Image:  The Food Doula

New parents have spoken about what they wish they had been given in the early weeks and months of parenthood, and spoiler, it wasn’t a teddy or flowers.

UK based research initiative, ‘Wish I’d Known’, is a platform dedicated to researching and finding insights to answer the most common (and sometimes not-so-common) questions parents of young children find themselves constantly asking.

It’s a home for everything your future self had wished you’d known, and where you can pay your own wisdom forward to other parents who are entering into one of the steepest learning curves of their life; parenthood.

No opinions, no judgements.  Just objective, full-picture insights.

And, they recently asked 400 new parents with children aged 0-3:  ‘What do you wish you’d been given in the early months of parenthood?’.  And the number one answer was resoundingly clear:  ‘Food prep services to save cooking’.

Now, as Helpful GIfting enthusiasts, this answer does not surprise us.  And I’m sure if you’ve ventured through the months (and sometimes years) of sleepless nights and the “I’m so busy I didn’t even brush my teeth today” days, this wouldn’t come as a surprise to you, either.

It goes to show that when (new) life happens, nourishing, easy food is not a nice-to-have but a necessity.  A new Mum needs nutrition and one-handed pickable bites that get her through the many hours of feeding.  Families need easy, throw-in-the-oven meals to keep everyone healthy and full.  The kitchen needs to be stocked with some healthy, essential foods (and let’s not forget a little indulgence…..we can keep it fun, too).

And, sometimes, the kids need some go-to meals when dinner hasn’t been properly planned.

In our pursuit to better understand The Art of Showing Up, we’ve learnt that Helpful gifting eases, never adds.  And beautiful food is the literal hero doing just that.  You’re not just gifting food; it’s so much more than that.  You’re reducing their mental load, taking a few items off the to-do list, saving them some money and keeping them fed and nourished when they need it most.  And in the case of a new Mum, you’re looking after her while she is busy looking after her newest little love. 

It doesn’t have to be home-made cooking to count.  Here are some food gifting ideas:

• Pre-made meals for the family - help stock the fridge and freezer with beautiful, tasty and comfortable meals
• Some expertly made meals for her that provide the comfort, love and nutrients she really needs to recover from pregnancy and birth (a food hug, if you will)
• A hamper full of one-handed bites and kitchen essentials to help in those times of feeding and snacking
• A little hamper just for her, full of her favourite things she’s been missing for the last nine months (I’m looking at you, soft cheese, meats and fizz….)
• Some healthy, pre-made toddler meals to help keep the new big brother or sister’s tummy happy and full.

IMAGE:  The Food Doula

Shop our Feed + Nourish range now.