10 Tips for Shipping Holiday Food Gifts
December 18, 2012
•Emily Murray
•Le Cordon Bleu
• 0 Comments
10 Tips for Shipping Holiday Food Gifts
What’s an easy holiday gift to ship to relatives that’s not going to go to waste? Food, you can never go wrong with a nice food basket or platter of some sort. We’ve all gotten them, and frankly enjoy it right away. If you are going to ship food there are 10 tips you need to know for shipping holiday food gifts.
Don’t Ship Food That Can Go Bad
Imagine opening a package with rotten food in it. Yeah, nothing says happy holidays like that. Be sure not to mail highly perishable foods like soft cheeses or meats. Now, cured dry sausages and hard cheeses are fine and honestly a holiday favorite. Same with cookies, fudge, candies and nuts, they are all good and enjoyed.
Tighten Your Bottles and Cans
If shipping bottles or cans make sure that everything is packed and tight, this will help secure them and make sure that someone’s gift doesn’t arrive already open.
Seal Everything Tightly
Make sure that all of your food is wrapped so that it is airtight prior to putting them into the gift box and final shipping box. Wrap moist foods separately from crisp foods. The two textures don’t mix well when being shipped.
Secure your Packaging
If you’re shipping cakes and other confections, make sure that your cakes are tight in tins. This will help avoid shifting and potential smashing during shipping. If you need extra packaging like wax paper to so that the container is tight, use it.
Use Disposable Tins for Bread and Pound Cakes
After baking pound cakes or loafs of bread, wrap them in plastic wrap and ship them in disposable foil pans.
Bubble Wrap Can Be Your Friend
If shipping bottles of oils or vinegar. Put them in a sealable plastic bag and then wrap them in plastic. Use bubble wrap as another layer and padding in the shipping container. Opening a wet box full of oil and broken glass does not make for a good gift.
Popcorn Doubles as Good Packing Material
When packing your shipping box make sure that it is packed tight. A good method is using popped corn in plastic bags to help fill in the gaps and keep things tight. It’s a good material and a tasty treat. If you don’t want to use popcorn, bubble wrap or rolled up newspapers also work.
Put the Heavy Items on the Bottom
If shipping more than one item, make sure that the heavier foods go at the bottom of the package. Leave a little space of packing material between each item. This helps keep the package tightly secured.
Waterproof Markers Help Keep Things Straight
Although generous, shipping a box to the wrong address or worse – getting it returned is not good. You never know what the weather will be like during your food’s journey. Always use a waterproof marker when filling out the address.
Get It There Fast
When shipping food always use the fastest method of shipping. This ensures your gift is timely and your food won’t spoil.
Food is a great gift. Now, you know a few tips to ensure that your food gift is delivered securely and is still a tasty treat when it arrives.
This article is presented by Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts Online. Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts offers culinary arts and pâtisserie and baking training programs. To learn more about the class offerings, please visit Chefs.edu for more information.
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