A woman facing an open refrigerator with food inside with her hand on her head

What to Do With Perishable Food When Moving

Handling Perishable Food When Moving

There’s a lot that goes into packing for a move. From tallying every book you own to protecting valuable furniture, it can be a daunting task. Just when you think you’re ready to go…you open the refrigerator.

What to do with the half-full bottle of ketchup, carton of milk, and those eggs you just bought? We’ve got some tips on what to do with perishable food before leaving your home.

Distance Matters

Whether it’s prudent to take food from your refrigerator or freezer over to your new home depends on how far you’ll be traveling. If you’re moving across town, you can likely move the food over with no problem. But if your trip will take several hours or more, it may put more of a strain trying to keep items cold.

If you have a short trip, it may be a good idea to pack up your food into coolers or insulated containers and move it before the rest of your belongings.

Plan Ahead

With some planning, you can minimize the food left for you to take on your move. A few weeks before the move, do a final grocery run to stock up on essentials. Plan meals ahead of time and look for recipes that use the items left in your refrigerator.

Throw out items that you don’t need or that may go bad during your travels. You may be able to gift some items to family and friends if you don’t want to travel with them.

You can also consider donating nonperishable items to a local cause to further lighten your moving load. For example, we partner with Move for Hunger, an organization that takes nonperishable food that people don’t want to take with them during a move and gives it to those in need. Visit their website or consult with one of our team members to see how you can donate.

Also, make sure you have the coolers and ice necessary to move perishable items before the big day.

Complete Customer Satisfaction

Moving doesn’t have to be a stressful and worrisome event, which is why the experts at Murphy Moving & Storage are dedicated to making the process run as smoothly as possible. Contact our team today at (866) 719-4209 for a free estimate on your move.

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