3 Nutritious & Filling Snacks for Nursing Moms (Or Other Very Hungry People)

Heidi Swanson’s Oatcakes (left) and Muesli Snacking Cookies (right)

It’s unfortunate that I was too busy and stressed during most of pregnancy and the early months of having a baby to blog over here, as I had a lot of fun finding new ways to nourish myself with all the crazy changes going on in my body (can you say NUTRITION NERD?) and I didn’t have the chance to document them. So while this site won’t turn into recipes exclusively targeting moms and moms-to-be, I will occasionally be posting some of the recipes that helped me through the tumult of becoming a mother.

And even if you don’t have a need for the kind of nutrient-dense, filling and one-handed snacks that breastfeeding moms do, you may have a loved one with a baby on the way, or a hungry teenager in your life, or you’ve started a new workout routine that demands some portable and satisfying snacks. In which case, you can’t go wrong with a batch of any or all of these snacks. Freeze them on a sheet pan, transfer them to a labeled freezer bag, and gift them or store them in your freezer for easy grab-and-go snacks for any time of day. Or night. Like, middle of the night with a crying baby in your arms. They are lifesavers.

Nut & Seed Banana Oat Snack Bars

Heidi Swanson’s Oatcakes (via Sweet Amandine): In the dark beginnings of breastfeeding, I would wake up for a 3AM feeding absolutely ravenous, exhausted and despondent about the day ahead. Then I would reheat one of these not-quite-muffins and sit down to feed the baby while breaking off dense chunks of oat-y, nutty goodness with one hand — and feel suddenly okay about being awake at such a godforsaken hour. Full of healthy omega-3 fats from flax seeds and walnuts, and fragrant with the combination of maple and coconut oil, these kept me satiated and happy for months. I made and froze two dozen while I was pregnant and ended up making another two dozen when those ran out.

Muesli Snacking Cookies: These just-sweet-enough cookies combine your favorite nut butter (I used peanut butter) with muesli, honey and cinnamon in a surprisingly satisfying little treat. I most often shoved one down before I had to leave the house and knew I would be starving before the next meal. I made and froze a double batch while I was pregnant and gave a little bag of them to a friend who had a baby a couple weeks before me.

Nut & Seed Banana Oat Bars: An Eat Your Greens classic! I had been depending on these bars to get me through long days at school, so I knew they would be an essential snack once the baby was born. I made and froze a double batch while I was pregnant and probably could have used at least a dozen more.

More Baby-on-the-Way Freezing Fun at The Kitchn

I spent the last month or so of my pregnancy loading my freezer with healthy dinners and documented the project over at The Kitchn. The endeavor turned out to be even more helpful than I expected when Rob had to leave unexpectedly just five weeks after Baby Kerkotong was born. Here’s the full series:

My Spring Project: Stock Up on Freezer Meals

Week 2: My Search for Lighter, Healthier Freezer-Friendly Recipes

Week 3: Essential Freezer Equipment & Supplies

Week 4: Here’s How I’m Going to Cook 60 Dinners in 6 Weeks

Week 5: The Best Reader Advice for Filling the Freezer Before Baby Arrives