Parenthood brings with it many increased responsibilities, tasks, and different roles for new moms.  During this busy time, eating nutrient rich foods in small meals multiple times a day helps new moms to maintain a balanced mood, lose unwanted baby weight, and increase their energy and stamina.

Here are 5 tips that are easy to remember to help develop and maintain a nutrient dense diet:

1. Snack on fruits and vegetables and opt for whole foods. For example, grab a fresh apple rather than apple juice or applesauce.
2. Cook ahead. If you have a day to yourself are already cooking, make twice as much and freeze the other half for another day when you don’t have time to cook. This works well for pasta sauces and casseroles.
3. Increase your consumption of healthy fats while steering clear of junk fats. In other words, eat more salmon and nuts, but try not to reach for chips, candy and cookies.
4. Even when you are trying to lose baby weight, still make time to eat and drink water. A hungry mother can often be a tired and crabby mother. It’s best to eat six small healthy small meals/snacks rather than three larger meals during the day.
5. Stock your house with healthy snacks and spreads like hummus, peanut butter, avocado, raw veggies and fish. If you don’t have junk food around the house, you won’t be tempted to eat it!

These five tips are just a few that can help you feel more energetic, lose baby weight and maintain a balanced mood. By planning ahead and asking for your partners help, you’ll quickly your stress melt away.