Moving day is quickly approaching and it’s time for you to complete those last-minute tasks like packing the fridge, freezer, and pantry. Even if you tried to use as much food as possible before the move, chances are your kitchen is still well-stocked with everything from canned goods and baking supplies to frozen food and a few perishables. Luckily, there are plenty of tips and tricks for packing up your fridge and pantry without wasting all of your food.

Use as Much Food as Possible Before the Move

About a week or two before you move, you need to stop buying so many groceries. Instead, try to use up as much of your existing food as possible. This mainly goes for things like fresh meats, produce, dairy, and eggs. It can be difficult to move an entire fridge full of perishable items so get creative with your meal plans those last couple of weeks and use up whatever you can.

Throw Out Expired Items

It’s time to go through your refrigerator, freezer, and pantry and check expiration dates. Go ahead and toss anything that is expired or about to expire. It’s not worth the hassle of moving food that has or will go bad very quickly. Scour the pantry and fridge for things like opened bags of snacks, unsealed condiments, defrosted meats, anything with freezer burn, leftovers, opened beverages, or old spices and baking ingredients.

Box Up Your Dry Goods

About a week before the move, you can go ahead and start packing your canned and dry goods. Things like rice, dried beans, dried pasta, canned goods, and unopened cereals and snacks can all be packed inside boxes. This should empty out a good portion of your pantry.  Next, check your spices to make sure the lids are on tight. Then, wrap glass jars with bubble wrap and carefully pack them inside the box. Once your dry goods are packed, seal the box and label it.

Invest in Plastic Food Storage Containers

You can actually take your opened snacks, chips, and cereal with you if you take the time to store it in airtight plastic containers. Not only will these containers keep your food from getting stale, but it will keep dirt and debris from getting into your food so you can pack it. These containers come in a  variety of shapes and sizes and are perfect for snacks, cereal, crackers, flour, sugar, and plenty of other baking ingredients.

Pack a Cooler

If you are moving locally, you can pack up a cooler or two with some of your fridge or freezer items. You can pack condiments and other refrigerated items as well as frozen meats and any other frozen foods. Simply pack them in a cooler with ice and then unpack them first when you arrive at your new home.

Pack an Essentials Box

You are probably going to be keeping things simple for those first few days in your new home but it can be helpful to have a few ingredients on hand in case you want to make an easy meal. This could include things like coffee, dry pasta and a jar of sauce, cans of tuna and bread, cups of soup that can be warmed in the microwave, and a few unopened snacks.

Donate to a Local Food Pantry

Finally, if you still have items left over, you can always donate them to a local food bank. You can organize a drop-off yourself or some organizations will even come to you to pick it up. Either way, it’s a great way to make use of food instead of throwing it away.