Please help me with healthy and easy snacks and lunches while BFing.

[ElphabaTheGreen]

I was not one of those whose baby weight 'melted away' with breastfeeding. Quite the opposite - it made me so freaking hungry I ate like a starving animal about 17 times a day, mainly on the most convenient stuff (cake, biscuits, chocolate, my body weight in pasta and toast) such that I well-exceeded the extra calories BFing was burning and ended up an exhausted size 14 versus the pre-DS fit and active size 8 I was. Going back to work FT when he was eight months and still awake a minimum of six times a night did not help and the steady stream of crap continued to help me get through the day

Barring cancellation due to emergencies, DS2 is arriving by c-section on Monday and I'd really like to avoid the same gorging this time around, but am anticipating the same level of hunger if DS2 is anything like the massive feeder DS1 was.

I'm a vegetarian (no I don't eat fish) and a sensible one, so I easily get my five a day, but I cram in loads around that and just don't have an off-switch when it comes to carbs. Evening meals are sorted - I have a freezer full of six weeks' worth of home-made meals for three (me, DH and DS), all portioned out and a sensible balance of veg, proteins and carbs. I'm worried about day times though and want slow-release energy snack and lunch ideas that won't leave me hoovering convenient crap all day!

Help MNers! Please!

[ReigningQueen]

How exciting op :)
I've just done something similar as I got used to hoovering up biscuits and toast while bfing.
Don't be too hard on yourself but here are some ideas.
Fruit
Ryvita or oatcakes with hummus, peanut butter or cream cheese and some cherry tomatoes and cucumber sticks.
Greek yoghurt with fresh or tinned fruit
Bowl of porridge with fresh or tinned fruit.
Home made popcorn
I recently tried a roast chick peas recipe which is a brilliant snack if you like that kind of thing. I basically, opened a tin if chickpeas, dried them slightly in a tea towel, put them in a bowl and tossed them with a little bit of oil, chilli powder and salt then roasted them in an oven for about 35 mins or til crispyish. There are loads of recipes on the internet for them.

All the best for Monday :)

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

How about almonds? Very filling and high in calcium.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

and there are a few nice recipes here. The muffins should freeze

[ElphabaTheGreen]

Thanks guys. You've reminded me about tamari roasted almonds, Jilted and I'll give those chickpeas a go ReigningQueen. I keep meaning to get peanut butter in as well. I guess I can get some of those individual cup portions of tinned fruit and chuck them in with some Greek yoghurt. I'm thinking of one-handed food prep as well here!

[Blondie1984]

In terms of lunch,
Scrambled eggs on toast is super fast - or an omlette
Quorn stir fry
Hoummous and grated carrot wraps

[Julesmarie]

Hi, oh I'm defo the same so can sympathise!! My tummy is like a bottomless pit! Just can't stop eating, in fact I'm munching a bowl of cereal now! (And as long as it's a healthy cereal makes a good snack)
I also eat loads off almonds/brazils/cashew nuts with raisins & cranberries great snack when sat bf also really filling too. Houmous or low fat dips with toast fingers/breadsticks/carrot & cucumber/pitta. Olives. Bananas &other fruit. Crumpets. Popcorn. Rice cakes. Pick often eat polo ridge for lunch! With yogurt on. X

[rootypig]

For the greek yoghurt, frozen fruit is brilliant (once you have space in your freezer) - a small handful of berries defrosts in about 20 minutes.

Avocado on toast
Seeded tortilla wraps with home made hummus, lettuce, tomato
Roast veggies with some nuts or cheese - make a big bowl and leave in the fridge, work your way through it over a few days
Crumpets (have almost no sugar) and peanut butter
Coconut porridge in the morning - make porridge with water and coconut milk (the tinned stuff, a couple of tablespoons) - when cooked stir in a teaspoon of coconut oil and a teaspoon of almond butter. Sprinkle frozen berries on top. SO filling.

[ElphabaTheGreen]

Thanks again guys - just been for a snack survey around Tesco and will do my online shop today Got the oven pre-heating to do some tamari roasted almonds.

rootypig What's the idea of the coconut milk/oil and almond butter in the porridge? Is it just a flavour thing or does it contribute to nutrition/fullness in some particular way?

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

For the lunches, have you got enough room to freeze some soups?

[ElphabaTheGreen]

I've got soups thanks, Jilted

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Oh ok. The only other thing I can think of is getting a sling so that you'll have both hands free to make some lunch for yourself and DS1

[ElphabaTheGreen]

Already got a session booked with a baby-wearing consultant (Hated the slings I had for DS1)

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

My sling with dc1 was shocking so I'm know where you are coming from. With dc2 I had a Close and it was so much better.

Good luck for Monday. Hope you are stuffing your face with your feet up

[rootypig]

Elephaba the almond butter and coconut milk / oil are both great sources of non animal fat and protein, nutritious and much more filling than porridge with milk.

[sashh]

The pre prepped pots of porridge are tasty and filling and all you have to do is boil the kettle.

Can you get snoggable garlic? They are a really nice snack.

Pita bread and humus?

What about making some tapas type snacks that you could freeze and defrost each day.

[ElphabaTheGreen]

Snoggable garlic?

[Impatientwino]

The thing that helped me most when feeding mega hungry DS every blimming hour was a homemade trail mix that I could grab a handful of when I felt a bit you know

Contained

Unsalted cashews
Large raisins
Dark chocolate chips

Worked a treat and was bloody lovely!

Always felt better after a handful

[Impatientwino]

Kept me feeling full and on board energy wise for ages. Oh and sainsburys taste the difference granola with cherries from the bakery - that was brill too.

Plus avocados sliced in sandwiches for lunch or mashed on toast for breakfast - brilliant source

[Impatientwino]

Pps - congrats on second pregnancy - having trawled the sleep topic every damn night a lot when my DS (nearly as non sleeping as yours) I felt for you. Sleep deprivation is just awful and I often took my imaginary hat off to you

[ElphabaTheGreen]

Thanks impatientwino I still can't believe he didn't put us off the idea of having a second - I really can't!

That trail mix sounds great - I keep forgetting about dark chocolate. Ticks the chocolate box, but you don't want to eat as much. Right, that's going on the list.

[ElphabaTheGreen]

Thanks impatientwino I still can't believe he didn't put us off the idea of having a second - I really can't!

That trail mix sounds great - I keep forgetting about dark chocolate. Ticks the chocolate box, but you don't want to eat as much. Right, that's going on the list.