What to Eat When You’re Tired and Time-Poor: Easy Recipes for Intuitive Mums
- Li Tan
- Jul 22
- 5 min read
Motherhood changes everything — including how we eat.
Before kids, maybe you had time to sit down for breakfast. Or actually enjoy your cup of tea hot. But now? You’re probably grabbing snacks between feeds, finishing cold toast, or skipping meals altogether because the baby’s crying or the toddler needs help.
Sound familiar?
You’re not alone. So many mums are exhausted, overwhelmed, and living off crumbs — literally and emotionally. And while food might feel like just another thing to deal with, it can also be one of your most powerful tools for feeling more balanced, steady, and supported.
That’s where Ayurveda comes in.
Ayurveda is an ancient system of wellness from India, and it has a simple message that every mum deserves to hear:
When you’re nourished, everything feels easier.
Not just physically — but emotionally, mentally, and even in how you show up as a parent.
Ayurveda looks at food not just as fuel, but as medicine. It teaches that the way you eat — what you eat, when you eat, and how it feels in your body — directly affects your mood, energy, digestion, sleep, and overall wellbeing. That means small changes in your meals can ripple out into your whole day (and your family’s too).
And no — this doesn’t mean spending hours cooking from scratch.
It means choosing warm, simple, easy-to-digest meals that comfort your nervous system, support your digestion, and help you feel more like you — even on the tough days.
In this blog, you’ll learn:
Why food matters more than ever in motherhood
How Ayurveda helps reduce overwhelm and burnout
Five easy, nourishing recipes for busy mums
Gentle ways to bring these ideas into real, messy mum-life
Ready to feel more grounded and nourished — without making things harder?
Let’s start in the kitchen.
Why Food Matters So Much in Motherhood
When you’re a mum, food often becomes an afterthought. You might eat standing up, skip meals without realising, or survive on coffee and half-eaten crackers from your toddler’s plate.
But here’s the thing: Your body is doing big work. Whether you’re pregnant, breastfeeding, recovering, or simply chasing small humans all day, you are constantly giving. That means your body, mind, and heart need replenishing.
In Ayurveda, food is seen as a direct source of energy, mood, clarity, and emotional steadiness. If you’ve ever felt:
More teary or overwhelmed after skipping a meal
Anxious or wired after too much sugar or coffee
Completely wiped out by 3pm…you’ve felt the effects of what Ayurveda calls imbalance — and food is one of the gentlest ways to bring things back into harmony.
So What Can Ayurveda Actually Do for Busy Mums?
Ayurveda helps you:
Eat in ways that support your digestion and reduce bloating
Feel calmer and more grounded (instead of wired or scattered)
Rebuild energy after birth, sickness, or broken sleep
Handle the emotional ups and downs of motherhood with more steadiness
And you don’t have to follow a strict diet or learn a whole new system. Just warming up your meals, adding a few key spices, and creating simple food rhythms can make a huge difference.
Let’s get into it.
5 Nourishing, Mum-Friendly Meals to Try This Week
These recipes are:
✔️ Warm and grounding (great for digestion and emotional balance)
✔️ Easy to prep with minimal cleanup
✔️ Kid-friendly and adaptable
✔️ Designed to reduce stress, not add to it
Creamy Veggie-Loaded Sweet Potato Mash
Perfect for: When you want comfort food with a nutritional punch
Why it helps: Sweet potato is naturally grounding and gentle on digestion. It helps calm a frazzled nervous system and keeps energy stable. Sweet potato and ghee support vata balance — calming anxiety, boosting energy, and grounding scattered feelings common in motherhood.
Ingredients:
1 large sweet potato, peeled and chopped
1/2 cup frozen peas or spinach
1 small zucchini, chopped
A splash of milk (plant or dairy)
A knob of butter or ghee
Salt, pepper, and a pinch of cumin (optional)
Method: Boil sweet potato, zucchini, and peas until soft. Drain and mash with butter and milk. Add optional spices. Serve with eggs or beans for extra protein.
Slow Cooker Chicken & Rice Porridge
Perfect for: Postpartum days, sick kids, or those evenings you just can’t cook
Why it helps: This soothing one-pot meal is deeply nourishing, easy to digest, and comforting when you’re run down or overstimulated. Warm, soupy meals like this are a cornerstone of postpartum and restorative care in Ayurveda — supporting ojas (vitality) and calming the digestive system.
Ingredients:
1 cup jasmine or basmati rice
5–6 cups water or chicken bone broth
1 chicken thigh or breast
1 small piece of ginger (grated)
Salt, spring onion, and coriander to serve
Method:
Add all ingredients to a slow cooker or pot. Cook on low 4–6 hours until the rice breaks down. Shred chicken before serving.
One-Pan Veggie Frittata with Herbs (Fridge-Cleanout Friendly)
Perfect for: A quick lunch or light dinner with easy cleanup
Why it helps: Packed with protein and veggies, this meal is satisfying without being heavy. Cooking the veggies makes them easier to digest than a raw salad. Cooked food with warming herbs supports your agni (digestive fire), which is essential for energy, mental clarity, and immune strength.
Ingredients:
4–6 eggs
1/2 cup milk or cream
1 cup chopped veg (spinach, capsicum, grated carrot)
Fresh parsley or thyme
Olive oil, salt & pepper
Method:
Whisk eggs, milk, herbs, and seasoning. Lightly sauté veggies in an oven-safe pan, pour in egg mix, and bake at 180°C for 15–20 mins.
Simple Kitchari (Ayurvedic Rice + Lentil Stew)
Perfect for: A reset day, postpartum care, or soothing a bloated tummy
Why it helps: Kitchari is soft, warming, easy on the gut, and deeply balancing — especially when you feel off-centre. Kitchari is considered a cleansing and healing food in Ayurveda — ideal for busy mums needing gentle nourishment, regularity, and calm.
Ingredients:
1/2 cup split mung dal or red lentils
1/2 cup basmati rice
1 tbsp ghee or olive oil
1/2 tsp each: cumin, turmeric, ginger
1–2 cups chopped veggies
4 cups water or veggie broth
Method:
Heat ghee, toast spices, add rinsed rice and lentils. Stir in water and veggies, simmer 30–40 mins until soft. Add salt to taste.
Spiced Apple & Oat Porridge (Warm Hug in a Bowl)
Perfect for: A grounding breakfast or calming night snack
Why it helps: This sweet, gently spiced porridge satisfies cravings and supports steady energy — no crash later. Warm, spiced breakfasts are recommended to anchor the day — especially helpful for vata imbalance (think: forgetfulness, mood swings, dry skin, anxiety).
Ingredients:
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup milk or water
1/2 apple, chopped
Pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg
Drizzle of honey or maple syrup
Method:
Simmer everything together on low heat until soft and creamy. Top with a spoon of almond butter for extra richness.
Gentle Ways to Start Bringing Ayurveda Into Mum Life
You don’t need to go all-in to get the benefits. Start small. Here are three simple ideas:
✅ Eat something warm at each meal — even if it’s just heating your sandwich
✅ Add spices like ginger, cumin, or cinnamon to support digestion
✅ Give yourself a regular mealtime instead of grazing all day
Food as Motherhood Medicine
In Ayurveda, there’s a beautiful reminder:
“When the mother is well, the family is well.”
Food isn’t just about fuelling your day. It’s about feeling steady in your body, clear in your mind, and supported in your heart — so you can show up for yourself and your kids.
You deserve to feel nourished.
You deserve ease.
And it can start with what’s on your plate tonight.
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