How to pack canned goods for moving

by Ethan Greenfieldon May 30, 2023.

The crazy-busy period of getting ready to move from one place to another is also the time when you will be forced to make tons of move-related decisions.

Now, some of those decisions will be critically important for the overall success of the entire operation – for example, which professional moving company you choose as your relocation partner.

Other decisions – such as what to do with your food supplies as Moving day approaches – won’t be as critical as picking a mover. However, you will still need to rely on your good judgment to do what’s best for your various food items before you move away.

As you well know, it’s just wrong to throw away perfectly good food. So, there’s a good chance that you make up your mind to take with you some, or maybe even all of the canned goods you currently have in the house.

And if that’s the case, then you’re going to need to know the best way to pack canned goods for moving.

Pros and cons of moving canned goods

The very first question is whether you should bother packing and moving your canned goods at all. Well, you shouldn’t be surprised to find out that there are advantages and disadvantages of each scenario, and understanding those pros and cons will help you make an informed decision that you won’t regret after the move.

It’s useful to know that canned ingredients fall into 5 food groups:

Fruits: peaches, pears, pineapple, grapefruit, etc.
Vegetables: corn, beans, mushrooms, carrots, tomatoes, etc.
Grains: pasta, noodle soup, etc.
Dairy: evaporated milk
Protein: tuna, shrimp, salmon, chicken, kidney beans, chickpeas, lentils, etc.

Pros: Why you should pack and move canned goods

Canned foods, especially canned fruits and vegetables, have similar nutritional value to those foods in fresh and frozen states. The reason for this is that they are harvested and canned at the peak of their ripeness, so their flavor and nutrients are preserved perfectly.
Canned foods have a long shelf life, meaning that they can be stored safely in the pantry when you and your family need the cans. Keep in mind that canned goods can significantly shorten the time you need to prepare home-cooked meals while they still offer great nutritional value and great taste.
Canned goods are generally affordable. What’s more, you can go ahead and stock up your favorite canned foods when they are on sale so that you can have them within easy reach every time you need them.

Cons: Why you should think twice before packing and moving canned goods

Be mindful that canned goods can be relatively heavy, especially when they are packed together inside a moving container. Ultimately, you will need to do the math and decide whether moving a few boxes with canned foods will be worth it from a financial point of view.

Materials needed for packing canned goods

You’ve already made up your mind to move some or all of the canned items you own. So far, so good. But what’s the next step?

Not surprisingly, you’re going to have to prepare the packing materials for the job. Here’s what you’ll need to pack canned goods properly for moving:

Sturdy moving boxes. You’re going to need strong cardboard boxes so that they can withstand the weight of the canned items. If you’re using second-hand boxes, inspect those containers carefully and make sure they are as sturdy as they can be.
Plastic bins. The best way to transport your canned foods is inside plastic boxes. It’s easy to guess why – plastic containers are super strong and durable and there’s practically zero chance of them breaking under the weight of the load. The only downside is that they are much more expensive than cardboard boxes.
Packing paper or newspaper. You’ll need paper to provide an extra layer of protection for each canned item and offer extra cushioning inside the containers. And since canned goods are not delicate in any way, you can use free sheets of newspaper for the job.
Bubble wrap. Consider using pieces of discarded bubble wrap for extra cushioning inside the boxes.
Packing tape. Regular packing tape should work just fine.
Marker for labeling. Prepare a black marker to label the boxes when you pack them up.

How to prepare canned goods and boxes for packing

Before you can begin the packing task, you’ll need to spend a bit of time preparing the canned goods and the boxes for proper packing. Here’s what you need to do in particular:

1. Inventory the canned goods

Go through all the canned items you have in the pantry and inventory each one. Make sure the ones you’re taking with you are ones you truly like because it surely wouldn’t be worth the trouble otherwise.

Also, check the expiration date on each can and eliminate the ones that have already expired. The last thing you’d want is to haul canned foods all the way to the new place only to find out you can’t actually use them after the move.

2. Prepare the boxes for packing

If you plan to use cardboard boxes to transport your canned goods, then you just have to reinforce their bottoms so that no accidents occur on Moving day and later on the road.

Use packing tape to strengthen the bottom and sides of each cardboard container before you place any of the cans inside it.

Useful info: How to tape moving boxes

How to pack canned goods for moving: 12 steps

Now you’ve got everything ready and can begin the process of packing canned goods for a move. Here are the detailed steps on how you should approach the packing task.

Step 1. Wrap each can in a couple of sheets of wrapping paper. Use packing tape to secure the paper.
Step 2. Lower packing costs by using newsprint which is virtually free since you’ve already bought and read the newspapers. Canned items do not have delicate surfaces so the ink from the newsprint won’t damage them in any way.
Step 3. Place each paper-wrapped canned item into the moving container – either a cardboard box or a plastic storage bin.
Step 4. Make sure you distribute the weight of the canned items evenly along the entire bottom. What this means is that you shouldn’t place all heavier cans on one side and keep the much lighter ones on the other side. Remember that weight distribution plays an important role when packing canned goods for moving.
Step 5. Keep arranging the cans onto the bottom of the container until the first row is complete.
Step 6. Insert discarded pieces of bubble wrap or wads of newspapers among the canned items so that there isn’t any empty space for the cans to shift around during transport.
Step 7. Place one sheet of bubble wrap over the first row and start arranging the cans into a second row, if the space allows it.
Step 8. Be careful not to make a box too heavy. If you do, you will increase the risk of an accident (the box bottom breaking due to the extra load) or an injury (you or one of your helpers getting injured because of the overloaded boxes). A reasonable weight limit is around 30 pounds.
Step 9. Provide extra cushioning for the second row as well – just place pieces of crumpled paper among the canned items to immobilize them.
Step 10. Test how well you have padded the cans inside the box by lifting slightly the container off the ground and shaking it gently. If you don’t feel anything moving inside it, then you’ve done a good job and you’re ready to close the box. But if you do feel any movement, then add more paper or bubble wrap until it stops.
Step 11. Add one final layer of bubble wrap over the final layer of canned goods, then close the box, and seal it shut using packing tape.
Step 12. Label the box on at least two sides. Write CANS, then KITCHEN or PANTRY. When using plastic boxes, stick paper labels onto the containers instead of writing directly on them with a marker.

It’s important to know that plastic boxes are the preferred containers for transporting canned goods between two homes. In addition to being super-strong and safe during the haul, plastic bins are transparent and you can easily see what types of canned foods are packed inside them. You can even do without labeling those plastic containers in some cases.

Also, plastic storage boxes stack really well inside the moving vehicle, so the risk of them toppling over and creating a mess is minimal. So, whenever possible, do consider using durable plastic boxes to move canned goods to a new home.

See also: Benefits of plastic moving boxes