Moving house is a great challenge – so the last thing you will want when organizing your relocation will be to add further challenges to the process.
Yet, you will probably do so – you may refuse to part with certain items, even though you know that leaving them behind will make your move cheaper and easier; you may choose to pack your belongings yourself, even though you know that using professional packing services will save you plenty of time and effort, etc. You may even decide to take your frozen food with you – even though you know that it will be very difficult to do so.
As challenging as it may be, it is, in fact, possible to move frozen food to a new home in such a way that it remains safe and unspoiled. The trick is to keep the frozen food frozen during the move.
But how can you do that? How to pack frozen food so that it doesn’t thaw? How to transport it safely and efficiently?
Read on to find out how to move frozen food the right way:
What to do with frozen food when moving?
First things first, you need to consider whether it’s really worth it to move your frozen food to your new home.
Frozen food is highly perishable and spoils very quickly if not kept at the right temperature – so, trying to move frozen food items to another location can easily lead to food waste or food poisoning. Besides, packing frozen food for moving will take time and effort (and will incur extra expenses) – and transporting frozen food will make your move much more complicated.
So, what to do with your frozen food items when moving, then? You have several options:
Use up your frozen food before the move
Without a doubt, the best solution is to eat your frozen food before the relocation.
Stop buying frozen food items a couple of weeks before the move and start cooking what you already have in your freezer. By planning your menu around remaining frozen food items, you will avoid having to throw away perfectly good food and will save yourself the trouble of relocating it.
Give away remaining frozen food items
If you can’t use up all your frozen food before the move, consider donating it to those in need – or sharing it with friends and neighbors.
You can donate your unneeded frozen food to local charities, shelters, etc. – or deliver it to a local food bank.
Alternatively, you can give any remaining frozen items to friends who helped you move (as a thank-you gift) – or to neighbors that you like (as a goodbye gift).
Take your frozen food to your new home
If you’re moving short distance, it will be easy enough to take your frozen food to your new home – you will be able to transport it in your car and since you will only be traveling for a couple of hours, your frozen food won’t thaw (provided that it’s properly packed for moving, of course).
If you’re moving long distance, however, it will be very difficult to relocate your frozen food. Professional movers don’t move perishables, so your hired moving helpers won’t agree to take your frozen food (it will thaw in the moving truck and will not only get spoiled, but will also create a huge mess – and may even cause damage to some of the other items in the shipment). So, you will have to transport any frozen food items you want to take to your new home yourself.
See also: What movers won’t move – a list of non-allowable items
It is not impossible to transport frozen food in a car long distance, but it takes a lot of planning and preparation. You will need to get the right supplies for the job (a high quality cooler, plenty of ice packs or dry ice, insulation materials, etc.) and pack your frozen food the right way (see below). Then, you will have to take a number of precautions during the transportation to ensure that your frozen food stays frozen and in perfect condition.
Must-read: What to do with food when moving
How to pack frozen food
The best way to pack frozen food for moving is to wrap each item individually in aluminum foil, then place it in a cooler, and add ice packs to keep everything cold for as long as possible.
Pack your frozen food in a cooler
Coolers are designed to keep food and beverages cold for a long time, so they’re your best bet for transporting frozen food long distance.
High-quality coolers are very well-insulated (with layers of plastic or fiberglass that keep cold air in and warm air away), so the temperature inside them remains unchanged for a long time – when the lid is closed, the cold air emitted by the ice and the frozen items packed in the cooler cannot get out and the warm outside air cannot get in.
When packing frozen food in a cooler, you’re recommended to place meats at the bottom and other frozen items on top. It is a good idea to wrap frozen meats in packing paper and put them in sealable plastic bags first (for extra insulation and to prevent meat juices from dripping onto other items if the meat begins to defrost during the move).
Remember that your frozen food will last longer if you wrap each item in aluminum foil before you pack it into the cooler – the aluminum foil will provide additional insulation and will prevent the wrapped item from warming up.
