When a family member or friend have a new baby it is sometimes tricky to come up with the right care package to bring them to let them know how excited you are! Food + nourishment, something for the little one to wear or use and a hug. When that meal-train email comes through you can hop on it without stress. Through the years, I have honed in on my go-to care package - what peeps need (+ want!), a package that is not too expensive that is also easy to put together. Let’s face it - when I make others dinner normally my own family suffers and eats eggs that night!

Today Im sharing my “new baby care package” jam with you. My gig is tried and true and easy. Word to you (or the new) mom!

Here’s the break-down:

FOOD

I always try to bring something healthy that is easy to eat and doesn’t require too much prep. My favorite meal is Paula Deen’s Tomatoes Stuffed with Chicken Salad recipe. What I like about this is that it is already made for the new parents. I always double the batch so our family can have something to eat that night as well The recipe is easy on the belly and healthy (believe it or not!) and can be eaten for lunch OR dinner (all those hungry moms that have to feed their babies every 2 hours - eek there is no time ever for you to grab a proper meal, right?!). Isn’t that the point of bringing new parents a meal?! It can be spooned directly into your mouth (our fave), stuffed in hollowed-out tomatoes (like Paula suggests), plopped on a bed of lettuce or in-between 2 pieces of bread! I usually bring the new parents the following:

Chicken Salad packed in its own container
2 beefsteak tomatoes, un-cut
1 pack of Trader Joe’s “1/2 Baked Bread”
1 bag of lettuce
Yummy dessert
Booze - typically a bottle of wine, but if we have homemade beer on tap we always bring a growler of that (stouts are great for breast milk production!)

In addition to this package, I try to make the new mama Roasted Almonds with Honey if she is breast feeding. A dear friend brought these to me when I had Lucy and I loved them. Almonds are known to help with breast milk production, they also act as an easy-to-eat protein and the honey makes them super yummy. Here’s how to prepare them:

Roasted Almonds with Honey

1 12oz bag of unsalted, raw almonds
About 6oz of honey

Bake the almonds on a cookie sheet for 15-20 min at 350 degrees until they turn light brown. Be sure to toss them 1/2 way through cooking time in order that they evenly bake. Take them out of the oven and immediately pour honey over the almonds. Toss to distribute evenly. Wait for them to cool and place in an air tight container. They last for a few days so these can be made the night before you deliver your package to the new mom!

GIFT|s

Since dropping this food care package usually means I am meeting the baby for the first time, I try to include a practical gift for the baby. Our Newborn-1 Year and 1 Year gift guide pages are the perfect spot to find the perfect gift for the new little bean’s arrival.