Congratulations; you’ve decided to move!
It’s an exciting time and you’ve got a lot going on – contacting movers, hunting for boxes, and of course, hiring Mission 2 Organize to help you organize the entire process. The last thing on your mind is preparing and cooking meals, right?
While it can be difficult to put healthy meals on the table at such a hectic time, being intentional with your meal planning can save you money, keep your family fed and allow you to have a bit of normalcy during all the chaos.
Not sure how to juggle moving logistics and meal planning at the same time? Not to worry! We’ve got plenty of ideas to help you manage it all.
Eating properly will not only keep you feeling good, but it will also give you the energy you need to accomplish everything before and on your big move day.
Here are a few things you might want to try implementing so you can have a home-cooked meal on the table as often as possible:
1. Edit. Yes, decluttering can be part of your meal planning! Removing expired food (that you thought you’d like but didn’t end up using) can make your meal planning easier. Avoid sorting and packing items you know you won’t use anyway.
Once you’ve decluttered, don’t forget to donate anything that is still edible to a local food pantry, family or friends. They’ll love you for your generosity and you’ll have less stuff to worry about moving!
2. Take inventory. After you’ve decluttered, go through your pantry, refrigerator and freezer making note of which and how many items you have left. This will help you to figure out which meals you can make in the days to come.
3. Plan a menu based on your inventory. Once you’ve got an idea of what you have, plan meals that will use your cold/perishable items or fresh produce first as those can be most difficult to move. Input your ingredients on a recipe site like AllRecipes to find recipes that use all or most of your inventory. If you find that you have a large quantity of something (ie. meat or chicken), choose a diverse variety of meals that will use up that particular ingredient.
4. Cook in bulk, if possible. Early in the move process, set aside some time to cook several meals at once. In doing so, you’ll free up your time later when things get really busy as you’ll be able to skip the prep process and simply defrost and cook. Some bulk meal options include: lasagna, chili or chicken pot pie.
5. Choose meals that are simple and quick. If you can’t do bulk cooking, consider meals that:
- You can prep and cook in 30 minutes or less
- Don’t have too many steps
- Don’t consist of too many ingredients
- Don’t require a lot of cookware (think crockpot or InstantPot)
- Aren’t too messy (so clean-up is a breeze)
Choosing these types of meals will give you more time to focus on your move while still providing healthy meal options.
6. Get creative in your meal planning. If you’ve ever watched the Food Network show, Chopped, then you know that the chefs are given a few ingredients (usually strange and rarely used) and are then expected to create a gourmet meal. During a move, you need to get a Chopped-like mentality, too! Consider how you can use the canned goods, frozen items or boxed foods you have in new and creative ways. You might actually be surprised at how much you like what you’ve created and discover new meals and tastes for your family to enjoy.
7. Keep your kitchen situation at the front of your mind. As the big day draws closer, you’ll likely be packing away your most used kitchen essentials, which means you’ll be using disposable utensils and plates. A lot. With that in mind, plan meals that can be easily eaten with portable/disposable dishware without an issue.
{Not sure what to pack and when? Grab our FREE kitchen packing checklist to guide you through the process! Simply click here!}
8. Be flexible. Moving is a hard process. There will be days when things go smoothly and other days when it feels like you didn’t get anything done. On the difficult days, take a guilt-free approach, be flexible and let takeout be your dinner option. Or make a simple breakfast for dinner instead. You’ve got enough to worry about without letting expectations and guilt overtake you.
Simple Move Meal Options
If you’re stuck on ideas for move meal options, here a few you might want to consider or let inspire you:
Breakfast – cereal, yogurt, oatmeal, toast, fruit, smoothies, quiche/fritattas
Lunch – leftovers, sandwiches or wraps, salads, soups
Dinner – casseroles, soups, tacos, pan dinners, stir fry
Snacks – fruit, protein bars
Bonus Tip
Be sure to keep yourself and your move day helpers well-hydrated!
With all your move preparations, it can be difficult to focus on meal planning or even sitting down at the table as a family to eat. No one expects you to be Julia Child during such a crazy time, but that doesn’t mean you can’t put a home cooked meal on the table despite being surrounded by boxes and packing materials. Take our tips and inspiration, mix it with your effort and you’ll be able to move your prized possessions and feed your loved ones without the stress!
How could these meal planning ideas help you during a move? Leave a comment and let us know!
