11 Easy Meals That Will Make Your Move Easier

It has a mountain of boxes, people coming and going with their furniture, and a basic kitchen to work with - we all know the chaos involved during moving week.

With the task of packing or unpacking your home, the last thing on your mind during moving week is to prepare a decent meal. But cooking meals at home may be your best bet: Homemade meals are often more nutritious, give you the energy you need to keep packing, and are less expensive than ordering takeout throughout the week.

Meals made from scratch don't have to be a chore during moving week. With just the basics of the kitchen, a few basics from the pantry, and a strategic rush to the grocery store, you can create healthy week-long meals that are tasty and easy to prepare.

Here's our list of 10 tasty, low-maintenance meals that will keep a family of four well-fed and ready to keep packing. You can double the recipe if you've recruited family members to help you with your move!.

Soup

While canned soup is easy to make, you can make your own homemade soup without taking too much time and effort. Soups are a great way to fill up the family without too much cleaning; all you need is a large pot, some bowls, and utensils.

With that in mind, here is our recipe for a one pot Zuppa Toscana soup. Will need:

1. ½ pound Italian sausage or any ground beef of your choice
2. 1 onion, diced
3. 3 medium potatoes, cubed
4. ½ cup kale, leaves peeled and chopped
5. 4 garlic cloves, minced
6. 2 cups of chicken broth
7. ½ cup of whipped cream
8. Salt and black pepper to taste.

In a large pot, sauté the sausage or ground beef for a few minutes before adding the onions. Cook both ingredients until the meat is well browned and the onion is tender. Add your garlic to sauté for another minute.

Add your 2 cups of broth to 3 cups of water and bring the soup to a boil. Add your potatoes and cook for about 15 minutes. When the potatoes are almost done, add the chopped kale, add the cream, and bring the soup to a boil. Season to taste and remove from heat.

This soup is a family favorite - no leftovers!

Chicken Plate

Relying on your trusty frying pan during moving week means making dinner to feed the whole family in record time. We are talking about 10 minutes of preparation.

These dinners often follow a pattern: a protein, usually chicken breasts or thighs, a starchy vegetable like potatoes or yams, and a green vegetable, like green beans or zucchini. But you can always play around with these combinations depending on what you have in your fridge and what is most popular with your family members: swap the chicken for salmon and choose carrots, mushrooms, bell peppers, onions, broccoli or cauliflower for your filling. Made of veggies. . The options are endless!

To spice up your ingredients, turn to your pantry staples. You will need olive oil or butter, and garlic powder, salt, and pepper as a starting point. Herbs and spices also elevate the dish flavor.

Here is our recipe for one skillet dinner. You will need to:

1. 4 chicken breasts or chicken thighs.
2. 1 ½ pounds small potatoes, cut in half.
3. 1 pound green beans.
4. 3 tablespoons olive oil.
5. Salt and freshly ground pepper.
6. 1 garlic clove, minced, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder.
7. Optional: condiments such as fresh or dried paprika or cayenne and rosemary, thyme, or parsley.

In your skillet, gather the potatoes around your chicken, coat the ingredients with the olive oil, and season with salt, pepper, garlic, and your preferred spices. Paprika, cayenne pepper, and fresh or dried herbs like rosemary and thyme are most common in skillet dinners. You can even use a mix of Dijon mustard and maple syrup on your chicken if available.

Bake in your preheated oven for 15 minutes, then remove the skillet to quickly flip the chicken breasts and potatoes. Add your green beans to the skillet and be sure to add the juice from the skillet to the veggies before putting the pan back in the oven for another 15 minutes.

You can grill for the last three minutes so the chicken and potatoes are golden brown and crisp. Remove from skillet, garnish with fresh chopped herbs, and serve immediately while skillet juices are hot. Voila: dinner is served!.

Pans

Casseroles are a great easy meal option because they don't require a lot of attention while cooking. Just pop the ingredients into a baking dish and slide into the oven, it's pretty easy!.

A large saucepan just has a homey feel to it, making your new home feel even more inviting. Casseroles are great too because you can cook just about anything in one. Any combination of ingredients like rice, pasta, vegetables, beans, meats, etc. that you can think of is probably great! Try this chicken and rice recipe for a cozy dinner with your family:

1. 2 cups shredded rotisserie chicken (without skin).
2. 1 cup medium grain white rice.
3. 2 cups low sodium chicken broth.
4. 2 tablespoons unsalted butter.
5. 1/4 cup sour cream.

Optional: 2 cups vegetables such as broccoli, 1 chopped tomato, 2 garlic cloves (finely chopped), kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, or 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

This dish takes 30 minutes to cook, and most of the cooking time you won't have to do anything. Because of this, you are free to spend time packing, unpacking, or whatever you are working on at the moment.

