Did you know that September contains 9 of the 10 most common birthdays in the U.S.? That means you probably know someone who has just brought a new baby home or will be bringing one home soon. If you want to be awesome or your love language is acts of service, you can bring meals to a mom with a new baby.
From personal experience, taking that “what’s for dinner?” question off the table right after bringing home a newborn is a gamechanger. A brand-new mom’s mental load is extremely heavy, not to mention she’s exhausted and likely pretty darn uncomfortable. She might just cry if a hot, home-cooked meal shows up on her doorstep (and it’s not just all those raging hormones). But what are the best meals to bring a mom with a new baby?
Tips
Before we dive into the best meals to bring a mom with a new baby, I first want to share a few tips for being the meal delivery service.
- Always ask if the day and time you’d like to drop off a meal works for the new family. If the family has a meal train set up, obviously just sign up for a slot. But if they don’t, a quick text a day or so in advance goes a long way.
- Make sure that you understand any dietary restrictions you need to accommodate. Sure, you might know what the new mom’s typical dietary restrictions are, but she may have additional foods she’s avoiding if she is breastfeeding. It’s always nice to ask if the new mom is craving anything too. Especially if you’re in charge of the first meal after they bring the baby home from the hospital.
- Don’t expect to stay and visit or hold the baby. This one is important, so let me repeat it. Don’t expect to stay and visit or hold the baby. Your role here is to help. If the new mom asks you to stay and help with something or hold the baby while she takes a shower or something, then by all means stay. But don’t expect to!
- When you want to bring a meal to a new mom, bring the whole meal, soup to nuts! It’s also a good practice to either double the recipe or split it in half so that the new family can get two meals out of your kind gesture. That’s why I only suggest bringing meals that are freezable. Have one half of the meal ready to go straight in the freezer, and label it with what’s in there, the date it was made, and instructions for reheating.
- Use only disposable containers when you bring a meal to a new mom. The last thing a new family needs is to track you down to return a casserole dish, so make sure the containers you use obviously carry with them no expectation of return. I’m talking aluminum baking pans and disposable take-out containers here.
- Ask the new mom if she needs anything from the store that you can bring her when you drop off dinner. Sometimes it’s an insurmountable obstacle for a newly postpartum mom to get to the store to get a gallon of milk.
- Don’t forget dessert! Whatever you feel moved to bring is fine, but I implore you to bring something that’s easily stored at room temperature and is handheld. My favorite thing to bring is brownies, but cookies or other bar-type desserts are also great options.
- Throw in an easy breakfast option when you drop off dinner. Muffins are a great option because they’re handheld, store easily, and tasty!
With those overarching tips out of the way, let’s get into the best meals to bring a mom with a new baby.
Meals to Bring a Mom with a New Baby
Ziti
My favorite meal to bring to a mom with a new baby is ziti. It is easy, makes a ton, freezes super well, and is usually a crowd-pleaser. If you need it to be meatless, it’s just as delicious with a meat-free sauce as with a meat sauce. Ziti can be adapted to be gluten-free by using the gluten-free pasta of your choice, but I wouldn’t recommend this one if you need to feed a dairy-free or vegan family. The cheese is just too crucial to the success of this meal.
How to make it
As is typical for me, I don’t really follow a recipe. Cook a pound of ziti pasta until it is al dente. Mix the hot pasta with an egg, a 16 oz container of ricotta cheese, a handful of shredded mozzarella cheese, and a ladle-full or two of the sauce of your choice. Take another ladle-full of the sauce you are using and pop it on the bottom of two 8×8 disposable baking dishes. Divide the pasta mixture into the two pans. Cover each pan of pasta with sliced mozzarella cheese. Cover the cheese with more sauce, then sprinkle parmesan cheese on top. Bake covered on 350°F for about 30 minutes, then take the tin foil off and bake another 5 minutes or so until the cheese browns.
