Need postpartum snacks? Here are some easy postpartum snack ideas to help fuel busy new mama life. Tips for healthy postpartum snacking.
The transition from pregnancy to postpartum and new motherhood is hard stuff, friends.
Between all of the adjustments, it can be extra challenging to make sure you’re fed – while feeding everyone else!
But nutrition for new mamas is super important, to help keep your energy up (as much as possible), support breastfeeding, promote healing and recovery, and prevent feeling extra hungry (or hangry) under already stressful conditions.
Planning snacks for yourself that help meet the mark can feel overwhelming after giving birth, but they don’t have to be complicated or time-consuming.
Important Postpartum Nutrients
Birth is amazing and life-changing. It’s also a totally physically, emotionally, and mentally draining experience.
The last thing many new mamas want to do while taking care of their new babe is spend time in the kitchen making food for themselves.
If you have a partner who can do some of that work for you, great! But it’s also helpful to have some easy, nutrient-dense snack ideas on hand you can make or have ready.
Good nutrition after having a baby is so important for your recovery and energy. After all, we can’t take care of others without taking care of ourselves well first.
Aim for a variety of healthy fats, protein, complex carbs, fiber, and vitamins and minerals like folate, vitamins A, C, D, the B vitamins (like B12), zinc, iodine, selenium, and magnesium.
A great way to ensure you’re eating enough of these nutrients is to incorporate a wide range of easy snacks into your day-to-day, like the ones below.
10 Easy Postpartum Snack Ideas
Here are some easy postpartum snack ideas that are both nutrient-dense and require minimal prep work.
1. Fruit + Nut Butter
No prep required!
Grab an apple, pear, or banana and enjoy it with a spoonful of peanut, almond, or sunflower butter for a delicious mix of healthy fats and fiber.
For even less prep, slice a few pieces of fruit ahead of time that you can grab over the next couple of days. Store in baggies or containers in the fridge.
2. Avocado Toast
Not just for breakfast! Avocado toast can be made and enjoyed any time of the day.
Toast your bread or a bagel, mash a ripe avocado on it, and sprinkle with seeds – hemp, chia, and ground flax seeds work well. You might also like sunflower seeds or pepitas.
To make it even “fancier”, add thinly sliced tomatoes, red onion, or grated carrots if you have some on hand. Sprinkle with salt + pepper, lemon juice, and/or nutritional yeast.
3. Veggies + Hummus
Baby carrots, broccoli and cauliflower florets, cucumber slices, and jicama sticks all pair well with hummus or guacamole for a filling, simple snack.
If you don’t feel like chopping veggies, that’s okay! Buy some pre-cut varieties from the store.
4. Smoothies
Smoothies are an awesome vehicle for nutrients and the best part is that you can make one in 5 minutes or less.
Whether you’re in the mood for a sweet fruit smoothie, a more savory green one, a tropical blend, or something nutty and chocolate-y, there are countless recipes to try.
Here are some of our faves:
- Morning Sickness Smoothie (also full of good things for postpartum!)
- Sneaky Vitamin C Smoothie
- Healing Cranberry Smoothie
- Peanut Butter Black Bean Protein Smoothie
- The Utimate Micronutrient Smoothie
5. Muffins
Whether you prefer mini or jumbo, homemade muffins are a great way to batch prep a nutrient-rich snack for the week.
Don’t want to use them all this week? No worries – let them cool and pop them into the freezer for later enjoyment.
Here are some ideas:
6. Trail Mix or Granola
This is a great snack to make in a larger batch and store in a mason jar on the counter to grab-and-go when you like.
Try combining things like raisins, dried apricots, dark chocolate, whole grain cereal O’s pepitas, walnuts, and sunflower seeds for an array of flavors, nutrients, and textures.
Trail mix or super seedy granola can also be added atop yogurt, oatmeal, or smoothie bowls.
7. Chickpea Balls
These are super easy to make (and great for someone else to make for you!). They’re full of protein, healthy fats, and fiber and only require a handful of ingredients. Plus, you don’t need to bake them – just combine and refrigerate.
Try these recipes:
8. 4-Ingredient Cookies
Any time is cookie time, right!? Especially when you’re in need of a quick snack that’s both delectable and supportive of your health and recovery.
These 4-Ingredient Oatmeal Raisin Cookies fit the bill.
All you need are ripe bananas, peanut (or almond, cashew, or sunflower) butter, oats, raisins, and cinnamon. You can even add in some chopped walnuts, pepitas, or dark chocolate if you like.
9. Chia Pudding
Super simple and refreshingly chilled, chia pudding is easy to make and eat.
Chia seeds work to thicken homemade non-dairy pudding just like they do when you use them as vegan “eggs” to bind batters for baked goods.
Here are some chia pudding recipes to try:
10. Veggie Chips
What’s better than a savory, lightly salted bowl of homemade chips?!
Kale chips are a great way to get your greens in, and all you have to do is toss your de-ribbed kale leaves with olive oil and seasoning and bake them in the oven for 10-15 minutes (just be sure to watch them closely!).
Or, use thinly-sliced little potatoes to make homemade oven-roasted potato chips. Got a few more minutes? Prep a side of caramelized onion dip to enjoy alongside.
If you have an air fryer, you can also make a batch of air-fried veggie chips using things like beets and carrots.
We hope these give you some ideas for healthy, quick, and delicious postpartum snacks! Keep these easy postpartum snack ideas in mind when thinking about healthy postpartum snacking.
Chime In: What are some of your favorite postpartum snacks? Share them in the comments!
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