For the sauce, whisk the chicken broth and sour cream in a bowl, pour into a skillet and bring to a simmer (add cheese if desired). Simply place the remaining ingredients in a baking dish and top with the sauce. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes.

Chili Bowl

There is nothing more satisfying than digging into a big bowl of hearty chili. This crowd-pleasing dish is also cooked without intervention.

Chili is a versatile dish; You can modify the recipe using what is left over in your pantry, from canned goods like a variety of beans, corn, and tomatoes, to frozen ground beef and bell peppers, and fresh ingredients like cheese, onion, sour cream, and avocados.

To make a classic chili, you will need:

1. 1 pound extra lean ground beef (ground chicken or turkey).
2. 2 cans of beans of your choice.
3. 1 can of tomato sauce.
4. 1 can of diced tomatoes.
5. 1 chopped onion.
6. 3 garlic cloves, minced

A combination of seasonings: 2 tablespoons chili powder, 1 teaspoon cumin, salt and freshly ground pepper

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Optional Toppings: Sour Cream, Sliced ​​Avocado, Shredded Cheese, Chopped Green Onion (Just use what you have in stock!)

Put all the ingredients in your slow cooker, season and stir to separate the meat. Then cook over high heat for three hours or low heat for six hours and repack. If you use an Instant Pot, you will need to dig a well in the center of the pot, exposing the bottom, to add a half cup of water. Set your Instant Pot to pressure cook for 20 minutes on high, let the pressure release naturally for about five minutes and then quickly release the remaining steam.

You'll know chili is ready when its delicious aroma takes over your home! Stir the chili again, then pour generous portions into four bowls.

Pizza

Forget the frozen or delivered pizza and turn that dough yourself! Pizza is an easy option for dinner because it is always a crowd pleaser. There are tons of simple pizza dough recipes, but if you want to avoid waiting for the yeast dough to rise, you can go for a yeast-free recipe.

Below is a great yeast-free pizza dough recipe that is so simple you'll never turn to make-up pizza again:

1. 2 cups of white flour.
2. 2 teaspoons baking powder.
3. 1/4 teaspoon salt.
4. 1/4 cup olive oil.
5. 1/4 cup of water

Because this crust will not rise, it is the perfect "thin crust" pizza. Once the dough is mixed, kneaded and stretched, add some tomato sauce, cheese, and whatever toppings you want. Then simply bake your creation at 425 degrees for 20 minutes.

A Sandwich and a Salad to Accompany

Who says sandwiches are only for lunch? If the word “sandwich” reminds you of a boring image of cold ham between two slices of previously cut white bread, think again! Tuna, egg salad, roast beef and mustard, BLT, even peanut butter and jelly - the combinations are endless when it comes to sandwiches. With your family tied to moving week, and everyone in the middle of their chores, whip up a sandwich and a salad bar. All you will need is a toaster, bread, toppings, and seasonings, most of which you should have packed. If you are moving out of the house, you may want to use all of the half-empty jars instead of taking them with you.

Make a flavorful dip with eggs, leftover chicken or roast beef slices, cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, avocados, and red onions, and seasonings like mayonnaise, mustard, and salad dressings. Depending on the mood of each of your family members, you can easily make a sandwich or salad of your choice.

If you're reusing ingredients from your previous nights' dinners, here's our suggestion for a chicken and avocado sandwich:

1. 8 slices of your family's favorite sliced ​​bread, lightly toasted.
2. 4 handfuls rotisserie chicken, shredded.
3. 2 avocados, sliced ​​or pureed.
4. 2 tomatoes, thinly sliced.
5. Salt and black pepper to taste.

After toasting the bread, mash the avocados, season with salt and pepper and spread over half of the toast. Top each slice with the tomatoes, a handful of rotisserie chicken, and top with the second toast.

It's not for everyone, but we love adding chili flakes and red onion slices to this sandwich.

10 minute Asian stir fry

Stir-fries are one of the quickest ways to make a tasty and inexpensive dinner when you've had a busy day. They're also packed with veggies, making them a nutrient powerhouse.

Like your traditional skillet dinner, a stir fry generally comes with three components: protein (such as chicken, beef, or tofu), vegetables, and a basic stir-fry sauce that you can whip up in minutes.

It's a great way to make a satisfying meal with ingredients from your freezer. You may have frozen beef, bell peppers, peas, or broccoli that you want to eat before you move in, or if you've just moved in, your grocery store should have all the items you'll need.

Here is our recipe for a quick and easy beef and broccoli stir fry in a rice base. Will need:

1. 2 pounds of fillet in cubes.
2. 4 cups broccoli, diced.
3. 1 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of pepper.
4. 2 tablespoons olive oil.

For the sauteed sauce:

• 1 cup of soy sauce.
• 1 cup of honey.
• 4 garlic cloves, minced.
• 2 teaspoons ginger.
• 2 tablespoons of sesame seeds.

