Three tips for eating healthy during your next move

Moves are incredibly stressful. It doesn't matter if you're moving into a new apartment, house or mobile home somewhere in the DFW Metroplex. Any type of move, especially a move that involves a lot of property, cleaning or setup, can disrupt healthy eating habits. You might forget to eat meals at normal times while trying to complete move-related tasks in a hurry. The appliances might not work when you arrive because the electric company doesn't have the power turned on after an outage or scheduling error. You might simply decide that unhealthy eating habits, such as eating fast foods or snacks and beverages that contain a lot of fatigue- and irritation- causing sugar, sodium and carbohydrates, are less time-consuming and more affordable. You can eat healthy on the day of your move and the days and possibly weeks that follow while you're settling into your new residence. You merely need to prepare ahead and keep the health of you and your loved ones in mind: Invest in one or more high-end coolers There's nothing worse than being stuck in a new home without working electricity and air conditioning except perhaps not having enough great food and beverages to get you though a trying time. The best way to guarantee that you have some of the staples along with cold drinks is with one or more high-end coolers designed to keep healthy perishables safe to enjoy. As long as you don't open the lid of one of these coolers constantly, you can typically wait to replace the ice for up to seven or even potentially <i>10 to 14</i> days. Invest in several small coolers or a 150-quart or larger cooler that acts like a chest freezer. Whatever option you choose should have at least two-inch thick walls for insulation, a tight lid seal with a freezer-grade gasket, strong handles and a durable construction that won't break easily from a few bumps or general use. If you go with a larger cooler, make certain it has dividers so that you can separate food, snacks and drinks into different top-down compartments. Create two separate healthy eating plans It's again important to think beyond the first two or three days. You should have one plan that takes into consideration short-term finger and spoon foods designed for eating on the go. For example, you might make sandwiches from low-sodium bread or wraps, deli meats and cheeses; yogurt and granola or fresh grape, blueberry, banana, strawberry and apple cups; mini salads with precooked chicken or tuna, spinach, cucumber and beans; crackers and cheese snacks; and baggies of nuts and raisins or cut celery, broccoli and cauliflower. The second plan should take into account emergencies that could last several days or weeks. For example, with the breakfast portion of a long-term plan, you might prepare in sealed containers or baggies dried and fresh fruit, granola bars, cereals, apple and nut butters, biscuits, muffins and even oatmeal raisin cookies. The key is to prepare ahead ingredients and basic meals and snacks before you even move so that you're not later making poor eating decisions or wasting time and increasing irritation while tired performing these tasks, searching for ingredients at an unfamiliar grocery store or waiting in a long checkout line. Pick food items that make sense Obviously, your healthy eating plans should include foods and beverages that make sense for your specific situation, food preferences and dietary goals. That said, you should in general consider ingredients that you can quickly throw together to create a variety of meal options. For example, in addition to the ideas and ingredients already mentioned, consider food stuffs that can handle some exposure to heat like canned fruits or low-sodium and low-oil root and leaf vegetable chips made of sweet potatoes, beets, zucchini or kale. Invest in small bottles of juice and sparkling water so that you can mix refreshing, carbonated drinks. Of course, don't forget to prepare seasonings and condiments for taste. If you own an outdoor grill, prepare cuts of lean meats and vegetables for grilling and kebabs. At Same Day Moving Small Mini Movers, we do more than provide transport for short notice and same day moves. We believe in providing residents of the Metroplex with the information they need to make their small, medium or large move easy, efficient and healthy. Our professional team is available to make your move less stressful and healthier. We offer additional in-person guidance and our services also include packing and unpacking options. Contact us today for more information.