How should we plan meals for the week before a move?

Make a packing calendar for the kitchen

List the days the oven trays, large pots, and mixing bowls will disappear into boxes. Put the meals that need those tools before their packing dates. A pizza that needs a tray is a poor final-night plan if the tray will be sealed in a moving truck the day before.

Limit the last grocery trip

Mark the final ordinary grocery trip. After that, buy small amounts for specific meals instead of replacing every staple as it runs low. Put a note on any food or utensils that must travel with you rather than go into a moving box.

Write what you need for the remaining dinners and breakfasts, then check which items can travel. It may make sense to buy a small loaf for two breakfasts instead of the normal large pack. Decide which items will go with people rather than with the removal crew before choosing that pack.

Plan for the first kitchen as well

Mark an open-first box containing the tools your first meal needs. If you plan pasta, a saucepan, serving spoon, and way to drain it must arrive together. If equipment or access at the destination is uncertain, choose a first dinner that does not depend on a complete kitchen and tell the household in advance.