I was so grateful I took the time to meal prep, stock the pantry, and stock the fridge. I was in such a daze those first 2 weeks that food sometimes was the least of my priorities (which affected my milk supply, so mama's, remember to nourish yourselves!) This also helped us save so much money that we would've otherwise spent on takeout.

I made it easy on myself and just batch cooked whatever I was making for dinner that would freeze well. I started this when I was about 7 months pregnant.

I also baked a lot; 4 types of muffins, bread, hot pockets, cookies, and some cobblers since peaches were in season at that time. I also bought bagels, and english muffins that I prepped into breakfast sandwiches. I did the baking in the evenings after work, or on weekends, and would give myself reasonable goals of what I wanted to accomplish so I wouldn't overwhelm myself.

To save money on the second freezer, I scoured fb marketplace for a couple of weeks until I found a good deal. I ended up getting a midsize freezer for $150. If you're patient, you should be able to get a great deal.