When I had my first child, it was 2013 and I was living in Vancouver. In the first few days of being a new mom, we had a lot of visitors – probably too many visitors. It seemed like there was a revolving door of loving friends and family coming through to meet Lucas and bring over gifts. It was sweet and well meaning…but frankly, exhausting. There can be no “sleep when your baby sleeps” when there is a constant parade of visitors.

At the time, I didn’t have too many friends who had babies. I was one of the first among my group. However, I did have one good friend Jen, who had given birth to a son less than a year before. I remember Jen, coming to our door a day or two after Lucas was born. She gave me a quick hug but said she wasn’t going to stay, instead she would come back and visit in the coming weeks when things got a little less crazy. Then, she handed me a bag full of prepared fruit, smoothies, meals and baked goods from Whole Foods. THIS WAS THE BEST GIFT EVER.

So I learned a valuable lesson that day. First, when I go to visit a friend who has just given birth I don’t stay long. Just a quick visit, maybe make the mom a cup of tea and then I’m out of there. If they are a really close friend, I may stay longer and hold baby while mom grabs a shower or nap. But second, and maybe more importantly I BRING FOOD!

There’s not much time to cook when you have a new baby. So, it is so helpful to have delicious and healthy food on hand and ready to go.

When I was expecting my daughter, my husband and friends here in Ottawa surprised me with a baby shower. But instead of baby gifts, all of the guests brought prepared frozen meals. This was so thoughtful and useful! When it is your second (or third, fourth etc) child, you already have most of the things a baby needs (diaper pail, crib, baby carrier etc), but with a toddler running around, you have EVEN LESS TIME TO COOK.

So with this in mind, I’ve put together a list of some of my favourite places in Ottawa to get quality, healthy prepared meals – perfect for a new mom!

Parma Ravioli

Parma Ravioli is a go-to spot for me. I probably buy one of their lasagnas every two weeks or so…they are just so good. Parma Ravioli is a local pasta factory located in Wellington West. They offer a large selection of fresh and frozen pasta, and plenty of pre-made dinner ideas (that go way beyond just pasta). There are also plenty of different salads, side dishes and desserts all ready to go. The healthy prepared meals do not contain any additives, preservatives, artificial colours of flavours and they are very well priced.

Parma Ravioli also offers fresh pies baked daily, along with bread and portugese buns. For information on location and more, check out the Parma Ravioli website .

Thyme & Again

When I had my daughter Rowan, the club volleyball team I was coaching at the time, chipped in and bought me a gift certificate to Thyme & Again. There were obviously some moms who knew what was up. The gift certificate was awesome, and allowed me to drop in and purchase a number of yummy frozen meals.

There are now two Thyme & Again locations – one in Wellington West and another along Carling Ave. They are both great destinations for coffee, baked goods and lunch in addition to the frozen meals. The ready to bake options include homemade pizza, quiche, savoury pies, butter chicken, macaroni and cheese (a favourite), jambalaya and fish pie.

For location, hours and more info go to Thyme & Again website.

Bryson Farms

Bryson Farms is located just an hour west of Ottawa, on a 140 tillable acre farm. Owned and operated by the Stewart family, they are committed to growing and delivering fresh organic produce to customers. In addition to the farm, there is also a kitchen on site cooking up delicious and healthy meals. Bryson Farms offer a home delivery service into Ottawa-Gatineau for both their produce and prepared meals.

They actually offer a ‘’New Baby’’ Gift Basket that can be delivered right to the new mom’s doorstep. This basket is filled with frozen organic meals for two, chicken stew, curries, chilis, tourtieres, and more. The basket costs $75. For more information and to place an order, go to the Bryson Farms website.

Life of Pie

Life of Pie is such a great place down on Bank St. It’s another one of those great cafes where you can sit, have a coffee and some delicious baked treat and leave with fresh meal ready for home.

They make fresh Family Meals on Wednesday, Thursdays and Fridays. The menu is changing all the time, but some examples are: brandy apple pulled pork with scalloped potatoes, chicken braised in white wine with wild and brown rice, and traditional beef lasagna with garlic bread…. hello yummy! You can even call ahead to reserve a meal. A family take home meal for 4 will cost $25, very reasonable in my opinion.

Life of Pie also does delivery gift bags of some of their delicious baked goods. So you could have a “brunch” bag delivered to a new mom, complete with a quiche, scones, muffins, jam and coffee! What new mom wouldn’t want that showing up on her doorstep after a night of being up with a newborn.

To check out the menu and delivery options check out the Life of Pie website.

Take Another Bite

Take Another Bite is located in the charming village of Manotick, and it is worth checking out. It is a lovely, small cafe and catering business that delivers on taste and quality. I often stop in for some of their delicious desserts, but they also offer some of the best take-home dinners around.

My very good friend Janine just recently ordered their Valentine’s Day dinner special to dine at home with her husband and two year old. She gave the meal rave reviews. For $40 a person, you could choose from a choice of appetizer, main course and dessert.

For their regular menu, Take Another Bite offers a wide range of dishes in both individual ($6-$9) and family ($22-$40) sizes.

A favourite from the menu is the Salmon Pot Pie- Family size $22.00. For more check out the Take Another Bite website.

Red Apron

Red Apron is a fabulous establishment located along Gladstone Ave. It is open everyday except for Sundays. My family has been gifted both meals and gift certificates from Red Apron and our experience with their food has been fabulous. Red Apron offers a wide selection of take home meals, soups, baked goods and more. They will also deliver fresh meals to your door on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The menu is always changing and Red Apron strives to use local and organic ingredients. I can’t recommend them enough!

To check out more about their menu, prices, etc, head to the Red Apron website. 

Not Just for the New Mom

Let’s be real, these suggestions are good for so much more than just new moms.  Parents have so little time to put together meals, so you may find yourself using some of these suggestions even if you’re not buying for a new mom. I know I certainly pick up the prepared meals all the time! It’s pretty awesome to have some of these stocked in the freezer for when you’re in a pinch.