If you have children, dinnertime can be challenging on a typical night. Schedules are busy. Every person in the house requests something different. And sometimes, it’s hard to find the time and energy to make a meal that will satisfy everyone. Throw a move into the mix, and mealtimes might become a source of stress for you during an already stressful time. You might be thinking, “How will I feed my kids and keep everyone happy while not breaking the bank on moving day?”
The key to meals during a move is meal planning. Plan meals that stick to a budget and leave every tummy full and every mouth happy. Here are five tips for meal planning on moving day.
1. Freezer Meals
If the drive to your new home isn’t too far, freezer meals are a great time saver at the end of an exhausting day. You’ll thank yourself for making freezer meals you can pop in the oven, Crock Pot, or Instant Pot the days following your move. You can make it well in advance before your short-distance movers arrive and keep it in the freezer so it doesn’t get in the way of your packing and other moving tasks, and it won’t take away from your unpacking when you arrive. Some filling freezer meal ideas include:
- Stuffed Shells
- Baked Chicken Fajitas
- Lasagna
- Enchiladas
- Meatballs
- Sloppy Joe Stuffed Peppers
- Homemade Mac n Cheese
- Protein Bowls
2. On-The-Go Breakfast
Think muffins, grab-and-go burritos, smoothies, or anything else easy to grab. If you have a cooler with you and your journey to the new destination includes hotels, consider burritos that you can quickly microwave in a hotel room. Muffins packed with protein are a great, portable breakfast meal that will keep your family full and happy till the next meal.
3. Mason Jar Salads
Anything looks yummier in a mason jar. A few days before your move, inventory all the meats, veggies, and grains you have left. Now think about what kind of salads you can make with what you’ve got. Starting at the bottom of the mason jar:
- Layer 1 (bottom): Add 2-4 tablespoons of your favorite dressing or whichever one you have.
- Layer 2: Add any non-absorbent veggies that won’t soak up the dressing. Examples include carrots, tomatoes, snap peas, and garbanzo beans.
- Layer 3: Soft veggies and grains.
- Layer 4: The main ingredient of your salad should ideally be lettuce or greens. Adding lettuce here will keep the other ingredients from getting soggy.
- Layer 5 (top): Garnish or Protein. This is where you put nuts, seeds, or your protein of choice. Make sure to put this on the day of the move to avoid spoilage.
4. Prep and Portion Out Snacks
Chances are, your kids will be asking for snacks the entire drive to your new home because that’s what we tend to do when we are bored: eat. To keep track of what your family eats, consider portioning snacks for each person so they each get an equal amount, and you can monitor their intake. Use Ziploc bags or Tupperware containers to measure snack portions and keep things fair. Great moving day snack ideas include:
- Crackers
- Granola bars
- Nuts
- Trail Mix
- Apple slices
- Veggies
- Goldfish crackers
5. A Batch of Chili or Soup
If you’re moving in the wintertime, a great idea is to make a batch of chili or soup a couple of days before your move so you can heat it anytime. This is a great meal to prepare in advance and have for dinner once you arrive at your new home because the last thing you want to do after a long day of moving is to dig through your kitchen supplies and cook dinner. Chili and hearty soups are also very filling, so they can stand independently, and you won’t have to worry about preparing sides for extra substance. This is also a great way to use up any cans of beans you want to get rid of before moving.
Moving day is always a busy day full of tasks, but don’t forget that you must also eat. Even though you may be too stressed to eat, you best believe your kids will ask for something to munch on when they get hungry or bored. Planning mealtimes in advance will ensure you’re not scrambling to figure out meals and snacks while your packing and movers are there. Meal prepping for easy and healthy meals will help you know exactly how much you spent on food and will enable you to monitor how much food and snacks your family ate. This can also be an excellent test for any future moves. Did you pack way too much food? Not enough? Everyone will be happy with a bit of meal planning. You’ll be pleased that it’s one less thing to check off the list on the day of the move, and your family will be happy with food in front of them.