5 Things to Keep in Your Fridge for Easy Postpartum Meals

Postpartum hunger is a different kind of hungry. It hits fast, it hits often, and it deserves more than a granola bar eaten standing up at the counter. The good news: you don't need to cook elaborate meals to eat well right now. You just need the right things on hand.

Here are the 5 ingredients I always keep stocked in the fridge during the fourth trimester, plus the quick bowl I'm making on repeat this week as the founder of a postpartum wellness company. 

The 5 Fridge Staples

1. Bone broth This is your shortcut to something warm and healing in under 5 minutes. It's rich in collagen and amino acids that support tissue repair, gut health, and joint recovery, which is exactly what your body is working on postpartum. I love Nona Lim for individual servings, or Brodo, which ships in larger packs of different flavors, so you can always have some on hand. Sip it on its own or use it as the base for a quick soup or bowl.

2. Rice Brown, wild, or white all work. Prep a big batch at the start of each week and keep it in the fridge. It's the ultimate blank canvas: a quick rice, veggie, and protein bowl, stirred into broth for a fast soup, or crisped up with eggs. Rice is an easy carb to keep on hand, and the extra energy is useful support while you're breastfeeding. One tip: soak your rice before cooking. It softens the grain so it cooks faster, and it reduces phytic acid, which makes it gentler on digestion.

3. Washed greens Spinach, kale, or chard. I go with baby spinach for convenience. Sautéed or dropped into a hot soup or broth, it takes about 2 minutes to cook and packs a major nutrient punch: protein, iron, folate, and vitamins A, C, and K. Cooking it briefly also makes it easier to digest, which matters a lot right now.

4. Eggs A true postpartum superfood. Eggs are one of the fastest, easiest foods you can make and they deliver protein, omega-3s, choline (key for energy and recovery), and vitamin D. I like topping a broth bowl with a runny egg, or hard boiling a batch to keep in the fridge so I can grab one straight out when I'm famished. The key is taking the extra minute to dress them up: salt, pepper, a squeeze of lemon, your favorite hot sauce, or an everything bagel seasoning sprinkle. Make them something you actually want to eat.

5. Avocado The perfect add-in for any bowl, soup, or egg dish, or just smashed on its own with everything bagel seasoning. Avocado is full of healthy fats and fiber, which support hormone balance and help keep you full longer, exactly what you need while you're recovering and breastfeeding.

The Recipe: Coconut Lime Broth Bowl

This is the bowl in our latest video, and it takes minutes to put together.

Ingredients

• 1 serving Nona Lim coconut lime chicken bone broth
• 1/2 cup cooked white rice
• 1 handful baby spinach
• Fresh lime, for a squeeze

Instructions

• Heat the bone broth in a small pot until warm.
• Add the rice and spinach directly into the broth. Let it warm through for 1 to 2 minutes, just until the spinach wilts.
• Pour into a bowl and finish with a fresh squeeze of lime. It brightens the whole bowl and gives you a bonus dose of vitamin C.

That's it. Four ingredients, one pot, and a bowl that's as nourishing as it is easy. Keep these staples stocked and you'll always have something good to reach for, even on the days you can't imagine cooking.

 - Jane Baecher, founder of Anya