How to Prepare Food for Mailing
Select food containers such as cardboard or plastic boxes or coffee cans with tight-fitting lids. Line the food container with wax paper or foil.
For mailing and shipping cookies, choose unfrosted ones that are solid and keep well, as the package may encounter rough handling. Bar cookies, fruit cookies, drop cookies and molded cookies like old-fashioned sugar cookies are the best shippers. Cookies can be baked ahead of mailing time as most can be frozen up to three months. After that they lose flavor and deteriorate in quality.
To freeze cookies, cool completely and pack into freezer containers. When ready to prepare for mailing, wrap four to six cookies in plastic sandwich bags. Layer in the food container with the heaviest cookies on the bottom. Cushion the filled container with crumpled wax paper on top before applying the lid.
Most candy can be prepared ahead and frozen up to one year. Candies such as fudge, date loaf, divinity and caramel corn with nuts ship well. Carefully wrap nut brittles and pralines to prevent breakage. Individually wrap candies or place in small fluted paper cups. Layer between wax paper in the lined food container. Loosely pack caramel corn with nuts in a lined food container. Cushion both candy and caramel corn with crumpled wax paper on top before sealing.
Fruits and vegetables can't be mailed through the U.S. Postal Service unless they are dried. Arrange the dried fruit in a lightweight plastic dish, wrap securely in colored plastic wrap and place in the food container. Cushion with tissue paper before sealing.
Set the food container in a strong packing box. Fiberboard or paperboard boxes are generally strong enough to ship material of average weight and size. The U.S. Postal Service defines the "average" box as one that is no more than 34 x 17 x 17 inches and weighs 35 pounds or less. The box may not exceed 120 inches in girth. Cushion the container well with Styrofoam pellets, crumpled or shredded newspaper or plastic bubble-wrap. Cushioning distributes and absorbs shocks and vibrations and prevents the contents from shifting and breaking.
Before closing the box, include the sender's and receiver's address inside in case the box is torn open or the address becomes unreadable.
Don't use wrapping paper if the box is an adequate shipping container. Use nylon strapping tape or clear or brown sealing tape for sealing the box, not plastic tape.
Don't use string or twine over the outer box, as both will catch in postal processing machinery.
Mark your wrapped box clearly with the address of both sender and receiver.
Place transparent tape over the address to protect it from weather and possible blurring.
Mark boxes containing foods "PERISHABLE" in three places: above the address, below the postage and on the reverse side.
You'll enjoy sending food packages as much as people enjoy receiving them.
