I've just had my third baby, and I have been lucky enough to receive lots of yummy food from friends and family so that I don't have to worry about cooking. Food really is the best gift to give a new mom. Since my supply of baked goods has dwindled now that my son is a month old, I've started making my own muffins and cookies again when my husband's home on the weekends.
You may be wondering if you should take nutritional supplements. After all, there seems to be more conflicting messages flying around about supplements than there are supplements themselves. Although it's definitely possible to get all your essential nutrients through food, it's not always realistic.
I'm sure that most of you know that lean meats, poultry, and fish provide an excellent source of protein, iron, and other essential nutrients. But did you know that you can still reap the benefits of these important nutrients without the meat? Eating meat-free is a wonderful way to expose yourself and your kids to other nutrient-dense foods that provide the same nutrition as meat, in a quicker, cheaper, and, often, healthier way. Choosing to cook without meat can be a huge time-saver if you're a busy Mom, like me.
Although I'm not a vegetarian, I would happily choose a vegetarian restaurant over a steak house if given the choice. My husband—not so much. He compares beans, lentils, and tofu to cardboard and if ever forced into eating it, will beeline it for the closest burger joint afterwards to "fill the gap" and perhaps restore his "meat-eating manliness." After countless attempts to get my hubby to open his mind to eating vegetarian once in a while, I gave up and saved my vegetarian dates for my girlfriends.
