Food as Medicine: What to Eat, What to Stock, and Why It Matters

A chef's guide to nourishing the fourth trimester — and how community can make it possible.

What does society get wrong about postpartum recovery?

Almost everything. But let's start with the most glaring one.

We treat postpartum recovery as an afterthought. Four weeks off. Maybe six if you're lucky. To grow a human, bring them into the world, rebuild your body, and figure out how to keep another person alive. That is what we've decided is sufficient.

It is not sufficient.

And nowhere is that more visible than in how we treat postpartum nutrition.

Food is one of the most powerful recovery tools a new mother has. Cultures around the world have known this for centuries — warming broths, mineral-rich foods, eating the rainbow, nourishing the body from the inside out. And yet in modern Western society, we hand new mothers a pamphlet and send them home.

Nobody is stocking the fridge. Nobody is making the broth. Nobody is asking — what does your body need right now to actually heal?

We are so focused on pregnancy, on the birth itself, that the moment that the baby arrives, the mother becomes almost invisible. And that's exactly when the real physical and emotional toll begins. That's when the parenting actually starts.

And it's not just birthing parents we're getting wrong. Non-birthing partners, trans identifying families, grandparents, the entire circle — everyone is navigating a profound transition with almost no support.

I want to acknowledge something important here — Washington State is doing something different. One of the reasons I love being here is that this state actually shows up for women's health in ways I haven't seen elsewhere. Postpartum doula support, birth doula support — there is real investment here in the well-being of new families. That matters. That's worth naming.

But broadly? We have it backwards.

Postpartum doesn't happen to one person. It happens to a whole family. And food is where we can start to fix that.

Are there specific foods or nutrients that make a real difference in how moms feel and heal?

Absolutely. And I want to start by saying — there is no one thing.

Each of our bodies is different. Each postpartum experience is different. The best place to start is always a diverse, rainbow-colored diet with varied produce and protein sources. That foundation is everything.

That said, here are some highlight foods I love to encourage that might not necessarily be sitting in every home right now.

Cacao

And I don't mean a chocolate bar from the checkout aisle or a packet of Swiss Miss. I mean good chocolate. Real, high-quality cacao, which is nature's antidepressant. Sourced thoughtfully and made with integrity. One brand I love and trust is Valrhona. The quality is exceptional, the sourcing is responsible, and the price point reflects what you're actually getting. Having it readily available — greeting a new mom with a warm cup while she's nursing, keeping a batch in the fridge — is such a simple and profound act of care. A mood lifter, a comfort, and a ritual all at once.

Maca

I love offering maca as a gentle but effective energy boost. Postpartum fatigue is real and relentless — and maca is a beautiful natural way to support sustained energy without the crash.

Seaweed

Cultures around the world — particularly Korean tradition with miyeokguk — have been using seaweed for postpartum recovery for centuries. And the science backs it up beautifully. Seaweed is nature's most powerful source of iodine. And iodine is everything postpartum. It supports thyroid function, regulates hormones, restores metabolism, and helps bring energy levels back after birth depletes them. Layered on top of that — iron, calcium, magnesium, folate, zinc, B12, and omega-3 fatty acids. One of the most complete healing foods on the planet. Our ancestors knew. The science just caught up.

Oats

A lactation staple backed by generations of wisdom and modern science. Simple, accessible, and deeply nourishing. Having something that requires zero effort in those early days is not a luxury — it's a lifeline.

And beyond these highlights — it always comes back to eating the rainbow. Truly diverse, colorful, intentional meals. Sweet potatoes for vitamin A. Dark leafy greens. Warming broths. Foods rich in B12, vitamin K, vitamin D, folate, and omega threes. Foods that work together to rebuild from the inside out.

And it has to be delicious. That matters just as much as the nutrition.

I've made one mom a fish, lemongrass, lime leaf, and coconut stew week after week — and she cannot get enough of it. Refreshing, revitalizing, and deeply nourishing all at once. That's the goal. Food that heals AND food that brings joy.

Because a mom who loves what she's eating is a mom who is actually going to eat it.

How can partners and support people use food to show up for a new mom?

Make it a community event if you can.

One of the most beautiful gifts you can offer a new mom is helping her set up a meal train. Find someone willing to offer their kitchen. Line up some menu items — chosen by the mom herself, because her preferences matter and this is about her. Gather people together to cook. Make it joyful. Make it intentional.

Now — that does require some organization. Someone needs to think through the flow of the kitchen. What goes in the oven versus the stovetop? What can go in the pressure cooker? How recipes layer together so nothing is chaos and everything lands at the right time. Having clear, accessible recipes that make sense for a group cooking environment is key.

But not every moment of support needs to be that organized.

Sometimes showing up for a new mom looks like dropping food on the porch and leaving. No expectation of a conversation. No need for her to perform gratitude or host you for even five minutes. Just — here is something nourishing. Go rest.

And that requires the people around her to really listen. To let her guide the moment. To create space where she can say — I am exhausted right now, I can't come to the door, please just leave it — and have that be received with grace and without hurt feelings.

The goal is to remove the mental load. Do not add to it.

So maybe it's a full meal. Maybe it's a simple recipe card with three ingredients. Maybe it's a beautiful, warm beverage waiting on her doorstep that she didn't have to think about or organize, or ask for.

The best food support asks nothing in return. It just shows up — exactly when she needs it, exactly how she needs it.

My work is guided by evidence-based insights from professionals I regularly turn to: Lily Nichols, RDN, whose research on real food nutrition during pregnancy and postpartum is among the most thorough out there; Dr. Jen Gunter, whose expertise in women's health cuts through a lot of noise; and Dr. Jessica Knurick, a Registered Dietitian with a PhD in nutrition science who educates on nutrition, public health, and food policy. Paired with my hands-on experience supporting families, my DONA certification and recent invitation to speak at the upcoming DONA conference in Seattle, and my background and ongoing education as a chef — these resources shape and enrich the postpartum support I provide.