Maintaining a healthy diet is crucial for new mothers as it aids in postpartum healing and breastfeeding. However, as a new parent, it can be challenging to find the time to prepare nutritious meals while adjusting to new roles and responsibilities.
From my personal experience, I discovered that there are some fantastic kitchen tools that can significantly assist with food preparation and cooking. In this blog post, I will introduce you to my top five favorite tools and share some effortless recipes.
The first gadget on my list is,
My husband jokes that ours should be called the “Magic pot” because he sees me put in some ingredients, stir, set the timer, and later open the lid to find hot stew, soup, or porridge. (He’s leaving out a few steps, but not much, as you’ll see in the recipes.).
An Instant Pot is a great tool for new parents! It's a versatile electric pressure cooker that can also function as a slow cooker, rice cooker, steamer, sauté pan, and even a yogurt maker. Here are some reasons why an Instant Pot can be beneficial for new parents:
- Saves time: An Instant Pot can cook food up to 70% faster than traditional cooking methods. This is especially helpful for new moms who have limited time to spend in the kitchen.
- Easy to use: The Instant Pot is easy to use and has a variety of pre-programmed settings that can cook different types of foods with just the touch of a button. You can even set a delayed cooking time to have a meal ready when you need it.
- One-pot cooking: With the Instant Pot, you can cook an entire meal in one pot, which means less cleanup time. This is especially helpful for new moms who have a lot of other responsibilities to take care of.
- Nutritious meals: An Instant Pot can cook healthy and nutritious meals with minimal effort. You can cook a variety of foods, including vegetables, grains, and lean proteins, which are essential for a balanced diet.
- Budget-friendly: An Instant Pot is a budget-friendly appliance that can replace multiple kitchen tools, which can save you money in the long run.
Here are some delicious and nutritious instant pot recipes to feed new moms.
The second gadget I love and is a must have for my family is,
An egg cooker can be a good tool for new parents who want to cook eggs quickly and easily. An egg cooker is a small kitchen appliance that can cook eggs in various ways, such as hard-boiled, soft-boiled, poached, or scrambled. Some reasons why an egg cooker can be helpful for new parents:
- Saves time: An egg cooker can cook eggs faster than boiling them on the stove. This is especially helpful when you're short on time and need to prepare breakfast or a quick snack for yourself or your baby.
- Consistent results: An egg cooker can cook eggs to the desired doneness consistently every time. This can be helpful for new moms who are still getting used to cooking and may not have a lot of experience with cooking eggs.
- Easy to use: An egg cooker is easy to use and doesn't require much supervision or attention while cooking. You simply add water to the base, place the eggs in the designated slots or trays, and turn on the machine.
- Versatile: Some egg cookers can also be used to steam vegetables, make omelets or frittatas, and even cook rice. This can make meal preparation easier and more efficient for new moms.
The next on my list is one of my go to gadgets for healthy and quick cooking!!
3. Air Fryer: An air fryer can be a great tool for new parents! It's a kitchen appliance that uses hot air to fry food, creating a crispy outer layer without the need for a lot of oil. Here are some reasons why an air fryer can be beneficial for new parents:
- Healthier cooking: Air fryers use less oil than traditional deep frying methods, which can be beneficial for new moms or dads who want to cook healthier meals for their family. This can also reduce the risk of oil splatters and burns.
- Faster cooking: Air fryers cook food faster than traditional ovens, which can be helpful for new parents who have limited time to prepare meals. They're also great for reheating leftovers quickly.
- Versatile: Air fryers can be used to cook a variety of foods, including vegetables, chicken, fish, and even desserts. This makes meal planning and preparation easier and more efficient for new parents.
- Easy to use: Air fryers are easy to use and require minimal preparation. You simply add the food, set the temperature and cooking time, and let the air fryer do the rest.
- Easy to clean: Air fryers are easy to clean and typically have dishwasher-safe parts. This can save time and effort for new parents who already have a lot of cleaning to do.
Here is a recipe for Wild Salmon with Rosemary Garlic and Dulse Flakes, where you can use air fryer to cook Salmon instead of regular oven.
The activity which takes most time is food preparation, which can be tiring and cumbersome for new parents. I love having a food processor, which I highly recommend to other new parents.
4. Food processor can be a great kitchen gadget for new parents! It's a versatile appliance that can chop, slice, shred, puree, and mix ingredients quickly and easily. Here are some reasons why a food processor can be beneficial for new parents:
- Time-saving: A food processor can chop, slice, and shred ingredients much faster than doing it manually with a knife or grater. This can save time and effort for new moms who have a lot of other responsibilities.
- Versatile: A food processor can be used to make a variety of foods, including dips, sauces, nut butters, and even dough for baking. This makes it a versatile tool for new moms who want to prepare a variety of meals and snacks quickly and easily.
- Baby-friendly: A food processor can be used to puree fruits and vegetables for baby food, making it easier for new moms to prepare healthy and nutritious meals for their little ones.
- Easy to use: Food processors are easy to use, with many models having multiple blades and settings for different tasks. They're also easy to clean, with many models having dishwasher-safe parts.
- Space-saving: Food processors are a great space-saving tool for new moms who may have limited kitchen space. They can replace multiple kitchen gadgets, such as a blender, mixer, and grater.
5. An immersion blender can be a great kitchen gadget for new parents! It's a handheld blender that can be used to blend, puree, and mix ingredients directly in the pot or container. Here are some reasons why an immersion blender can be beneficial for new parents:
- Time-saving: An immersion blender can blend ingredients quickly and easily, without the need to transfer them to a separate blender or food processor. This can save time and effort for new moms who have a lot of other responsibilities.
- Convenient: Immersion blenders are lightweight and easy to maneuver, which makes them convenient to use. They're also easy to clean, with many models having dishwasher-safe parts.
- Versatile: An immersion blender can be used to puree soups, blend smoothies, mix baby food, and even make whipped cream. This makes it a versatile tool for new moms who want to prepare a variety of foods quickly and easily.
- Baby-friendly: An immersion blender can be used to puree baby food, making it easier for new moms to prepare healthy and nutritious meals for their little ones.
- Space-saving: Immersion blenders are smaller than traditional blenders or food processors, which makes them a great space-saving tool for new moms who may have limited kitchen space.
A nutritious diet is essential for new moms to support postpartum recovery, breastfeeding, energy levels, mood, and setting a good example for their child. It's essential to prioritize healthy eating habits and make time for meal planning and preparation, even with a busy schedule and having great kitchen tools can make that process easier and simpler.
Happy eating and nourishing!
Puja Kapoor
Founder, Doula, Lactation Counselor, NCS
Newmom.me
