# Travel >> Travel Preparation >> General Travel Prep

The Best Way to Ship Perishable Food

When you ship food or other perishable items they must be packed so that they remain frozen or partially frozen until reaching the destination. Use frozen gel packs or dry ice, opt for overnight shipping and follow a few other crucial steps to keep the food cold and to prevent food poisoning.

Foam or cardboard box
Dry ice or frozen gel packs
Packing peanuts or crushed paper
Brown shipping paper
2.75 mil polyethylene film, optional

Instructions

- 1
  
  Pack items in a double-strength cardboard box.
  
  Purchase a double-strength corrugated cardboard box or foam ice chest.
- 2
  
  Wear gloves when handling dry ice.
  
  Line the bottom of the box with dry ice or frozen gel packs. Dry ice should be wrapped.
- 3
  Place wrapped food into the box on top of the cold source. Add more dry ice or frozen gel packs on top of the perishables.
- 4
  
  Eliminate air space with packing peanuts.
  
  Add packing peanuts or crumbled paper to fill in any air spaces around the food. This will keep the food cold longer.
- 5
  
  Use the proper packing tape.
  
  Seal the box with packing tape.
  
  Wrap the entire box in 2.75 mil polyethylene film or plastic wrap for extra protection, if desired.
- 6
  
  Use permanent marker to avoid smearing the address.
  
  Label the package with the correct name and address. Use permanent marker.
  
  Write "Keep Refrigerated" and "Perishable" on the box. If using dry ice indicate this on the box so that the recipient knows what to expect when the box is opened.
  
  Place the shipping label on the outside of the film if the box is packed in 2.75 mil polyethylene film or plastic wrap .
- 7
  Mail the package at the beginning of the week so that it does not sit in the post office over the weekend. Most of the times you'll want to pay the extra expense of overnight shipping.
- 8