Feed yourself so that you can feed your baby. My recommendations are similar for prenatal and postpartum foods. Eat a wide variety, keep it simple, and eat whole low- or un-processed foods as often as possible. Below are a few tips and some easy recipes.

• Slow Cookers can be your best friend. Preparing the ingredients when you have the time and energy in the morning or late the night before, can make the following day or evening easier. Plus, cleanup is a breeze!
• Make extra so that you know you will have plenty of leftovers for the week.
• Fresh and frozen fruits and veggies are best. Fresh fruits and vegetables are great, but sometimes it can be hard to use them before they spoil. Frozen fruits and vegetables can be a good alternative. In fact, many frozen vegetables and fruit are frozen close to the place they are harvested. They can be higher in nutrients then fresh vegetables and fruit that have travel thousands of miles to get to you.
• Seaweed! Seaweed has many trace minerals that our bodies need to regain hormonal levels and function optimally.
• Eat breakfast every day. Giving your body the calories it needs to take care of yourself and your baby is vital. Whether it is a smoothie, hot or cold cereal, or an apple and peanut butter toast, breakfast will get your day off to a healthy start.
• Water is a girls (and guy’s) best friend! Water is the source of life. Add some lemon to mix it up, otherwise drink it fresh and clean- nothing else comes close.
• If you have eaten a protein, a vegetable, and a whole grain, and want a treat- Go for it! Just remember to eat health building foods before indulging it a treat. Also, with treats use the 3 bite rule: Our taste buds can only taste the sweetness for the first 3 bites, after that the sense is dulled. Enjoy your treat to the fullest!
• Eat when hungry and drink when thirsty. Have healthy snacks- almonds, yogurt, whole grain crackers and water, where you like to nurse. This will keep you in the habit of having healthy snacks around for your active toddler also!

Slow cooker Indian Dish:

• One can of garbanzos
• Two cans of diced or crushed tomatoes
• Chopped vegetables: garlic, onion, potato, kale
• Spices: 2 TBL Curry powder or paste or 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp cardamom, salt and pepper to taste.

Rinse the garbanzos and put them in the slow cooker. Add the cans of tomatoes, garlic, onion, potato, and the spices. Use enough water to cover the vegetables and stir. Let it cook in the crock pot for 4-6 hours or more. Add the kale about an hour before serving. 30 minutes before eating put some brown rice on the stove (1 cup of brown rice with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes, with the lid on the pot). Eat and enjoy!

Snack/easy meal ideas:

• Peanut (or almond, sunflower, or soynut) butter and jelly- time honored classic. It’s easy to make, full of protein, and a quick lunch when you are having a busy day.
• Good morning smoothie: Blueberries, strawberries, bananas, spinach, and coconut (or rice, almond, soy, etc.) milk. Blend and enjoy!