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Mail
Baked Goods |
 Every
gift you ship should have two basic lines of defense: they should be well
packed in an inner box, then well packed in a second, outer corrugated
mailing box. If any baked good contains melted chocolate coatings, overnight
them in warm weather. |
In General:
Durable foods that ship well include baked goods that are moist and firm or
hard, but not brittle. These travel well and should arrive whole, not in crumbs.
Examples are pound cakes, cookies, fruitcakes, brownies and fudge.
Obviously, it's not a good idea to send
perishable foods. If you do, be sure to mark it as so and check with your post
office for the best way to ship. Usually the best way is to ship it overnight in
a Styrofoam container packed with ice packs or dry ice.
If you're not sure how well a food will ship,
test it. Place the food in a container and shake it a few times. If it holds its
shape, it should mail well. Place the food in a draft (made by a fan or wind) to
see if the food retains moisture well.
Materials: Once
you've selected and prepared your holiday food gift, a proper package is a must.
Start by putting in a layer of packing material such as newspaper, popcorn or
plastic bubble wrap, etc in a sturdy corrugated box. Next, center the gift in
the middle of the box. Then overfill the box with cushioning material, making
sure there's no air space left in the box.
 | Boxes:
should have two basic lines of defense, an inner gift box, that is well packed
in a second, outer heavy corrugated box, suitable for mailing. When choosing a
an outer box, make sure it's roomy enough to allow plenty of packing material
on all sides. Check with your carrier on the sizes that can be sent.
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| Other good shipping
containers include: rigid plastic freezer or refrigerator
containers, metal cake boxes and metal canisters. Two, 1-gallon plastic milk
jugs can be cut to hold food. Cut the top half off each jug. Wash and air well
to remove any odors. Place the wrapped food inside one half; fill any empty
spaces with crumpled tissue or unsalted air-popped popcorn. Fit the second jug
half over the first like a lid and seal with freezer tape. Place in box to
send. |
| Cushioning materials:
recycled Styrofoam, bubble wrap, popcorn (air-popped, with no oil) and eco
foam, the environment-friendly cousin of foam peanuts or other packing
materials that are safe to use with food. Eco foam is a biodegradable
cornstarch product that provides excellent cushioning, however, there are
potential problems -- its only drawback is that it melts when wet, so don’t
use it to pack any containers that may leak. With popcorn, there have been
warnings not to use any type of food as packing material when shipping because
it can attract insects. It also can absorb exhaust fumes from cargo holds and
other areas the package may pass through in transit. Sealing popcorn in
zipper-lock bags to use as padding may be a safe alternative. Use only
air-popped popcorn that contains no salt or oil. |
| Styrofoam and ice
packs: Needed when shipping perishable items. It should be placed
inside of the outer box or can be sent as is -- double check. These items
should be shipped overnight. Check with your carrier on the sizes that can be
sent. |
| Moisture absorbers:
If you are worried about moisture, there are moisture absorbers available, but
be careful that you use those approved for food use and ask whether or not the
baking recipe will get too dry if you use them. Go to:
http://www.foodsave.net/food_preservation.htm
Make sure they are FOOD SAFE. |
| Baking pans:
Most breads, cakes and bar cookies can be baked in a foil or light-weight
aluminum pan, or coffee can that also may be used for shipping. If you are
going to ship the food in its baking container, follow the directions in the
recipe for cooling and removing the food from the pan. When thoroughly cooled,
wrap in plastic wrap or foil and return to the cleaned container. |
| Wrap
all foods: in aluminum foil or plastic before placing in shipping
containers when drying during shipping is a problem. Wrap small items, like
candy and cookies, individually. Small plastic bags are ideal for this. Select
a strong cardboard box to mail the food in. Place a cushion of crumbled
newspaper, paper towels, styrofoam pellets or unsalted air-popped popcorn in
the box and then add the containers of food. Finish packing with paper.
Securely close the box and label it "perishable." Check with available mailing
services to determine which one best fits your delivery needs. |
| Mailing tape and
address label: use a tape that is strong enough to withstand
mailing. An clearly written mailing label is very important. |
| Select mode of
mailing: There are many shipping providers.
Some pick up for an added charge. Each has a variety of services available.
You can review what is offered, calculate shipping costs, find the nearest
location, or locate the customer service telephone number on the Internet.
