What to Do with Food When Moving

Relocating some of our items when moving may pose a certain challenge. This is the case with food, as we usually have much more food than we think we do. If you add the expiration dates, custom prohibitions, irregular shape for packing, different materials, etc. you may start thinking that all the food will go to waste since you won’t bother relocating it. The truth is you don’t have to relocate all of it, and you don’t have to throw all of it away. We have created this useful guide on what to do with food when moving to make this part of the moving process easier for you.

Make an inventory list first

Before you start making plans about what to do with your food, you should first get familiar with what you have. As we already mentioned, most of the time we have so much more items than we previously thought we had. So, get a piece of paper and a pen, or simply your phone and start writing down what you have. It is important not to skip anything, as otherwise creating the inventory list won’t make sense. Check out the food that you have in your fridge, freezer, pantry, even basement if you are storing some of the food there. With an inventory list of the food that you have, you will be able to make all the necessary decisions much easier before your relocation.

Check the expiration dates

There is a limited number of things you can do with your food before moving. You can either eat it, donate it, give it to friends and family members, pack it with you, or throw it away. Since nobody wants to see perfectly good food being thrown away, you should do all the other steps first. But, in some cases throwing items away is the only possible solution. Make sure to check the expiration dates on every item that is labeled. If the expiration date has passed, dispose of the items in the right way. Milk cartons, glass bottles, plastic, or paper can all be sorted while disposing of them.

Donate the food before moving out

If you have a lot of non-perishable food, a good idea is to donate it before the relocation. Canned goods will only make your total weight heavier and your final bill larger. It does not pay off to add weight to your belongings. You can easily go to the supermarket and buy new canned goods when you need them. On the other hand, donating them is a fantastic gesture that will make you feel great as you will help the hungry. Move for Hunger, for example, cooperates with more than 1000 moving companies across the US, and chances are high that your movers can pick up and donate the items instead of you. This will save you both time and money, and your donation will go to the hands of those who need it.

Organize a packing party and share the food

If your friends and relatives are up to it, you can give them all the food that you don’t want to take with you. You can organize a packing party where your friends and family members will come over to your home and help you pack all or most of your belongings. On the other hand, you will make dinner for them from the food you have in the house. When the party is over, you can hand them over canned goods, rice, pasta, or any other food which is not about to expire as a gift. This is a great way to get rid of the food you cannot eat, throw away, or donate.

If you don’t want to throw a packing party, you can throw a regular goodbye party and make dinner. In this case, you can even gift them some of the other belongings of yours that you don’t want to relocate – books, plants, toys, and food.

Use the food that you have before moving out of your old home

This is one of the things that will help you with your moving budget as well. Since you already have an inventory list, it will be easy to come up with different dishes that you can make. You can also use Google to learn about new ways of preparing the usual meals. Although planning a relocation can take up a lot of your time daily you must have a balanced diet. The best way to do this is to prepare meals at home. If you are moving with your family, include all the members in meal preparation. This will motivate you to use up all the food that you have in your home. Eating takeout food is great and easy, but it is also unhealthy and expensive.

Relocate the food items you have with you

This is also one of the things you can do with food when moving. You can pack it up and relocate it with you. This is especially convenient if you are moving locally. In this way, your food will survive a short journey to your new home, and you will be able to use it whenever you want. What is important is that you pack the food right so that there is no chance of any leaking, stains, or food gone bad. Here are a few tips that will help you relocate your food the right way. You can always hire local movers as they can prevent any damage.

• Use medium-sized boxes – Never use large boxes for heavier items such as canned goods, or glass bottles. Medium-sized boxes will be a perfect choice as they will not fall apart.
• Cushion the bottom of the moving box with crushed newspaper, or bubble wrap, place the items inside, and fill out the remaining space with newspaper or bubble wrap.
• Label the boxes – If you don’t label the moving boxes with food, you risk damaging the insides of the box.
• Use Ziplock bags – These plastic bags will help you keep the food inside the bag even in case it spills.

We have seen several ways how to use your food when moving. The important thing is to make a plan early on and stick to it.