Start by mixing all your ingredients for the stir fry sauce in a small bowl. Heat the olive oil in a nonstick skillet and add the beef, stirring the bites until golden brown. Pour the sauce into the skillet and cover the meat. When the sauce thickens, add the broccoli and stir again to coat the vegetables. Continue sautéing until the meat is cooked and the veggies are tender.

Serve the stir fry on a base of rice or egg noodles. And to enjoy!

Note that other vegetables can be substituted for broccoli. Quick-cook vegetables include peas, celery, baby corn, peas, mushrooms, and zucchini.

Pasta at Home - how to

Can't go wrong with pasta! Gone are the days of boiling and straining pasta while turning to another pan for your sauce; With most of your pots and pans packed, you can quickly make a delicious one-pot pasta dinner. That means easy cleaning too!.

Here's what you'll need for our delicious cherry tomato basil pasta:

1. 12 ounces pasta (we like linguine or spaghetti, but use whatever you have on hand).
2. 12 ounces cherry tomatoes, halved.
3. 1 onion, thinly sliced.
4. 6 garlic cloves, thinly sliced.
5. ½ tablespoon red pepper flakes (skip this step if you have family members who don't like spicy food).
6. 2 sprigs of basil, saving a handful of leaves for garnish.
7. 3 tablespoons olive oil.
8. Lots of Parmesan cheese

Make sure you use a saucepan or skillet large enough for your pasta to lie flat, and combine all of the ingredients in the pot with 4 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat and as the ingredients boil you will need to stir and turn the pasta frequently for about 10 minutes until the pasta is al dente and the water has evaporated to a spicy consistency.

If you have fresh, frozen, or baby spinach or other veggies you'd like to add, you can add a handful during the last few minutes to let them cook a bit.

Season to taste with salt and pepper, and divide the pasta servings among four bowls, garnishing with the rest of the basil, a little more olive oil, and Parmesan.

Breakfast Frittatas

As everyone settles into their new home, complete breakfasts can seem complicated. But breakfast frittatas are an affordable, quick, and tasty way to feed your family.

To make eggs more of a substantial breakfast meal to start your day, consider cooking a frittata. In one pan, you will have a meal for the whole family.

Here's our classic egg frittata recipe :

1. 8 eggs.
2. 1 ½ cup milk.
3. ½ teaspoon herbs, such as dried thyme leaves or fresh basil.
4. 2 cups of any vegetable you choose.
5. 4 teaspoons of butter or olive oil.
6. ½ cup of grated cheese

Beat the eggs with the milk, herbs, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. When they have come together, add your veggie and cheese mixture and mix well.

Heat the butter or oil in a nonstick skillet or skillet over medium heat and pour in the egg mixture. Cook your frittata over medium heat until the eggs are almost done, which is about 10 minutes.

Remove the frittata from the heat and top with the rest of your cheese. Serve this with toast.

Eggs pair well with a rainbow of veggies - you can't go wrong with broccoli, bell peppers, onions, peas, spinach, and tomatoes. They will all taste delicious on your breakfast frittata.

Oatmeal and Yogurt Parfaits

Our easy breakfast trick is to make overnight oatmeal so your meal is ready to start in the morning. Like the other recipes we've listed so far, you can customize your nightly oatmeal with a variety of ingredients, depending on what your family likes.

For a classic recipe, this is what we use:

1. 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats.
2. 2 cups milk.
3. 2 cups of Greek yogurt.
4. 4 tablespoons of seeds of your choice, including chia seeds, flax seeds, or hemp hearts.
5. 2 tablespoons honey or maple syrup.
6. Optional: 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredients:

• Fresh or frozen berries, such as sliced ​​blueberries, raspberries, or bananas.
• Peanut butter and jelly.
• Apple and cinnamon slices.
• Chocolate chips

Mix all these ingredients together and then place the mixture in four separate glass containers. You can add the ingredients of your choice now over the oatmeal, or the next morning immediately before serving.

Put the containers in the fridge and the next day your oatmeal is ready! Just shake the oatmeal overnight, add a little more milk if you want to thin it out, and enjoy!

Meal Delivery Services

If you are absolutely inundated with moving week and have your kitchen supplies on hold, but don't have time to get to the grocery store, don't worry. Meal kit delivery services are plentiful across the country and come with everything you need to host a family party, right down to the sauces, side dishes, and step-by-step instructions.

Just visit websites like HelloFresh, Home Fresh, and Dinner Elf and look through their weekly menus to see which flavors look the tastiest. The menus look divine: ravioli and shrimp with lobster, beef tenderloin with shallot sauce, and pulled pork. These may be recipes you'll want to stick with!

These services allow you to choose from different meal plans, whether you prefer individual or family meals, and how many meals you would like to have each week. They are cheaper than takeout and keep your family away from processed foods while you hone your culinary skills!