How to Pack and Ship Frozen Foods

One of the best ways to ensure that perishable items arrive intact is to freeze them before shipping (if they can be safely frozen, of course). However, simply sticking the products you want to ship in a freezer and then throwing them in a shipping box won’t work; it’s important to properly pack frozen foods before shipping. Let’s look at how to pack and ship frozen foods.

There is absolutely no room to cut corners when shipping frozen foods because it is critical that you protect them from temperature extremes, humidity, and spoilage. You need to use coolants to keep the contents of the package from thawing in transit, and take good care of the insulation to help maintain the temperature inside the package, protect the contents from moisture, and protect the shipping box from condensation.

Before you begin packing, make sure you have all the shipping materials at hand; do not remove frozen foods from the freezer until you have everything ready to prevent them from melting. They must be pre-chilled to their optimal temperature before packing and shipping.

First, wrap your frozen foods in waterproof plastic bags, especially those that could leak if damaged in transit. For added protection, cover the plastic bags with bubble wrap and tape it shut. Then choose a thick insulated foam container to protect your frozen food and maintain its temperature during transit.

The insulated container serves two purposes: it prevents the item from shifting in the shipping container, reducing the risk of damage, and helps retain the cold, ensuring that the food stays frozen during transit. Proper insulation is essential to prevent temperature fluctuations that could affect the quality of the frozen product.

Place your frozen food inside the insulated container and surround it with coolant material. Dry ice is considered the most efficient refrigerant for shipping, but it is also classified as a highly restricted hazardous material. If you run a small online business or simply want to send a care package to a friend, gel packs are your best choice: they are affordable, easy to use, and safe. It is generally recommended to use 1 pound of gel packs for every 3 pounds of frozen food.

If you must use dry ice because it is critical that your frozen foods stay frozen and not just very cold, be sure to choose a courier that allows the shipment of dry ice and follow all guidelines for shipping hazardous and dangerous materials.

Place the lid on the insulated container, tape it down, place the container in a sturdy corrugated shipping box and fill any remaining space in the box with packing material such as packing peanuts or bubble wrap. Do not choose a box that is too large for its contents, as you don’t want the insulated container to shift during shipping. Close the box, tape it down with heavy-duty packing tape, making sure to tape over all seams and flaps to protect the contents from moisture, and label the package as “Perishable” and “Frozen” to alert handlers.

Now it’s time to purchase and print a shipping label and affix it to the box. Since gel packs are less efficient at maintaining temperature than dry ice (they are more of a coolant than a refrigerant), you will want to choose the fastest shipping method possible to ensure that your frozen food arrives unspoiled.

Of course, it will be more expensive than standard shipping, but it is worth the cost. If you want to save money on shipping, you can purchase a USPS or UPS shipping label from PostageMaker: we offer shipping discounts of up to 50% off retail prices. When choosing the courier, make sure to look up their guidelines for shipping frozen food and perishables.

Once the package is ready, you should hand it to the carrier for shipment as soon as possible. We recommend that you take it to the nearest carrier’s location or arrange a pickup by a courier rather than leaving it in a collection box.