It’s the holiday season and many of you have probably already started making special treats and baked goods to share with family and friends. Maybe you’d like to send a holiday care package to someone . . . but how can you know those cookies, favorite local foods and other goodies will arrive safely? By using some of our tips for sending food gifts, of course!
The Do’s
- Do keep food safety at the top of your priority list.
- Do send sturdy food items with low moisture, such as dried fruits and nuts, powdered mixes, dense or hard cookies (biscotti, monster, bar cookies, etc.), hard candies and firm sweets (fudge, caramel, brittle, etc.)
- Do wrap cookies or other baked goods individually to help them retain their shape.
- Do pack wrapped foods in rigid plastic or metal containers to prevent squishing.
- Do start with a sturdy box and use a lot of filler (newspaper, air popped popcorn, packaging peanuts, plastic shopping bags, etc.) to cushion items.
- After packing the box, but before taping it shut – shake the box gently. If you hear or feel the contents moving or shifting, add more filler!
The Don’ts
- Don’t send perishable foods. The risk of spoilage before they arrive is too great! If you must send something perishable, consider sending if through a mail-order food company or overnight shipping.
- Don’t send items in breakable containers, such as glass jars and bottles.
- Don’t send liquids, as they may leak.
- Don’t send high moisture or fragile foods. They will likely mold or break before arriving.
When in doubt, check with your local US Post Office for additional shipping information. They have a great webpage devoted to preparing packages.
With careful packaging your food gifts can arrive in one piece – instead of many pieces.
