Easy meals to keep you fueled during moving week

We’re not going to lie, moving is exhausting. The process always comes with a certain amount of stress. It’s during these long, active days that it can be easy to ignore our basic needs while trying to narrow down the to-do list. It’s crucial to stay hydrated, well-fed and rested to avoid burnout, energy crashes and mood swings.

Hearty food gives you strength and keeps you grounded during the hustle. It can be so easy to skimp on meals, opt for fast food, or skip meals altogether. This leads to even more stress, both mental and physical. 

The key to functioning at your optimum during a moving day is eating well. To do this, it’s a good idea to have a food plan that you work on ahead of time. The more prep you do in the week leading up to moving, the more time you will have for moving day tasks. 

Moving day meal and snack ideas 

If you are preparing food ahead, you might as well prepare large portions, so that your dinners can also be lunches the next day.

• One-pot meals and sheet pan dinners are great for meal prep, offering multiple servings per dish.
• Hearty sandwiches and wraps are a great moving week meal option because you can make a bunch at the same time. Best of all, you can feed the whole family. 
• Rice bowls can be stored in the fridge and microwaved in a moment, which is especially convenient when you're busy with last-minute prep before moving day.
• High-protein snacks keep everyone fueled between meals. This is especially needed for children who always seem to be hungry.

One-pot wonders

If you make big enough pots of food, you can freeze half for the following week after moving day, when you are unpacking and setting up your new home. Guaranteed, you will appreciate the convenience.

Chilli

The nice thing about chilli is that you can make it either with meat or vegetarian, and it is equally delicious either way. Beef, bison and venison can be used for the meat, and with black or pinto beans. Serve over rice for extra bulk, and make it extra delicious by melting cheese on top and serving with tortilla chips.

Lentil Curry

Another classic that can feed many at once. Just fry some onions, add veggies and ginger, cooked lentils and either crushed tomatoes or a can of coconut milk. Stir in a few spoonfuls of curry paste or powder, and it’s done.

For a more authentic curry, fry your favourite curry spices in the oil with the onions. Think turmeric, cumin, coriander, mustard seeds, etc. Serve over rice and garnish with cilantro (use parsley if you hate cilantro). 

Beef Stew

Pretty self-explanatory, beef in broth with hearty root vegetables and some celery. For an exciting twist, make a Thai beef stew. Season it with fish sauce, garlic, ginger, galangal root, lemongrass, kaffir lime leaves, and Thai basil or cilantro. 

Seafood Chowder

This is especially delicious if you live near the ocean and can access fresh seafood. Popular variations include: 

• New England Clam Chowder
• Manhattan Clam Chowder
• Pacific Northwest Salmon Chowder
• Corn and Crab Chowder
• Mixed Seafood Chowder (with mussels, clams, scallops, shrimp, etc.)
• Lobster Chowder

Sheet pan dinners

Mac’n’Cheese

An American classic that is popular with kids (you can’t go wrong with cheese-based dishes). For extra protein, you can add cut-up smokies or BBQ tempeh. You can spice things up with cumin, smoked paprika, parsley and green onion. 

Lasagna

Lasagna is another easy, feel-good dish to prepare. You can go for classic beef or even vegetarian. It involves a little more prep than other meals, so make two dishes at a time if you can. 

Shepherd's Pie

Everyone loves a good shepherd’s pie with delicious gravy. For vegetarians, you can make a base out of lentils with tomato paste, spices, tamari and liquid smoke to make it rich, and add lots of onions and garlic. Don’t forget the miso gravy! To keep things interesting, use sweet potatoes or yams for the mashed topping. 

Quiche

While quiche isn’t really a dinner food, it's great to have for breakfast or lunch, and easy to pop in the microwave or even eat cold. You can use pretty much any vegetable you have, making it a good way to use up extra produce before moving day. 

Sandwiches and wraps

The sky’s the limit with sandwiches, which can be wrapped individually. Use reusable beeswax wraps as an eco-friendly alternative to single-use plastic. 

Wrap ideas

• Chicken with Caesar salad and roasted garlic
• Salmon with lemon, fresh veggies, lettuce and tzatziki 
• Falafel and lettuce, veggies, hummus and tzatziki
• Roast beef with lettuce, fresh veggies and horseradish

Hearty rice bowls

Make and store all the different ingredients separately in the fridge. At mealtime, assemble the bowls, pop them in the microwave or oven to heat up, and pour the sauce on at the end. Repeat as necessary.

Mexican-style rice bowl

These bowls can have rice, beans, cheeses, roasted hot peppers, stir-fried bell peppers, carrots and cabbage. You can be served with salsas, sour cream, avocado, and cilantro as a garnish. 

Thai peanut rice bowl

Make or buy a peanut sauce, add it to rice, and your choice of cooked protein–this can be chicken, shrimp, tempeh or tofu. Top with stir-fried vegetables and more sauce, and garnish with cilantro, Thai basil and toasted sesame seeds. 

Protein snacks

It’s always a good idea to have a selection of snacks, especially if you are moving with children.

• High-protein snacks will keep you fueled enough to accomplish all of the physical demands of moving.
• Your kids will stay nourished for the long days of activity and stimulation.
• Seniors and people with blood-sugar issues will also benefit from quality protein throughout the day. 

High-protein snacks to keep handy on moving day

• Hard-boiled eggs
• Trail mixes
• Hummus and crackers with veggies.
• Charcuterie-style snacks, including cheeses, meats, olives, crackers, fruit, chopped veggies, dates and nuts. 
• Roasted nuts and seeds.
• Guacamole and tortilla chips.

Shopping tips before your move

1. Plan to use what you have: Focus on using up perishables, frozen items, and pantry staples. Plan meals around what’s already in your fridge and freezer to avoid waste. It also means you have fewer pantry items to pack and move. 

1. Buy only the essentials: During the week before your move, stick to basics like bread, milk, eggs, fruit, or snacks you know will get eaten. Buy just enough to last until moving day.

1. Skip bulk items: Avoid buying in bulk or anything heavy, like canned goods or big bags of flour. These things just add more weight to move.

1. Load up on portable, no-cook foods: Get some no-cook options like nuts, yogurt, fruit, or hummus and crackers to avoid relying on a packed-up kitchen.

1. Use reusables or compostables: If your dishware is packed, use reusable containers, beeswax wraps, or compostable plates and cutlery. This is a great way to reduce waste while staying practical.

READ: A Complete Guide to Moving Sustainably in Canada

Food storage hacks for moving day

Designate a box or bin for “Moving-day meals”. Include the following: 

• Can opener, cutlery, napkins (reusable or unbleached is best), and Tupperware. 
• Salt, pepper, hot sauce. 
• Cooler bags with ice packs
• Reusable water bottles with filtered water.
• Hand soap 

Get the support you need on moving day

It can be tricky juggling everything alone on moving day. The trusted movers at Wise Move can bring ease to your moving day by handling the hard stuff while you focus on keeping your family fed and energized.