6 Ways to Eat Healthy During a Busy Move
When you’re in the middle of a big move, it can be easy to forget a lot of things. Whether you are moving overseas or interstate, with so many items yet to be ticked off in your to-do list, you can end up unintentionally neglecting to do a lot of things, including eating healthily.
Continuing to have well-balanced meals and healthy eating habits, however, is important if you are preparing to move. When you have a poor diet and skip meals, you will feel tired easily and you won’t have enough energy to complete the things you set out to do. You will also have a harder time managing your stress and worries if you don’t eat healthily.
Maintaining Healthy Eating Habits Pre-Move
To ensure you always have enough energy to complete your moving checklist and cope with the accompanying stress, follow these tips on eating healthily pre-move:
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Create a weekly meal plan
Although making another plan means extra work, creating meal plans will ensure you eat healthy no matter how busy your day is.
Prioritize making healthy, bulk dishes that you can store in the fridge or freezer and reheat when you don’t have time to cook. Examples of these dishes are salads, sandwiches, chili, soups, and pasta bakes.
Keep in mind that the more nutritious options you have in your kitchen, the less likely you will make choices that are not good for you. This means ordering fewer pizzas and fried chicken dinners from the nearest fast food chain.
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Eat a balanced breakfast every day
To ensure you have the energy to pack and go through all your pre-moving activities, eat a healthy breakfast every day.
For your first meal of the day, eat foods high in protein and rich in slow-release carbohydrates. Examples of these foods are eggs, wholegrain cereals and bread, and yogurt.
Keep in mind that if you skip breakfast, your energy will start to deplete earlier in the day. Because of this, you will experience hunger that will make you reach for foods high in sugar, salt or processed foods. This will undo all the hard work you put into maintaining a healthy diet and lifestyle.
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Set a daily schedule for your meals
When you are elbow-deep in packing and other chores, it is easy to forget to eat on time. And if you don’t have any meals prepared, you will end up finishing a large bag of chips while you cook or wait for the food to be delivered.
When you know what time you will eat, you will be encouraged to think consciously about your meals and snacks throughout the day. As a result, you will avoid skipping meals and make healthier choices.
To make sure you eat on time, set alarms on your phone for snack and mealtimes.
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Stock up on healthy snacks and drinks
Packing and running other moving-related errands will make you hungry. To ensure you are eating something healthy in-between meals, keep plenty of ready-to-eat healthy snacks in the fridge and pantry.
Aside from stocking up on protein bars, crackers, and nuts in the pantry, prepare cut-up cheese and sliced fruits and vegetables in advance. Portion them out in containers that you can easily reach for when you feel hungry.
Additionally, don’t forget to keep drinking water throughout the day to keep your energy up. Keep a bottle or pitcher of water near you as you pack in each room. Green tea and freshly-squeezed fruit juices are also great options.
However, avoid carbonated and caffeinated drinks since they will make you thirstier. And this will contribute to sugar crashes and energy slumps.
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Use the ingredients you have
A week or two before moving day, check your fridge and pantry first when planning your meals. Use the proteins, vegetables, fruits, and other items you have now to create snacks and dishes.
Keep in mind that you will need to empty your fridge and pantry before the big day. As such, avoid wasting food (and money) by using your food supplies days before moving day. With an empty or nearly empty fridge and pantry, you will have an easier time cleaning the kitchen.
If you need additional ingredients, buy them in small amounts and make sure you use them before the big day. This will help eliminate questions about what to do about any leftover foods.
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Try a food delivery service
Lastly, if you really think you don’t have time to cook and really want to focus on the preparation for your move, try a meal delivery service.
Choose healthy items from the menu instead of the high-cal ones. Again, opt for salads, sandwiches, and other nutritionally-packed dishes.
To ensure you will have something to eat all day and even on the following day, order in bulk. Refrigerate the unopened containers of food and leftovers, and reheat them when you are ready to eat.
Even though you are swamped with packing, decluttering and admin tasks, don’t neglect your health. This means eating healthily even if you are busy preparing for your big move.
AUTHOR BIO
Robert Wise, Sales Administration Manager at Nuss Removals, has been a respected figure in the removals industry for over 20 years. His attention to detail and the ability to truly understand the needs of the customer have ensured the successful relocation of thousands of satisfied individuals and families. For moving and storage across Australia and around the world, Robert's wealth of experience ensures his customers are