-healthy carbs, as well as a little bit of protein and healthy fats. You can add in ground flaxseed, cinnamon, nuts, almond butter, fruit, or any other toppings you’d like for extra nutrition and calories.

If you have time to make a big batch, here’s a recipe for the best Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Oatmeal that can be doubled, tripled, or quadrupled for multiple days.

Add fruit and nuts, chia seeds, or granola to plain Greek yogurt for an instant parfait.

Adding brown rice and double the water to a pot in the morning to cook for 40 minutes provides the base for your lunch or dinner. (Always do a 2:1 ratio of water to rice.) Then simply add rinsed canned beans and canned or frozen veggies and heat in a frying pan for 5 minutes for a complete meal.

Heat frozen veggies with a little oil in a pan. Warm a tortilla on top. In 5 minutes you can either spread hummus on the wrap, add cheese, tzatziki, or shelled soybeans for protein and roll up the veggies for a super quick and fiber-rich meal.

Lentils need to boil for 15 minutes. Afterwards, you can add them to a pan of melted butter and spices (I like Ethiopian Berbere spice) and pair it with homemade Bruschetta by adding olive oil, garlic powder, and diced tomatoes to a piece of whole grain toast. The lentils and whole grain bread together make a complete protein, while also providing fiber.

Pairing hummus and whole grain (or stone ground) tortilla chips provide both a complete protein and fiber. Veggie sticks offer fiber, but they also provide antioxidants to keep the immune system strong.

Pour whole grain, blue, or stone ground tortilla chips on a plate and add your favorite cheese. Microwave for 30 seconds and top off with canned beans or corn, salsa, jarred jalapenos, leftover chicken, or other preferred toppings.

Hard-boiling eggs at the beginning of the week makes it easy to grab one from the fridge when hunger calls. Pair it with a piece of fruit and maybe even a cheese stick to round out the meal.

Season chicken breast with your favorite spices (paprika, oregano, garlic herb blend, rosemary, etc). Put it in the crockpot with some chicken broth, olive oil, white wine, or water so the bottom is covered and let it cook 4-6 hours. When it’s done, it can be shredded for a chicken-rice dish, sandwiches, nachos, tacos, or soup.

Give yourself permission during your first post-partum months of breastfeeding to rely on meals made by someone else. Whether this is a family member, friend, the local grocery store, or a restaurant, it’s important to get sufficient calories and save any free time for sleeping.

Here are some pre-made meal ideas you can get from the grocery store that keep nutrition in mind:

These snacks are great options for maintaining energy and health throughout the post-partum period:

For nutrition or breastfeeding counseling, make a virtual appointment with ZEST Nutrition here. For more nutritious recipes, visit ZEST Nutrition's recipe blog here.