Food shopping and cooking isn’t usually my domain or something I would normally talk about but, due to prepping for a newborn I thought I would share some of the things I do when doing my weekly food shopping to make my life a little easier.

As I reach the end of my pregnancy, one thing I realise is that it’s all about equipping yourself with the tools to succeed such as nutrients etc instead of not putting too much weight on, this is instead of the usual eating for two that most people will tell you to do!

Whats great about meal planning is both my husband and I know exactly what needs to be made for dinner each night and that means that either of us can help out when needed.

Firstly, I have a list on my iPad of food that I order on a regular basis, so I can use it as a tick list for what I need to stock up the cupboards with. I then look at the week ahead and see if we are out or going to be having a takeaway.

Then I will usually go onto Pinterest or the Hello Fresh website for meal inspiration. Currently I’m aiming for affordability, easy to eat for the whole family and convenience. A normal week for us will look like:

Weekly Dinner Plan
Monday: salmon with asparagus and roasted sweet potatoes
Tuesday: homemade pitta pizzas
Wednesday: chicken stir fry with noodles
Thursday: spaghetti bolognese with garlic bread
Friday: lamb burgers in bread buns with salad and French fries
Saturday: stuffed peppers on couscous
Sunday: pork and apple sausages on mash with gravy and peas

Our weekly shop usually costs around £75, I like to make sure we have other essentials in the cupboard in case something happens on the farm etc and we have back up meals in stock.

Every day Tobias and I have weetabixs for breakfast with milk and then fruit on the side. I have a glass of orange juice with my vitamins, whilst Tobias has his first cup of water. Gavin always has cornflakes, so breakfast is an easy meal for us. I would love to be more adventurous but Tobias is always starving so it’s the quick and easy option for us, each day.

By midmorning both Tobias and I tend to get pretty hungry so I have a cup of decaf tea and a biscuit whilst Tobias will have a little sereen loaf with butter on. Depending on how hungry we are this might change to any of the below:
toast
yogurt
berries
apple slices

Then its lunch time where I always struggle for inspiration, some days it could be a sandwich with bear crisps, fruit and a chocolate bar. Gavin usually comes in from the farm so we may have pasta with cheese, but I don’t tend to cook a big meal at this time of the day. Tobias is usually ready for his second cup of water by this time and I add a little sugar free squash for him as well as that’s what I’m usually drinking!

When Tobias wakes up in the afternoon he is usually ravenous and it’s time for a snack. This is where I typically get the munchies so planning ahead at the beginning of the week is so important! We could have a snack of string cheese or celery sticks with dip or some fruit like oranges slices with popcorn as well. Lately I’ve been carrying around a jug of water to remind myself to keep drinking. I plan on carrying this habit over to post-baby, when I’m breastfeeding.

I am not immune to grabbing a few naughty treats each day, sneaking chocolate but it’s all about balance, right!

So that’s my weekly meal plan while pregnant and the types of foods I eat! It’s not perfect by any means, but I strive to find balance and continue to make healthier choices. My main purpose is to fuel my body to be able to complete my work to the best of my ability, and the foods and beverages I choose during the day have such a big effect on how I feel and are helping grow the unborn baby in weight and its development.

I hope this post may be useful and gives you some inspiration on your meals. I always find meal planning so difficult to strike the balance of being tasty, convenient and affordable. I’m learning and hopefully they will get a little more adventurous as time goes on.

Much love
Rebecca