Tips on sending baked goods through the mail?

Question

With the holiday season coming up fast, i'm wanting to send some baked goods through the mail to someone for the holidays. I've never sent any kind of food through the mail, so what i'm wondering is how should I package the stuff to keep it from spoiling and looking mangled by the time it arrives at it's destination? Any tips at all on shipping food would be very helpful!

Answer 1

Make sure that the container that you put your food in is non-crushable, like cute metal containers, or cheap plastic (both available at Wal-mart). If your doing cookies, put a layer of bubble wrap in the bottom of your container, and on top, for cushion. Also, make sure they are firm cookies, not a crumbly recipe to begin with. I also send home made bread, it works wrapped in plastic, sealed well, then I wrap in bubble wrap. Make sure your box that you are mailing is tightly packed with packing peanuts, crushed newspapers, more bubble wrap, ect., to stop shifting in the mail. All should arrive in great shape. Also, I usually send my a higher class of mail so it gets there sooner.

Answer 2

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
Tips on sending baked goods through the mail?
With the holiday season coming up fast, i'm wanting to send some baked goods through the mail to someone for the holidays. I've never sent any kind of food through the mail, so what i'm wondering is how should I package the stuff to keep it from spoiling and looking mangled by the time...

Answer 3

I managed a Mail Boxes Etc for 5 years and for the most part food made it to it's destination fine. You should send it Next Day Air or at least 2-day. Someone once sent an entire cake once as a joke needless to say it was destroyed.
Seal whatever your sending and float it in packing peanuts with at least 4 inches all the way around the item, that seemed to be the way that survived the best. Have a packing store pack it if you can.
Fruit cake, muffins and cookies survive the best.

Answer 4

It's a good idea to package your baked goods in a container first. For instance, when I was overseas my mom used to send cookies and such. She'd buy a cheap tupperwear container at the dollar store and fill it. Then she'd tape it closed (even though it had a seal). She used to put a piece of bread in the tupperwear before closing it (I guess to absorb moisture...but I never questioned her.) Then put the tupperwear in a box slightly larger than it...fill with packing peanuts or newspaper. Pack it so the tupperwear won't move. Tape the box well using 2" tape (that's coming from the FedEx Guy in me).

I always received the cookies, cupcakes, and such in tact and still fresh. With US Mail and USArmy Mail, I'd guess the package from Pittsburgh to Korea took 5-7 days.

Answer 5

Can you get your hands on the December 2006 Good Housekeeping magazine? Page 200 has a BIG article about shipping cookies. If you can't, here's a quick summery: Avoid fragile, buttery cookies. Take the time to cushion each cookie. Pack similar cookies together. Surround a sturdy container with
bubble wrap, foam peanuts of crumpled wax or parchment paper. Seal the cookie container with tape or ribbon. Place container in heavyweight cardboard shipping box. Write FRAGILE and PERISHABLE on all sides of the box. Plan ahead, Cookie shipped on a Thursday will sit in a warehouse all weekend. If sending cookies to a soldier use the web site anysoldier.com for mailing instructions. For best freshness, consider overnight shipping, USPS, 2 lbs for $19.00 . Hope this helps.

Answer 6

How To Ship Baked Goods

Answer 7

Plastic wrap will keep it more fresh, so make sure on that one.
Also, a box that the food fits in, but (almost) just barely. That should prevent much moving. Or, if it's like cookies, put them in a tin.
Also, mark the box 'Fragile'... the post office should take better care of it that way. Also, "This side up" stickers?