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Cakes
Good choices are fruitcake, pound cake, carrot cake, spice cake, or a
fruit-based cake such as applesauce. Pound cake with a pour-on icing is a good
choice. The icing not only adds moisture, but also forms a coating to keep the
cake moist. Layer cakes usually don't arrive in good shape. You can, however,
split a pound cake in half and add icing to it as you would a layer cake. Do not
frost a cake before mailing. Instead, include a pack of frosting mix in the
package (if it is perishable, check with your post office on how to ship).
1. Place the cake in a container that's only
slightly larger than the cake -- wrap it first in plastic wrap or foil,
which I prefer, and then cushion it in the cake box. Use the same materials used
inside the cake box, in the outer one -- place cushioning material on the
bottom, place cake box on top, and then cushion on all sides. Cushion on the top
before sealing with mailing tape; and,
2. Wrap the cooled cake or pie or pan of brownies
in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Place 2 cardboard cake circles or pieces of
cardboard on the top and bottom. The cardboard should extend past the edges of
the pan.
Wrap cake box or cake with cardboard circles with
foil. Pack in a carton, cushioning it on all sides with paper or other packing
material. Seal and send.
Candy:
Hard candies, such as peanut brittle and rock-candy, generally ship better than
fudge and divinity.
Cookies:
Certain cookies tend to ship better than others do.
| Don't mail cookies with custard or
custard-like fillings or toppings, including Cheesecake Bars or Nanaimo bars
because they are perishable. The custard could spoil, making a very unwelcome
gift and someone very sick if eaten. |
| Avoid mailing brittle cookies--chewy, soft,
drop cookies, bars, or squares will survive best.
Bar cookies are a good choice. Most are moist and keep well. Fruit, date or
fig bars, brownies and coconut squares are examples. Wrap individually in
plastic to preserve each bar's shape and moisture.
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| Other cookies such as butter or sugar cookies
(unless they are both thin) and shortbread, biscotti and Spingerle ship well,
too. They tend to be fairly sturdy, so you don't have to worry too much about
breakage. And since they already have a fairly dry texture, drying out isn't
much of an issue. |
| If you're using cookie cutters to make
cut-out, decorated cookies, smaller designs are less likely to break in
transit than larger cookies. |
Cookies can be shipped
individually wrapped, tucked inside of a packing material. Or, pack in a
sturdy tin or airtight container:
| Wrap Individually:
Place two cookies back to back and wrap them loosely as a pair in plastic wrap
or cellophane bags. When wrapping chocolate-dipped biscotti, wrap them
paired with another chocolate dipped cookie. Have the chocolate side facing
one another, with a small piece of waxed paper in between. Then place them in
small bags or in plastic wrap. Nestle "the packets" in
Styrofoam, real popcorn (air-popped, with no oil) or Eco Foam |
| Decorated Cookies: wrap
them individually in wrapping tissue and then package three cookies together
in another sheet of tissue. The packages are placed in a box lined with bubble
pack, and then bubble pack between each layer. You do not want those cookies
to bump against each other and cause cracking, or to slide around inside the
box. Do not wrap too snugly; you want the tissue to crumple and cushion each
item from the others. |
| Place in Pans:
Brownies and fudge ship better when they are left in their metal pans.
Cover the bars with wax paper, place the pan in a plastic bag and pack in a
cushioned box. |
| Place in Tins:
Choose a box that is appropriate in size to the cookie tin within. This
will help keep the tins from shifting and the cookies from breaking. The ideal
cushion is 2 to 3 inches of packing material on all sides.
| When sending cookies in a tin, on the
bottom of the container place a piece of bubble wrap, then line the
container with parchment paper or cellophane, leaving enough to tuck
over the top once the container is fully packed. Place one layer of
cookies in the container. Cover with parchment paper. Arrange another
layer of cookies, followed with more parchment paper, and continue this
layering until the container is full. Tuck the cellophane or parchment
paper over the top, then place another piece of bubble wrap on top, and
seal your container. |
| Pack the tin in a box neatly lined with
lengths of Bubble Wrap, then fold the Bubble Wrap back into the margins
between the tin and box to form a double cushion. Toss a scoop or two of
popcorn at the bottom of the box. Set the cookie tin on top, and
surround it with more popcorn. |
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Baked Pies: Note:
A pie which contains perishable items must remain chilled the whole time, the
same temperature as your refrigerator.
