How To Pack Food When Moving
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How To Pack Food When Moving

Feb 14, 2024

Packing food is essential to ensure they are utilised. You do not want to find yourself in a situation where you are getting ready for the move and suddenly realise that you have not given the food appropriate attention.

Chances are your kitchen cupboards and pantry will contain several food supplies. Also, your refrigerator will be full, too. Simply throwing them away is wasteful and the wrong thing to do. This is where you need to be smart about how you approach this situation.

Preparing a plan should be at the top of your to-do list. It should include everything you can do to consume some food items while preparing others for the move. This way, when it is time to move, with the help of cheap removalists Melbourne, you will be fully prepared. Here is how to pack food when moving. Use this guide to ensure a successful move for your food items.

Figure out what you have

Firstly, it is highly recommended to assess how much food you actually have. See what you have left in the fridge, freezer and pantry. Position the items into multiple categories, which include:

  • Perishables (items in fridge and freezer)
  • Canned stuff (veggies, soups, fruit, legumes, etc.)
  • Non-perishables (snacks, cereal, bottled water, chips, etc.)
  • Cooking and baking supplies (sugar, flour, dry pasta, etc.)
  • Things in glass bottles (oils, alcohol, etc.)

When writing down your inventory, remember to write down the expiration date next to every item. Similarly, you can also mention how long that particular item will be edible.

Prepare a Plan

woman packing up a cardboard box

According to the best removalists Melbourne who also provide packing services Melbourne, preparing a plan is always important, whether it is for the entire moving process or anything else. Once you know what food items you have and how long they will stay fresh, deciding what to do with them is essential.

From the inventory list, understand high-priority items, i.e. items that need to be eaten as soon as possible and low-priority foods, i.e. non-perishables. Now, figure out which items you will be consuming before the move and which ones you would like to donate.

Consume the Perishables

Once you know the items you want to finish before the move, getting innovative with the recipes is highly recommended. This way, you will not only save money by refraining from going out but also avoid the requirement to throw away a lot of food, reducing waste. Let your family know about the plan before the move, as that will make it easier for you to finish up the items.

Allow everyone to come up with unique ways of cooking the food. This includes ideas like making sandwiches, frittatas, pasta dishes, rice and veggies, stir fry, soups, etc. Whichever way you go, just ensure you eat all the perishables so that nothing goes to waste.

Pack the Essential Food Items

Now, it is time to pack the food items you are bringing to your new home. As you start to pack the food, professional removalists Melbourne recommend utilising small to medium-sized moving boxes.

This is because when overstuffed with items, including glass bottles and canned goods, the large box will likely become heavy, increasing the chances of getting the inside items damaged. You must also use resealable and durable ziplock bags to avoid spills and leaks in the boxes.

This is particularly true when packing stuff like sugar, flour, soups, and opened spices. Moreover, while packing glass containers, including jams, unopened mayonnaise, etc., ensure you are securing them in waterproof ziplock bags. Before positioning them in the box, adequately protect them using bubble wrap. Lastly, ensure each and every box is labelled correctly to facilitate identification after arrival at the new home.

Toss or Donate the Non-Essential Food Items

Any food item you do not plan on eating, giving to your friends, donating, or taking to the new home must be either recycled or thrown away before the moving day comes. They can be things like expired food, which should not be given away or donated.

As for the milk containers, glass bottles, and cardboard containers, recycling them is the best option you have. It is ideal to find a local and nearby recycling drop-off point and just toss all the recyclable stuff in one go.

Ensure the Food is Ready for the Moving Day

Lastly, do not forget about the moving day and be prepared. In the process of packing, loading, and transporting items, even with the help of experienced removalists Melbourne, you are likely to get hungry at some point. This is why keeping some snacks, bottled water, and a few pre-made sandwiches near you on this busy day is highly recommended. You will likely need them during the trip, and keeping them will certainly help a lot.

Key tips to pack food during a move:

list of some great tips to pack food when moving

Wrapping Up

These are tips you can utilise to ensure you are not wasting any food, prepare and pack the essential ones for the move. Some items can be utilised, some can be tossed, and some can be packed. Knowing which ones belong to what category will help you prepare for the move adequately.