Cooking Gluten-Free Meals for New Parents: Make-Ahead Meals and Leftovers
My journey to Reno included two of the bumpiest, most turbulent flights of my life. By the time we landed, I had made a firm declaration: I would never fly through Las Vegas again. I was relieved to be on the ground!
Then my eldest son picked me up from the airport with a surprise. Because I had gained two hours traveling west, we had time to stop at Costco!
I recently wrote about how much I love Costco, and I really do. Still, stopping there on the way home should have been my first clue that there was work to be done.
New Days with a Newborn
My son came to the airport alone, leaving his wife and their new baby safely at home. I understood completely. I would have stayed home with my newborn, too. They live more than an hour outside Reno and had recently moved from South Carolina to northwestern Nevada—with a newborn! Between a new baby, a new house, and a new job, meal planning and laundry had understandably slipped far down the priority list.
After shopping, we began the long drive to their house and caught up on all things baby, moving, and work. When we arrived, his wife and the baby were still awake.
And there she was—the little girl I had waited so long to meet.
She is adorable and petite, just like her mommy. Holding her in my arms for the first time was even sweeter than I had imagined.
When visiting new parents, it can be difficult to know when to jump off the high dive and ask, “What do you need me to do?” The list of possible tasks was much longer than the number of days I had available, but the tiniest person in the house was naturally the highest priority. Her mommy handled the feeding, while Daddy and I shared the rocking, walking, diaper changing, and snuggling whenever he wasn’t working.
The thing I could do best was make meals.
Make-Ahead Gluten-Free Meals: Enough for Leftovers!
Cooking for people is one of the ways I show love, and it gives me great joy to serve my family this way. My son asked me to make enough food for leftovers so they could reheat meals after I returned home. That made me happy, too.
Naturally, I cooked several recipes I have been developing for Gluten Free: Now What?
Spatchcock chicken with roasted potatoes and Brussels sprouts
Grandma’s chili with beef and beans, served with cheese and Crunchmaster crackers
Stir-fried vegetables with chicken thighs, mushrooms, and a sweet-and-spicy Thai sauce over rice
There were plenty of leftovers, and some even made it into the freezer for later. I love knowing that a few future dinners were already waiting for them.
Safe Gluten-Free Options at Small Restaurants
We also tried one of the restaurants in their rural area. Eating gluten-free in the country can be dicey, and the server’s uncertainty made it clear that I couldn’t confidently trust most of the menu. A fresh cobb salad appeared to be the safest choice—and it was gigantic! I took half home, and those leftovers became part of another meal.
The rest of our visit was wonderfully quiet. We had no grand plans. We watched football and the World Series, took walks with the baby, changed diapers, and rocked her to sleep. More than once, I watched the game with my new granddaughter sleeping peacefully on my chest.
It was perfect—and the time passed far too quickly.
Heading Home with Gratitude
When it was time to leave, all three of them drove me to the airport. I hugged my son, his wife, and the granddaughter I had only just met. Then I grabbed my bags and walked toward the terminal.
I was ready to go home, but before I reached the automatic doors, tears began running down my face. I stopped and watched their car pull away from the curb. There was no sobbing or ugly crying—just a quiet stream of tears I couldn’t seem to stop.
As I walked toward security, grateful for the line that slowed me down, I breathed deeply and tried to calm myself. Then I remembered to turn my thoughts toward gratitude.
I have lived long enough to meet my eldest son’s first child.
Nothing in this life is guaranteed. I am healthy, I was able to travel, and I held that sweet baby girl against my heart. If time and God are willing, I will return and hug them all again–even though the flight might be bumpy!
Until then, there are meals in the freezer—and an abundance of gratitude in my heart.
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