Room Temperature:
| Road Trip:
Find a level spot in the vehicle in the trunk, on the floor where
it won't slide and fall. If it gets warm it will be delicious upon your
arrival. Refrigerate if you want it to keep for several days.
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| Airplane:
Do not check the pie with your luggage!!! Take it as
carry-on and carefully put it on the floor under the seat. The pastry is
delicate and cannot be tossed about. However, nowadays call the airline
ahead to see if you can carry the pies on the plane. Recently, my teenage
nephew, Daniel was visiting from Atlanta and they wouldn't let him carry
on his favorite snack, a honey-baked ham because it was a security risk --
he was bringing it as additional snack food for himself and my four other
kids (3 boys and a girl), all pre-teens and teens. (His Aunt Sarah -- me
-- never has enough food on hand --cough ! cough!).
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Frozen:
Wrap the pie in plastic, then box it. The more pies you pack, the
better, because they will act like ice for each other. Again, keep the pies
level so that if they do defrost, the juice won't run out. If they defrost, no
problem, simply put them in the refrigerator and bake that day, or put in
freezer and bake whenever (even 9 months later). If taking on an airplane, call
ahead to see if you can take it. If you can, wrap frozen pie in plastic, box it
and wrap in more plastic, tin foil, etc. and either put in a suitcase or a box
and " check" it; the belly of the airplane is colder than the passenger
compartment. I have taken a case of 6 pies in a fitted corrugated box to every
friend and relative I visit with NO ICE and label the box "frozen pies" and they
always arrive in perfect condition. Just remember to put in the freezer at your
destination.
Quick-breads:
Ship well. I like to ship mine in an aluminum
pan, but it's not necessary. Either way wrap your breads in plastic wrap and
then foil so they keep well.
Perishable food:
Everyone loves giving
or receiving food packages in the mail for the holidays. When it’s a
non-perishable food item, there’s usually little to worry about. But what about
smoked turkeys, cheese and sausage gift packs and other perishable foods?
It’s a two-way street when sending perishable
foods through the mail. It’s the sender’s responsibility to deliver perishable
food in a timely manner, but it’s also the receiver’s responsibility to have
someone at home to receive the food package and refrigerate it if needed. To
prevent problems from happening here are tips to make sure perishable foods sent
or received in the mail are safe to eat.
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IF YOU ARE SENDING PERISHABLE FOOD:
Perishable food should be packed in a sturdy
mailing box. Check with your local post office for advice. Meat and poultry
should be cold or frozen and packed wit a cold source. Perishable foods will
stay at a safe temperature longest if frozen solid first. Pack the food gift
with a cold source such as a frozen gel pack found at supermarkets, or
purchase some dry ice from a local ice supplier listed in your telephone
yellow pages.
Pack your frozen food and cold source in a
heavy foam container or corrugated cardboard. Fill up an empty space with
crushed paper or foam popcorn. Air space in the box will cause the food and
cold source to thaw faster.
Label
the package clearly as "Perishable-Keep Refrigerated" or "Keep
Frozen." Arrange a delivery date with the recipient and ship the package by
overnight express delivery.
You should alert the recipient to be on the
lookout for the package and arrange a delivery time. This will help prevent
the food from sitting on the front porch or at the post office for hours or
days.
Don’t send food gifts to an office or other
places that may not have refrigerators available.
If ordering from a food catalogue or mail
order company, call and ask how the product will be shipped. If you are not
satisfied with the answer, find another company. Most catalogues list a
number you can call and most will tell how perishable foods will be shipped.
IF YOU ARE RECEIVING PERISHABLE FOOD:
Recipients should always check he temperature
of a food item that is marked "Keep Refrigerated" or "Keep Frozen." The food
should arrive frozen or partially frozen with ice crystals still visible, or
at least, cold to the touch.
"Do not consume perishable food that arrived
warn." Throw it out, or if it was ordered from a mail-order firm, return it.
Remember that the refrigerated or frozen
product must be safely stored immediately. Even if the product is partially
defrosted, it is safe to freeze it, although there may be a slight loss of
quality.
If you have questions about sending or
receiving perishable food items for gifts during the holiday season, call the Ohio State University
Extension Office in your county. Or, call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline
at 1-800-535-4555. Make this a "food-safe holiday!"
from
http://www.hec.ohio-state.edu/hn/savor/4_2.htm |
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