We’re 2 weeks away from my due date and prepping for baby is in full swing! One of my biggest concerns is having enough food for Erisy and Nate while I recover and focus on the new baby. As you know, I shop at Sprouts quite a bit and have been loving a few things that I cannot recommend enough! Because I am trying to be as clean and conscious about my eating as possible during this crucial time for baby and during breastfeeding, I love that Sprouts Brand items are always free from artificial flavors, colors, sweeteners, and preservatives. Some of these items will be ultimate life savers for me when I need to whip something up in a pinch, and some - I just like keeping around to make some of our favorite meals.
First up - soup essentials
I’m a huge fan of soups, especially for recovery after having a baby. I was so thankful to find this Sprouts brand chicken bone broth that I will be for sure have several on hand to sip and to make a hearty vegetable soup that the whole family could enjoy. The last time we had a baby, my sister made us meals for a week and I loved having light veggie filled food. Since we’re on our own to fend for ourselves this time (unless I could talk her into coming down for a weekend), I’m relying on frozen vegetables like these organic green beans and mixed vegetables, paired with canned tomatoes and beans to make a nutrient dense soup. I love having these frozen vegetables on hand because 1- they don’t go bad and 2- they’re already cut and prepped for me, so I just need to throw them in the soup and call it a day. Because they’re picked and packed at the peak of freshness, they are sweet and delicious. I always look for and buy Sprouts Brand packages because they offer a wide selection of natural and organic products, as well as gluten-free, vegan and non-GMO varieties - so I know my veggies are safe and of great quality! I always keep a few bags ready in the freezer even when I’m not prepping for a baby, because they’re convenient. Because I also like to have fresh salad materials on hand too, I’ll throw some of these fresh kale and maybe parmesan cheese at the last minute to keep things fresh and add some extra nutrients. The cooking process is easy - I’ll probably saute the garlic, onions, and veggies first and everything else in a pot and keep it on simmer for the day, ready to be enjoyed anytime. Soups go fast around here and the longer it stews, the thicker it gets, and the flavor continues to develop. Yum!!
Next - pasta in minutes
Nate is the primary pasta maker at home and Friday nights are religious pasta nights. Since time will be somewhat of a constraint, we’re relying on Sprouts Market Corner fresh fettuccine that can be cooked in just a few short minutes. I love that the pasta is fresh - not only does it cook in half the time of dried pasta, but the texture and flavor is SO much better. I’m going to be keeping a few of these in the freezer as well for emergencies. The Sprouts Butcher Shop air chilled organic chicken is full of flavor - and will just require some salt and pepper to season. We’ll most likely grill or saute it with some fresh chopped mushrooms. For the sauce, I think blending some cream cheese, kale, garlic, and milk to make a smooth pesto cream sauce would be delicious! Gotta sneak in those veggies wherever we can.
It’s a meal that can be ready in less than 20 minutes and will taste like we spent so much time making it! Quick, easy, and delicious - that’s the name of this game.
Quick to make emergency meal
When Erin from Sprouts sent me a care package full of Hatch Chile products, one of the items that I enjoyed the most was the Hatch mac and cheese. It is cheesy with a hint of spiciness that even my toddler, Erisy didn’t mind. She devoured her mac and cheese!! Maybe we just have a good tolerance for spice though - she did grow up eating her fair share of kimchi dumplings, so I’m happy to know she could handle the heat. If you can’t take the spice, however, Sprouts offers a 100% money-back guarantee to make sure you feel good about your purchase and have fun trying new things. Love it or your money back!! Little thoughtful touches like this is why I love shopping here. It’s these little details that matter!!
So what we plan to do with the boxed hatch chile mac and cheese is pair it with Sprouts Butcher shop grassfed beef, Sprouts Market Corner colby jack cheese for some extra cheesiness, some onions and garlic and turn it into a semi homemade and gourmet version of hamburger helper! This is such a comforting dish and will definitely come together in under 15 minutes if both kids are screaming for food and we have nothing prepared. It will also be a delicious treat for mom and dad because it’s one of our guilty pleasure dishes to make at home. :)
Snacks to keep me going
I plan to breastfeed again this time around and here are some of the snacks I love to keep on hand. Oats were the one thing that helped me produce so much for Erisy, so I’m hoping it will again for me this time. I always stock up on bulk items at Sprouts, so we have about 1 lb of the organic rolled oats ready to go. I’ll likely make some overnight oats or cooked oatmeal, pair it with some strawberries, bananas, or apples depending on my mood.
The coconut chocolate rolls are a bit of an indulgence for me. Since discovering them at the Sprouts retreat earlier this summer, I have not been able to stop eating them. The crunch of the coconut cookies topped with the coating of chocolate with a hint of mango is just. To. die. For. it is that good! This product was sourced from Thailand and what I learned was Sprouts' buyers look far and wide to find and try new products, including everyday grocery essentials and unique, seasonal items. They often customize flavor profiles and refine ingredients to suit Sprouts’ standards for quality, taste and value. If you look at the ingredient list on this package, everything is clean. No vegetable oils, fake sugar, or anything weird. It’s made with 100% coconut milk, dark chocolate, coconut sugar, rice flour, mango puree (REAL MANGOES)! and other real ingredients I feel good about eating and even giving to Erisy!!! Trust me - ive been able to convert a few people on these and I think I’ll be able to do the same to you. Try them!!!
And that about it for me - I’m ready for this baby whenever he / she decides to come. My pantry is officially stocked with items that will keep both me and my family nourished and full. Best of all - they’ll come together super quickly so if I’m in a pinch and have that “we have nothing to eat” moment, at least I could remember that I have a plan. Otherwise, there’s always Instacart where I can get my Sprouts groceries delivered. With more than 2,400 products to choose from throughout the store and new items arriving frequently, I’m bound to find new favorites every time I need to shop. Still gotta keeps things interesting, you know? :)
Thanks to Sprouts for sponsoring this post, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
