Easy Meal Planning for Moms with Babies: Less Stress, More Joy

Life with a newborn is a beautiful blessing, but it can also feel overwhelming—especially when it comes to mealtime. Between feeding, diaper changes, and soothing a fussy baby (because that pacifier keeps falling out again), it’s easy to feel like there’s no time to cook. But with a little planning, you can simplify meals, nourish your family, and create more peace in your day.

1. Keep It Simple

Now is not the time for gourmet meals! Choose easy, nutritious recipes with minimal ingredients. Think sheet pan dinners, slow cooker meals, and one-pot dishes. Some quick favorites include:

• Sheet Pan Chicken & Veggies – Chop everything, toss with olive oil and seasoning, and bake.

• Crockpot Chili – Dump everything in and let it cook while you tend to your little one.

• Breakfast for Dinner – Scrambled eggs, toast, and fruit are fast and filling!

2. Plan Ahead & Batch Cook

Use nap time (or those rare peaceful moments when the Ingy Bingy Band is keeping the pacifier in place) to prep ingredients ahead of time. Chop veggies, marinate meats, and cook in batches. Doubling a recipe and freezing half saves time on busy days!

3. Use Convenience Wisely

Pre-cut veggies, frozen fruits, and rotisserie chicken can be lifesavers. Stock up on healthy, easy-to-grab snacks like yogurt, cheese sticks, and nuts. This makes it easier to nourish yourself even when juggling an infant pacifier and a hungry toddler at the same time!

4. Meal Plan with a Theme

A simple way to meal plan is by using a theme for each day of the week:

• Meatless Monday – Veggie stir-fry or pasta

• Taco Tuesday – Quick tacos or burrito bowls

• Slow Cooker Wednesday – A dump-and-go meal

• Leftover Thursday – No cooking, just reheating!

• Family Favorite Friday – A meal everyone loves

This keeps things predictable and reduces decision fatigue when you’re sleep-deprived.

5. Make Eating Easier with a Baby

Babies have a way of needing you right when you sit down to eat. Try these tricks:

• Wear your baby in a carrier while prepping meals.

• Use a pacifier wristband or pacifier bracelet like the Ingy Bingy Band, which velcros around your baby's wrist, making it a safer option than a pacifier clip. No more constantly picking up a newborn pacifier when it falls out!

• Set up a safe spot for your baby nearby, like a bouncer or play gym, so you can eat with two hands.

6. Give Yourself Grace

Some days, dinner might be takeout or sandwiches—and that’s okay. What matters most is feeding your family with love, not perfection.

By planning ahead, keeping meals simple, and using tools like batch cooking and a newborn pacifier wristband to keep baby soothed, you’ll make mealtime easier and create more space for joy in your day.

What’s your go-to easy meal as a busy mom?

 

 

The Ingy Bingy Band is not your everyday pacifier clip! This game-changing pacifier wristband helps babies self-soothe at a younger age than ever before! Instinctively, babies gnaw on their hands in an attempt to soothe. The Ingy Bingy pacifier wristband keeps their pacifier right where they’ll find it, allowing your baby to comfort and calm themselves while you do whatever it is you need to do!

Our buttery soft wristband comes in two styles to accommodate every pacifier.

Our Pacific style should be used when your baby’s pacifier holes are near their nose and chin when in use. It is most commonly used with Avent, BIBS, Dr. Brown’s, MAM, Nuby, NUK, Medela, FRIGG, Nanobébé, Tommee Tippee, and Chicco pacifiers. 

Our Sequoia style should be used when your baby’s pacifier holes are near their nose and chin when in use. It is most commonly used with Itzy Ritzy, Ryan & Rose, and The Dearest Grey pacifiers.  

If you are still unsure which pacifier wristband style is right for you, check out our style guide or text the name and/or picture of your preferred paci & we’ll let you know which style is right for you!