We’re in full-on food-clearing mode, determined to eat everything in the fridge and freezer before moving day. We haven’t done a real grocery shop in over three weeks—just the occasional quick run under $30 for milk, cereal, and a few fresh fruits and vegetables. We also won’t be shopping for the next two weeks because there’s still plenty to eat. Our main goal is to avoid worrying about keeping perishable food cold while we move: there will be at least five hours between handing over the keys to our current home and receiving the keys to the new one. Even though both closings are on the same day, the bank needs time to transfer funds. So instead of packing coolers full of refrigerated items for the moving van or relying on John’s sister’s fridge, we’re concentrating on finishing what’s in our fridge and freezer first.
To make the process manageable, I created a simple, strategic system—because I’m a sucker for lists. At first I wrote a long, jumbled list of all the random items we needed to use up, but it felt chaotic and overwhelming. So I organized everything into meal categories: breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snack/dessert. Grouping foods by when we would eat them made the plan practical and easy to follow. Now we have the list posted on the fridge and we cross things off as we finish them. It keeps meal decisions fast and helps us avoid waste.
- Breakfast:
- eggs
- oatmeal
- waffles
- smoothies
- Lunch:
- peas and carrot sides (J)
- broccoli soup (S)
- grilled cheese (J & S)
- turkey, cheese, & deli flats (J & S)
- tuna on wasa crackers (S)
- laughing cow cheese or almond butter on wasa crackers (S)
- Dinner:
- breakfast-for-dinner omelette with frozen vegetables
- pot stickers with frozen vegetables
- burritos and frozen vegetables
- pancakes with mixed berries
- spaghetti
- frozen Amy’s pizza and alexa fries
- sides to eat ASAP: brown rice & couscous
- Snacks & Dessert:
- pumpkin bread
- ice cream
- tea
- mixed nuts & pistachios
Crossing items off the list gives us small wins and a clear visual of what remains. We plan meals around the perishability and quantity of items: anything that must be used within a day or two is bumped to the top of the rotation, while frozen items become backup meals. This strategy has kept us on track—there are still a few servings of pasta, several packets of pot stickers, and a mountain of Wasa crackers to carry us through to moving day.
If you’re facing a similar situation—moving soon, trying to save money, or simply cutting down on food waste—here are a few practical tips that worked for us:
- Make a visible, categorized list and post it on the fridge. Seeing it frequently prevents impulse purchases and helps plan daily meals.
- Prioritize items by perishability. Use fresh dairy, produce, and cooked foods first; save frozen goods for later in the week.
- Create simple combo meals that use multiple items at once—omelettes, stir-fries, burritos, and grilled cheese are great for clearing out odds and ends.
- Plan a few “clean-out” dinners where the goal is to use a variety of leftovers rather than worrying about matching flavors perfectly.
- If you have to transport food, pack a cooler for the most perishable things and keep an inventory to avoid accidentally moving spoiled items.
- Consider donating unopened, nonperishable foods if you find you can’t use them up before the move.
We’ve even slipped into playful routines—Sunday pancake breakfasts or “breakfast for dinner” nights—which make the process feel less like a chore and more like a challenge. Growing up, we had a predictable weekly rotation of meals, and there’s something comforting about routine; I still miss Wednesday night pizza dinners. For now, though, our goal is simple: eat what we have, reduce waste, and keep moving stress-free.
P.S. I know the recent posts haven’t been very DIY-heavy (turkey comas are to blame), but we’ll soon share homemade holiday gift ideas, a free downloadable calendar, and another home-related video—so stay tuned.
P.P.S. Anyone else watch Dexter last night? We couldn’t sleep afterward—so intense!
UPDATE: We posted a follow-up showing how the fridge clean-out went and what worked best in the final days before the move.