What to serve with it
Ziti is hearty, but it’s not really a full meal by itself. I like to add a nice tossed salad (with the veggie toss-ins and the croutons provided separately) and a delicious loaf of home-made garlic bread. To make the garlic bread, get a fresh loaf of Italian bread, slice it, but don’t go all the way through. Melt a stick of butter and stir in copious amounts of minced garlic. Brush the garlic butter mixture on both sides of each slice and then pour the rest over the top of the loaf. Wrap the loaf in tin foil and bake at 400°F for about 15 minutes.
Soup
Soup is a super-comforting, easy-to-make meal to bring to a mom with a new baby that is sure to satisfy. The best thing about soup is that it’s super customizable to any dietary needs. My sister-in-law wanted chicken noodle soup when they came home from the hospital and I was happy to oblige. Just make sure that if you’re making soup that contains pasta or rice, separate that out for the portion of the soup you’re going to have them freeze.
How to make it
Pick your favorite soup. Seriously. Anything goes here. If you need some inspiration, How Sweet Eats has a really delicious lemon chicken soup that everyone I’ve ever fed with it loves.
What to serve with it
I also love to serve soup, really any kind of soup, with rolls. You can make your own if that’s your thing, or you can pick up a bag of rolls in the bakery department of your favorite grocery store.
Tacos
Taco fixin’s are a great meal to bring moms with new babies. Taco meat (be it beef, chicken, or pork) freezes beautifully, and the toppings are useful outside of the meal you’re bringing. Tacos can also be customized to fit nearly any dietary need. Gluten-free? Use corn tortillas. Dairy-free? Choose dairy-free cheese or no cheese at all. Vegetarian or vegan? Spice up some tofu and you’re still guaranteed some delicious tacos. My biggest tip with tacos is to keep everything separate and pack it all in a disposable roasting pan. Then the tacos are easy to assemble!
How to make it
Make taco meat. Do this however the spirit moves you. Gather up the toppings you like on your tacos. My preference is shredded cheese, salsa, lettuce, and avocado, but you can get as basic or fancy as you like. Don’t forget taco shells or tortillas!
What to serve with it
I like to add a salad when I bring tacos to a mom with a new baby. Even if they choose not to eat the salad with the tacos, it will eventually be consumed.
BBQ sandwiches
BBQ sandwiches are another awesome meal to bring to a mom with a new baby. You can absolutely make this a gluten-free option by swapping out the buns for baked potatoes or dairy-free by whipping up an oil-based cole slaw. I would shy away from choosing this to bring for a vegetarian family, though. Unless you’re a jackfruit master, that is.
How to make it
Pick pork, chicken, or beef. If you have a smoker and want to use it, go for it. My preferred option is to throw some chicken breasts in the crockpot, season them with a little garlic powder and onion powder, and pour over my favorite BBQ sauce and a splash of apple cider vinegar. Set those babies to cook on low for 6-8 hours, and shred the meat when it’s done.
What to serve with it
Grab a package of buns, some cole slaw, and a bag of chips at the store if you’re tight for time. If you have a little extra time to spend, you can make your own cole slaw and a pan of mac and cheese.
Chili
Ah, chili, the ultimate comfort food. It’s such a good option to bring to a mom who has just had a new baby because it’s hearty, reheats and freezes super well, and can be adapted for basically any taste. This is an especially good option for vegetarian families because you truly don’t miss the meat in a good bean-heavy chili.
How to make it
However you like to make chili works great. I grew up with chili straight from the back of the McCormick chili spice packet, so that’s what I like best.
What to serve with it
Chili is a wonderful vessel for toppings. I like to keep it simple with cheddar cheese and a dollop of sour cream, but you can also supply chopped veggies or crackers. I also always send along some cornbread muffins if I’m delivering chili because they really complete the meal. To brighten up this heavy meal, add a big garden salad to your bundle.
Other posts
Looking for other food ideas? Check out these food-centered posts:
These are only 5 of many super successful meals to bring moms with new babies. If you want a part two, let me know down below!