How to ship food internationally or domestically

Are you a modern nomad who misses the taste of home or a gourmet wishing to share a part of your dining world with family and friends far away? If so, shipping food via courier is a task you simply cannot avoid. However, there is no reason to worry, as sending food and drinks to another country is not as difficult as it seems, especially if you know how to go about it. Simply follow our packaging guidelines, book the service in a few easy steps and make shipping food through delivery services a piece of cake.

How to place an order to send food items in the post?

Food packaging supplies

You should pack every item in a way that will ensure its safety and help it withstand all the shocks and bolts of transport. Therefore, you need the following packaging materials:

1. Cardboard boxes– you will need at least two cardboard boxes for your shipment. They can be bought at any stationery or hardware store and you can get used ones at supermarkets as well.
2. Plastic wrap– to wrap your food if possible. You can buy it at any supermarket.
3. Plastic food containers– to store your food. You can get them at any supermarket or homeware store.
4. Insulated food containers– you can use insulated food containers instead of the plastic ones in order to protect your food better. You can buy them at supermarkets or homeware stores.
5. A cold pack or dry ice packs – in case you are sending food that needs to be refrigerated, you can also add cold packs to it. You can get them at supermarkets or homeware stores. Never ever use ice or ice bags, though.
6. Thermal bubble wrap– to protect the food container and perishable goods. You can get it in hardware or other specialised stores.
7. Packing peanuts– for filling any empty spaces in the box. You can buy them in any stationery or hardware store as well as at the supermarket.
8. Polystyrene– for protecting the bottom and the top of your cardboard box. You can get it in any stationery or hardware store or at the supermarket.
9. Adhesive tape – will be needed for sealing and thoroughly covering the shipment.

How to pack food for shipping

Despite the fact that the best way to send food items through the mail depends on the characteristics of these very items, there are certain guidelines that apply in most cases. Make sure you go through this checklist before you start packing your food for shipping.

1. Wrap the items in plastic foil – if you are sending things like cheese, bread or similar non-cooked items that can be wrapped. Otherwise, you can skip this step.
2. Put the food into a plastic or insulated food container – try to pick a container that is not much bigger than the food you are shipping to prevent it from moving around.
3. Place a cold pack under the container – if you are shipping cold food, where the temperature of the food you are shipping needs to be controlled, you can use cold packs to achieve this effect. You also have to tightly secure them with tape. Make sure the cold packs you use do not leak and are well attached and protected so they will not damage the cardboard box or the surrounding boxes during the transit.
4. Wrap the food container with bubble wrap – thermal bubble wrap is different than the regular one as it will better protect your food shipment by regulating the temperature. However, you can still use bubble wrap as an alternative, but this way, you will only protect the box itself and not so much its content.
5. Put the container into a smaller box – the bottom of the box should be previously protected with a polystyrene sheet. The box should not be much bigger than the container you are shipping. It is recommended that you add packing peanuts to fill any empty spaces and prevent the container from moving. Place another sheet of polystyrene on top of the container before sealing the cardboard box.
6. Place the smaller box into the slightly bigger one – put the smaller box directly into a bit larger cardboard box. Fill any empty spaces with cushioning materials, then secure the box with tape.
7. Seal the box – close the box and seal every opening with tape. You can also add a warning saying “Fragile” or “Handle with care” on the top and on the sides of the box. Even though the courier is not obliged to treat the parcel as such, this will serve as an indication of your parcel’s nature.

Send food items with Eurosender to save money and time

Eurosender strives to make sending food parcels abroad as well as domestically as easy and cheap as it can be. However, we recommend trying to avoid shipping food that needs a temperature-controlled transportation. Utilising a network of recognisable courier companies and high-end computing power to find the best deals for the clients, our team works hard to help shippers in any possible situation. These are only some of the scenarios in which we come in handy.

• Enjoying the taste of the best snacks from home during a semester abroad. No place to pack a few bags of your favourite midday snack before venturing out into the world? No worries, Eurosender can ship them for you in a blink of an eye.
• Sending food abroad as a gift. Food items can be incredible gifts. Do not let your fear of shipping get in the way of a perfect surprise. We will guide you through the whole process and make sure your gift is delivered safely and in time.
• Selling food items. Are you a small business selling healthy non-perishable foods online? Make Eurosender your logistics partner and convince customers with low shipping costs. Open a business account on our site for even better pricing. No contracts or hidden costs.
• Sending food to friends or family abroad. Is there anyone you would like to make happy by sending them a dish they cannot buy in their local store? Go ahead and we will help.
• Sending food to people in need. Eurosender supports all humanitarian efforts and is happy to help those that would like to send food supplies to areas affected by poverty or natural disasters. Get in touch and we will organise a safe and cheap transport of your food packages.

Is there a piece of info we forgot about? Help us by letting us know that and we will expand this page with even more information that will help you send delicacies to your friends and family in a simple and affordable way.

Contact us

Take into consideration these guidelines when shipping food. Nevertheless, please consider that following them does not guarantee that the courier company will transport your package without restriction. In case you decide to ship food, Eurosender will not be held responsible for any damages caused by the transportation of your shipment.