11 Freezer-Friendly Meals to Drop Off to a New Mom
Breakfast, dinner, and everything in between.
When you’re cooking for a new mom, making things easy is part of the gift! That’s why the nicest food to drop off isn’t necessarily the fanciest—it’s whatever she can pull from the freezer, warm up quickly, and actually eat when she gets the chance. A cozy casserole is wonderful, of course, but so is a muffin, a breakfast sandwich, or a little bag of homemade sauce that doesn’t take over half the freezer.
With Alex’s baby boy due in September, Ree has newborn days on the brain—and after four babies of her own, she knows a thing or two about what actually helps! Having something homemade waiting in the fridge or freezer is awfully nice when the baby is running the schedule. Sometimes that’s dinner, other times it’s something sweet with morning coffee, and sometimes it’s whatever can be eaten one-handed after midnight.
So these recipes cover a little bit of everything, from hearty dinners and individually frozen breakfasts to muffins, baked oatmeal, and a few treats just because. There are plenty more make-ahead breakfast ideas and freezer meals to make before baby arrives to stock up on, plus freezer-friendly soups for chilly fall days. Portion things out when you can, add a little reheating note, and voilà: one less thing for a new mom to think about!
BBQ Meatballs
Ree knows firsthand what a gift this dinner can be! After Bryce was born, her friend Beth and Beth’s mom, Diane, showed up at the ranch with these meatballs, and Ree—who remembers being hungry *all* the time—never forgot how much that warm, homemade meal meant to her.
Get Ree’s BBQ Meatballs recipe.
Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins
A muffin you can grab with one hand is a mighty useful thing in the newborn days! Ree’s zucchini version is cozy with cinnamon and nutmeg, dotted with chocolate chips, and just sweet enough to feel like a treat. Even better, they freeze for up to three months and can be pulled out one at a time!
Get Ree’s Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins recipe.
Chicken Spaghetti
If there were ever a time for chicken spaghetti, it’s after a baby arrives. This creamy, cheesy Drummond family favorite even wins over Ladd, who Ree says isn’t much of a casserole guy, and you can freeze it before baking for an easy dinner down the road.
Get Ree’s Chicken Spaghetti recipe.
Sheet Pan Biscuit Breakfast Sandwiches
Everybody remembers to bring dinner. Be the person who brings breakfast! These sausage, egg, and cheese biscuit sandwiches can be wrapped and frozen individually, so nobody has to commit to an entire breakfast casserole first thing in the morning.
Hamburger Soup
Fall babies have one thing going for them: soup season! Ree’s hamburger soup is hearty, full of veggies, and will feel like a warm hug to the mom who needs it most.
Get Ree’s Hamburger Soup recipe.
Cinnamon Rolls
Nobody needs cinnamon rolls after having a baby, but it would be awfully nice to discover some in the freezer. And Ree’s famous recipe has always been meant for sharing! Her mom delivered the rolls to friends at Christmastime when Ree was growing up and she has happily carried on the tradition.
Get Ree’s Cinnamon Rolls recipe.
Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken
Shredded BBQ chicken doesn’t take up much freezer real estate, and it can become sandwiches one night, tacos another, or the filling for a baked potato when nobody wants to think too hard about dinner. Freeze it with some of the sauce so it stays nice and juicy!
Get the Slow Cooker BBQ Chicken recipe.
Morning Glory Muffins
Not every new-mom food delivery has to involve melted cheese! These healthy-ish little muffins are packed with apples, carrots, raisins, coconut, and pecans, and they freeze beautifully for breakfasts later on.
Get the Morning Glory Muffins recipe.
Slow-Cooker Bolognese
Ree says this big batch feeds a “small army,” which is precisely why it’s worth making for someone who could use a few dinners tucked away. Divide the sauce into smaller portions and drop it off with a box (or two!) of pasta.
Get Ree’s Slow-Cooker Bolognese recipe.
Individual Sausage Casseroles
Ree keeps these little sausage-and-egg casseroles in her own freezer, which is about all the convincing we need. They reheat in the microwave and come individually sized for mornings when breakfast happens...well, whenever breakfast happens.
Get Ree’s Individual Sausage Casseroles recipe.
Walnut Brownie Baked Oatmeal
Brownies for breakfast? Sort of! This chocolatey baked oatmeal can be sliced into squares and frozen, so there’s something easy to warm up in the morning, in the middle of the night, or whenever hunger strikes.
Get the Walnut Brownie Baked Oatmeal recipe.
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