who's going to cook for me???
Cravings are a very significant issue in the first trimester pregnancy and so is food aversion. A lot of mothers experience these symptoms and I have a solution. Have someone else cook for you! This can help with choosing healthy foods (as well as these tips) and getting over the odours that often come with cooking in the first trimester. Keep on reading for a list of a people who you can ask to cook for you during the first trimester of your pregnancy.
Hubby.
This pregnancy is not yours alone. What better way to enter parenthood than to practice working as a team? Ask your man to help you out with the meals. If you are having a hard time with smells, write him a grocery list and ask him to make a big pot of food to equal 4-5 meals per week. This will ensure that you are eating regularly. Try to incorporate a lot of healthy foods that will meet the nutrient needs for yourself and your baby in this trimester.
- Barbecue chicken, rice or couscous, salad
- Beef bone broth with veggies
- Chicken or veggie sandwiches
- Spaghetti and meatballs
- Lamb or beef tacos and guacamole
- Chicken or beef salad loaded with fresh veggies
Pro tip: BE NICE. Bring up the conversation lightly and smile as you ask him to help out with the cooking (if he doesn’t already). Explain how you are feeling so he understands where you’re coming from. If he’s not ready to do the cooking, then agree on an alternative option to ensure that you are eating regularly (conversation is a key part of having a stress-free home environment).
Parents
I’ll be honest with you, option number one didn’t work for me. My husband was not much of a cook (he’s doing a lot better now). We had to agree on an alternative. We opted to go with my mom, who was wonderfully gracious and excited to get another chance to baby me (for which I am now so grateful). My parents had dinner made for us almost every night and we would pack extra for lunch.
Maybe your parents are not nearby or are not the greatest cooks. Are there any other family members that you can call on? Maybe siblings? How about aunts or uncles? Maybe you can make a deal with them to pay for the groceries that they cook for you. You never know who is willing to help until you ask. Try it. You might end up with lots of people who are willing to cook for you and help you through the first trimester.
Friends.
Times like these are what friends are for. Talk to your tribe and see if they can help you out. Maybe a friend or two can cook a couple of meals for you per week. Maybe they can help you do the grocery shopping. (During pregnancy my odour sensitivity got to the point where I couldn’t stand being in the grocery store for very long.).
Chat with your closest friends and fill them in on what you are experiencing. Perhaps they can start a food train for you (who says you have to wait until AFTER the baby is born?). Calling up your girls can also help you glean the advice you need to get through this critical first trimester. Some days you just need some joy. Other days you just need to know that someone else has been through what you are experiencing and made it out on the other side. Talk to your friends. Find support. Shoot me an email. You don’t have to do this alone.
Grocery / Dinner Delivery
Another option is to do delivery. I’m not talking about fast-food delivery, because I did that and I had a not-so-fun credit card debt to get rid of after my first trimester. There are several companies that do grocery deliveries or meal deals with tons of healthy options.
Instacart delivers groceries throughout the United States and in Canada. HelloFresh is a meal kit delivery service that operates in Canada, the United States, Europe, Japan, New Zealand, France, Italy and Scandinavia. Chefs Plate also serves delicious meal kits within Canada.
Scour the internet and find the right meal kit for your budget to get food delivered right to your door.
Mama, there are always alternatives. Keep thinking outside of the box and don’t be afraid to ask for help!