Be sure to pack your frozen foods tightly, as any remaining empty space in the cooler will speed up the thawing process. Fill any gaps between the frozen food items with ice packs and place ice packs on top of the packed food before closing the lid. The more ice packs you put in the cooler, the longer everything is going to stay frozen.
Bonus tips:
- Pre-chill the cooler before your move. If it fits in the freezer, put it inside and let it stay there for a day. If not, fill the cooler with dry ice packs the day before the move and keep it in an air-conditioned room away from direct sunlight. This way, the temperature in your cooler will be very low when you pack your frozen food in it and, therefore, everything will stay frozen for longer.
- Be sure to pack your frozen food into the cooler immediately after getting it out of the freezer.
Pack your frozen food in cooler bags
While you’re strongly advised to invest in quality coolers for moving frozen food, cooler bags (or insulated bags) will also do – but for shorter time periods.
Put your frozen food items in the cooler bags and add as many ice packs as possible. Seal the bags tightly to keep cold air in and warm air out.
Pack your frozen food with dry ice
When wondering how to move frozen food long distance, consider using dry ice instead of ice packs. Dry ice is much colder than regular ice and lasts much longer, so it can keep frozen food frozen for extended periods of time. What’s more, it doesn’t melt, so there will be no risk of your frozen items getting soggy during the move. (Dry ice has no liquid state – it goes directly from a solid to a gaseous state.)
How to transport frozen food
Proper packing will help keep your frozen items cold during the move, but in order to prevent thawing you need to ensure that the food is transported at the proper temperature.
Keep your car as cool as possible
To keep your food frozen during transportation, you need to keep the temperature in your car low. The warmer the car is, the faster the frozen items will melt, so it’s crucial to cool down the vehicle and keep warm air away.
1) If you’re moving during the warm season, start your car 10-15 minutes before you load the cooler with your frozen items in it and turn on the air conditioning – so, the car is already cool when you take your frozen food in it.
Keep the cooler in the seating area of the car and not in the trunk where it will be away from the air conditioning.
Be sure to use reflective window shades to prevent sunlight from entering your vehicle. When parking your car, try to park it in a shady area.
2) If you’re moving during the cold season, keep the heater on the lowest setting possible. You may have to keep your coat on while driving, but your food will stay frozen for longer.
Put the cooler in the trunk as it will be the coldest part of the vehicle.
Related: How to pack a car for moving
Keep the cooler away from direct sunlight
When transporting frozen food, be sure to keep the cooler in a shady spot away from direct sunlight. Remember that the sun will move while you travel, so you may need to move the cooler too.
As already mentioned above, use reflective window blinds to keep sunlight away from your frozen items.
Use a thermometer to ensure your frozen food is transported at the right temperature
It’s essential to keep an eye on the temperature of your frozen food during the move. The temperature in the cooler must be below 39˚F (4 ˚C) at all times – this is the temperature required to prevent spoiling and bacterial growth. Ideally, the temperature should be below 32˚F (0˚C).
Use a thermometer to check the temperature inside the cooler regularly – so you know if it is low enough and can take measures (add more ice packs in the cooler) if it’s not.
Good to know: Frozen food can be kept frozen for up to 48 hours, depending on the ambient temperature and the quality of the cooler insulation.
Knowing how to safely transport frozen food when moving will ensure that your frozen items arrive at your new home in excellent condition. Just be sure to transfer them from the cooler into your new freezer immediately after arrival.
Bonus tip: Ship your frozen food via USPS or UPS
When wondering how to transport frozen food long distance, consider using UPS or USPS. It is possible ship frozen food via UPS or USPS under several circumstances:
- You have to pack the frozen food with dry ice;
- The frozen food packages must be spill-proof and tightly sealed;
- You will be liable for any damages caused to other items due to leakage from your frozen food packet.
With USPS priority mail express you can have your frozen food shipped to your new home overnight.
Your frozen food will come in very handy during the first days after the move, limiting your trips to the store so you can focus on unpacking and setting up your new home.
See also: How to unpack quickly after moving
