Picture this: you’re tired, you’re starving, and you’re trapped for another 20 minutes while you finish feeding your baby. Most new mamas find themselves in this postpartum conundrum at some point. The key to keeping yourself out of this hangry situation? Make sure you’re stocked up on plenty of easy postpartum snacks that you can grab right before and eat with one hand while your baby eats too. These eight snack ideas will give you an excellent start in not only keeping you fed, but also helping you get all the vitamins and minerals you need during postpartum.
Important Postpartum Vitamins and Minerals
Before we get to the snack ideas, let’s talk postpartum nutrition. Pregnancy, birth, and breastfeeding (if you’ve chosen to breastfeed) are all huge feats that require lots of re-nourishment and continued nourishment. Being well-nourished during postpartum can help balance your mood, replenish nutrients that were depleted during birth, and support a healthy milk supply.
First, you’ll want to make sure your meals include a balanced mix of fiber, plant proteins, and healthy fats. When it comes to vitamins and minerals, make sure you’re regularly eating foods that are good sources of calcium, iron, iodine, zinc, selenium, magnesium, B vitamins, and fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, and K. You can get most of these nutrients from a variety of plant-based foods like whole grains, fruits, leafy greens and other veggies, beans, soy, nuts, and seeds.
It’s important to either continue taking a prenatal vitamin or switch to a postnatal vitamin during early postpartum. It’s also recommended that new mamas supplement with vitamin D as well as vitamin B12 if you’re a plant-based mama.
8 Easy Postpartum Snacks
These yummy, easy snacks will help you tame that ravenous postpartum hunger, help you meet your nutrition needs, and leave you with one free hand to tend to your beautiful babe.
Healing Energy Bites
These energy bites are a postpartum dream! They’re packed with calcium-rich tahini, oats to boost milk supply, and warming spices like cinnamon and nutmeg that are highly encouraged for postpartum women in Chinese Medicine and Ayurvedic traditions. Make a big batch and freeze them for easy snacking.
Easy Stuffed Dates
Another postpartum superstar snack. Dates are a caramely and delicious sweet treat. You can stuff them with whatever sounds good and whatever you have on hand, making them an easy and flexible option during these unpredictable days. Stuff with a Brazil nut for a selenium boost or sprinkle with hemp seeds to get you omega-3s.
Bite-size Tofu Frittatas
When you’re craving something savory and filling, reach for these mini frittatas made from protein-packed tofu. Choose a tofu that has “calcium sulfate” in the ingredients list for an extra calcium boost. Add in any veggies you have (leftovers from last night’s dinner work perfectly) for an injection of vitamins.
Vegan Bone Broth
If you’re looking for something warming and sippable, this vegan version of bone broth does the trick. It’s made with mushrooms and sea vegetables, making it incredibly mineral-rich – a great way to help meet those high postpartum iodine needs. Strain it and pour it into a mug for a savory and nourishing beverage.
Pumpkin Omega Muffins
With vitamin A-rich pumpkin, fiber-filled oats, and omega 3-packed seeds, these are not your average baked good. Enjoy these spicy, sweet muffins fresh out of the oven or freeze them for quick snacks.
Blender Green Juice
When you’re craving greens, but there’s no time for a salad, whip up this blender green juice. It’s packed with iron-rich greens and warming ginger. Because it’s made in the blender, you don’t miss out on the fiber.
Chickpea Salad
At first glance, this might not seem like a one-handed meal. But if you treat this Chickpea Salad like a dip, then you only need one hand to maneuver your whole grain crackers. This can stand in as a hearty snack or even as a main meal with its balance of protein, fiber, and healthy fats.
The Best Homemade Hummus
Another wonderful dip option! Nothing beats homemade hummus. Dip with whole grain crackers, fresh veggies, or even a slice of toasted bread.
