Why Hire A Postpartum Chef?
Postpartum healing begins with rest.
Having someone prepare wholesome, homemade meals for you means you can rest and focus on what truly matters: recovering and bonding with your newborn.
Postpartum individuals often face societal pressures to quickly return to their pre-pregnancy routines, bodies, and careers. It’s easy for your own needs to be overlooked as you prioritize others. I’m here to help you put yourself first.
I provide fresh, homemade meals designed to support your postpartum recovery. Comforting and nourishing dishes are crafted to soothe the stresses of childbirth and sustain you as you care for your baby—and yourself. With the support of a Postpartum Chef, you can enjoy the healing power of homemade food & the time to rest deeply and fully.
Delivery of these healing, nutrient-rich meals are made once a week to postpartum families in & around Western Massachusetts.
MY COMMITMENT FOR THE FUTURE
As I deepen relationships with local birth professionals & create strong partnerships with established social service organizations in the area, together we will be able to provide these essential meals to new parents in Western Massachusetts who are underserved & also in need of nourishing foods.
MEALS for MAMA is committed to
serving all growing families.
Postpartum nourishment
shouldn't be a luxury.
POSTPARTUM MENU OPTIONS
SOUPS & STEWS
Cardamom Lentil Soup
Adzuki Bean & Root Veggie Stew
Coconut Lentil Stew w/ Spinach & Squash
Sweet Potato Kale Coconut Curry
Miso Carrot Tahini Soup
Roasted Garlic & White Bean Soup
Turmeric Chicken Soup with Parsnips
Squash, Chicken, & Lime Stew
French Onion Farro
Mung Bean Coconut Stew
Red Rice Congee with Ghee & Aromatics
Coconut Miso Salmon Curry
SIDES & SALADS
Four Onions & Herbs Frittata
Mushroom Walnut Meatballs
Sweet Potato & Adzuki Mini Burrito
Powerhouse Breakfast Biscuits
Buckwheat Berry Waffles
Curried Cashew Chicken Salad
Many Greens & Grains Salad
Ginger Coconut Forbidden Rice
Seared Shiitake & Kelp Noodles
Arame with Carrots & Shallots
Sesame Soba with Bok Choy
Crispy Rice with Sweet Shiitakes
SWEETS & SNACKS
Lemon Poppy Energy Bites
Apricot Walnut Oat Bars
Cinnamon Goji Date Nut Bites
Cardamom Berry Baked Oatmeal
Mango Ginger Chia Pudding
Coconut Matcha Rice Pudding
Seeduction Crackers
Pumpkin Spiced Hazelnut Chia Pudding
Coconut Crisp Sesame Bliss Balls
Tahini Pistachio Mini Muffins
Crispy Nooch Kale Chips
Rye Chocolate Ginger Cookies
SIPS & SAUCES
Ginger Anise Bone Broth
Turmeric Cashew Golden Milk
Citrus Electrolyte Sippers
Mother’s Milk Nettle Tea
Spiced Cacao Coconut Milk
Orange, Fenugreek, & Ginger Tea
Refreshing Mint Matcha Latte
Beet Kvass with Sliced Oranges
Cinnamon Clove Warming Chai
Cashew Turmeric Fire Dip
Sun Dried Tomato Walnut Dip
Sweet Tahini Red Pepper Dip
PACKAGES
Postpartum Meal Delivery
On Mondays, I batch cook a selection of healing soups, hearty stews, energizing snacks, comforting puddings &porridge, & more. You pick what you want based on what is being offered that week & it is delivered to your home (or to the hospital!) every Tuesday. These meals help you eat the nutritious foods your body & brain need to heal and thrive while you focus on your baby.
The Gift of Food
Give the gift of food to someone you know! Add MEALS for MAMA to your meal train! Want to cook for someone but you can’t? The gift of food may not last forever, but anyone who just had a baby doesn’t need more stuff! They need good nourishing food- it will be SO appreciated.
Meet Emily, The Cook In The Kitchen
A few days after the birth of my first child, I tucked her snug against my chest in a woven make-shift sling. My husband and I hopped on the subway with a gift card in hand to purchase a baby carrier at a newborn education center a few stops away. She was probably 6 days old. That morning, I felt my first postpartum burst of energy. After being at the center for about an hour, the woman helping us suggested I sit and relax a bit before jumping back on the subway.
I paused. I listened. I considered. I sat.
I hadn’t even thought to make use of their plush overstuffed cozy chairs, the fully stocked changing table, or their red raspberry leaf tea - I just wanted to keep going with the energy I finally found. That 20 minutes of rest was one of the most valuable lessons I’ve had as a parent. And I didn’t realize it until years later. She gave me permission to sit when I felt I should fly.
At the time, I lived in Brooklyn and had a successful career as an Interior & Architectural Photographer. I spent my days in other people’s homes capturing their beautifully designed spaces while flowing with the intricacies of their lives. Over time, I became quite comfortable in other people's kitchens. Photography filled my bucket for over 15 years and now instead of photographing kitchens, I just want to cook in them! I will fill your home with wafts of cinnamon, stewing herbs, and the lingering air of slow roasted ginger sweet potatoes. Food is now my art and I want to share it with growing families.
My culinary focus is nourishing postpartum parents with nutrient rich healing foods, but I also make a dreamy (sugar filled!) rye chocolate chunk cookie. I cook wholesome soups, stews, and dishes filled with whole foods, fresh vegetables, healing herbs, and warming spices. I want to fill your belly and allow your mind and muscles to mellow as you focus your energy on healing and caring for yourself and your family.
Based in Western Massachusetts, I support and celebrate families of all kinds, people of every gender, and individuals of all races. I believe couples, single parents, birthing individuals, adoptive parents , & those who are grappling with bereavement deserve equal care & nourishment.
I am a graduate of the Natural Gourmet Center at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City (formerly NGI), NOURISH Postpartum Chef Training with Alicia Allison, and I have a Certificate in Culinary Coaching from the Institute of Lifestyle Medicine. Now based in Northampton, Massachusetts, I am a Health-Supportive Chef, but I never neglect a sweet tooth.
-Emily