A nesting party can be all about cleaning and organizing, but a spinoff on a nesting party can be all about meal prepping. In a meal prep party, friends and family come together to prepare freezable dishes for the expecting family to enjoy towards the end of pregnancy and postpartum.
How to Plan a Meal Prep Party
1. First, make sure to check with the parents-to-be this is what they want in lieu of (or in addition) to a traditional baby shower.
2. Once you have the go-ahead, ask for the family’s food allergies / sensitivities, likes/dislikes, or favorite cookbook / food blogger to pull recipes from.
Here are a List of Cookbooks for Postpartum Meal Prepping
The First Forty Days: The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother
The Food Doula Cookbook: A Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy and a Nourished New Mom
3. Once you have a list of recipes, make a list of all the ingredients needed to make each dish and account for any overlap in ingredients. Reminder: You’ll also want to make sure you have enough freezer containers.
4. Send an invite out using Paperless Post or Evite, to make it easier to manage ingredient sign ups and ask guests to sign up to bring 3-5 ingredients (in lieu of bringing a gift).
5. Plan out which order to make recipes on the day of the party. Note: some chopping and prepping can happen simultaneously!
6. Be sure to also have snacks available for guests.
7. Have fun! Play music, take photos, and make sure mama is comfortable and enjoying the help and company.
8. Don’t forget to do a thorough clean up with your guests before leaving.
If you want to learn more about a nesting party, check out the following articles: