Budget Meal Prepping: A Week of Postpartum Nourishing Meals for Under $200

Hello Momma,

When you’re in the tender days after birth, nothing soothes quite like a warm bowl of something nourishing. Soup has a way of grounding the body, steadying energy, and wrapping a new mom in comfort from the inside out. It warms the core, supports gentle digestion, and brings a sense of rhythm to days that feel beautifully blurry.

This week’s cozy postpartum menu was designed to give you deep nourishment without stress, complicated prep, or a huge grocery bill. Everything here is warm, grounding, and gentle on digestion, with thoughtful ingredients inspired by traditional healing foods.

And the best part? All of the recipes together cost under $200 and make about 21 servings of soup for the week

That is enough for lunch and dinner for several days, or a full week of easy postpartum meals that help you rest and heal.

Below is what’s on our cozy weekly menu, including the simple recipes that make postpartum nourishment feel doable and delicious.

There is something healing about a warm bowl after birth. Steam rising, spoon in hand, everything slowing just enough to feel grounded again. Soup becomes more than a meal. It is a quiet form of care. Each bowl gently coaxes warmth back into the body, nourishes deeply, and reminds you that healing can be soft and slow.

This Soup Week menu is built for the fourth trimester. Four nourishing soups, freezer friendly and budget friendly, made with simple ingredients and one whole chicken used to make homemade bone broth. Together these recipes make about 21 servings for the week and cost around 175 to 190 dollars depending on your local prices.

What you will make this week

• Roasted Herb Garden Tomato Soup

• Garden Veggie Autumn Soup

• Creamy Mushroom Chicken Soup (renamed Creamy Mushroom Chicken Soup in the IG caption)

• Grounding Carrot Ginger Sweet Potato Soup

Each recipe below serves about 5 to 7 people. Total servings for the week roughly 21 bowls.

Roasted Herb Garden Tomato Soup

A comforting blend of roasted cherry tomatoes, garlic, basil, and a rosemary and thyme bundle finished with coconut milk.

Ingredients

• 2 pounds cherry tomatoes

• 6 garlic cloves peeled

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

• Sea salt and pepper to taste

• 1/2 cup fresh basil packed

• 1 cup homemade chicken bone broth

• 1/2 cup full fat coconut milk

• Fresh rosemary and thyme sprigs bundled with kitchen twine

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spread the cherry tomatoes and garlic cloves on a baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast 25 to 30 minutes until blistered and fragrant.

2. Transfer roasted tomatoes and garlic and any pan juices to a blender. Add fresh basil and blend until smooth.

3. Pour blended tomato mixture into a pot over medium heat. Stir in the chicken bone broth and bring to a gentle simmer.

4. Add the rosemary and thyme bundle to the pot. Simmer 10 to 15 minutes to infuse the herbs.

5. Remove the herb bundle. Stir in the coconut milk. Taste and adjust seasoning. Serve warm.

Garden Veggie Autumn Soup

Hearty and nourishing, with chickpeas, roasted butternut squash, chard, and warming herbs finished with coconut milk.

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons olive oil

• 3 celery sticks finely diced

• 3 carrots finely chopped

• 5 garlic cloves finely chopped

• 4 sprigs thyme leaves picked

• 3 sprigs rosemary leaves picked and finely chopped

• 1/2 cup coconut aminos

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• Sea salt and pepper to taste

• 3.5 cups canned chopped tomatoes

• 4 cups chicken bone broth

• 2 cups soaked chickpeas

• 1 butternut squash halved and sliced plus roasted at 400 degrees F for 20 to 30 minutes until tender

• 1 cup full fat coconut milk

• 2 cups chard finely shredded

Instructions

1. Roast the squash first. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Place sliced squash on a baking sheet and roast 20 to 30 minutes until tender and lightly caramelized. Set aside.

2. In a large pot heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add celery, carrots, and chopped garlic. Sauté 5 to 7 minutes until softened.

3. Add thyme, chopped rosemary, coconut aminos, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Cook another minute.

4. Stir in chopped tomatoes, chicken bone broth, and soaked chickpeas. Bring to a gentle boil then reduce to a simmer. Simmer 30 minutes.

5. Add roasted butternut squash slices and simmer 5 to 10 more minutes to let flavors meld.

6. Stir in coconut milk and shredded chard. Simmer 3 to 5 minutes until greens are wilted. Adjust seasoning and serve warm.

Creamy Mushroom Chicken Soup

A restorative, protein rich soup made with shredded rotisserie chicken, cremini mushrooms, and herbs finished with coconut milk.

Ingredients

• 1 rotisserie chicken shredded (or leftover shredded chicken)

• 8 ounces cremini mushrooms sliced

• 3 carrots sliced

• 3 celery stalks chopped

• 4 cloves garlic minced

• 4 cups chicken bone broth

• 1 cup full fat coconut milk

• 1 teaspoon thyme dried or fresh

• 1 teaspoon rosemary dried or fresh

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1/4 cup coconut aminos

• Sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a large pot heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Add carrots, celery, and garlic. Sauté 5 to 7 minutes until softened.

2. Add sliced mushrooms and cook until they release moisture and begin to brown, about 5 minutes.

3. Stir in thyme, rosemary, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Add chicken bone broth and coconut aminos. Bring to a gentle boil and reduce to a simmer. Simmer 20 minutes.

4. Fold in shredded rotisserie chicken and simmer another 10 minutes so flavors meld.

5. Stir in coconut milk, taste, and adjust seasoning. Serve warm with bread if you like.

Grounding Carrot Ginger Sweet Potato Soup

Silky, warming, and gentle for digestion with fresh ginger, sweet potatoes, and coconut milk.

Ingredients

• 3 medium sweet potatoes peeled and diced

• 3 medium carrots peeled and chopped

• 3 cloves garlic minced

• 4 cups chicken bone broth

• 1 can full fat coconut milk

• 1 tablespoon fresh grated ginger

• 1/4 cup coconut aminos

• 2 teaspoons garlic powder

• Sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a large pot combine diced sweet potatoes, chopped carrots, minced garlic, grated ginger, and chicken bone broth. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer until vegetables are very tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.

2. Use an immersion blender to blend until silky smooth, or carefully transfer to a blender and blend in batches.

3. Return to the pot. Stir in full fat coconut milk, coconut aminos, and garlic powder. Simmer a few more minutes to let flavors come together.

4. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

One Whole Chicken for Bone Broth

I used one whole chicken to make homemade bone broth. Making your own broth is a gentle, nourishing way to add depth to every recipe and it stretches your grocery budget further. I highly recommend you make your own broth - filled with so many nutrients!

Servings and Price Breakdown

Each full recipe makes about 5 to 7 servings depending on portion size. Together the four soups equal about 21 hearty servings.

Approximate cost per recipe based on average US grocery prices

• Roasted Herb Garden Tomato Soup approximately $18 servings 5 to 6

• Garden Veggie Autumn Soup approximately $32 servings 6 to 7

• Creamy Mushroom Chicken Soup approximately $28 servings 5 to 6

• Grounding Carrot Ginger Sweet Potato Soup approximately $14 servings 5 to 6

• Whole chicken for bone broth approximately $12 to $15

Total estimated spend about $175 to $190 for the week depending on sales and where you shop.

Meal Prep Tips

• Batch cook and cool soups before freezing in airtight containers for up to 3 months.

• Label containers with date and reheating instructions.

• Portion into single serve sizes for easy grab and heat.

• Use homemade bone broth to boost flavor and nutrition across all recipes.

Why these soups for postpartum

• Easy to digest and warming for core recovery

• High in minerals and protein from bone broth and chicken

• Freezer friendly to ease the load on busy days

• Gentle flavors that still feel satisfying and comforting

I hope you enjoy meal prepping these simple soups.

Wishing you all the healing!