Shipping Casseroles

[melrobsings]

for my dad's birthday I want to ship him dinner and a dessert. Does anyone know how to ship a casserole? I would do a 2 day ship and would think freezing it and using ice packs would work....

but has anyone figured out how to do this? or has tips?

[home-based-mom]

I haven't done it personally, but I do know that frozen items can be shipped through the "big three" meaning Post Office, UPS and FedEx.

If you use regular ice, you have to not only insulate to keep it as cold as possible, but also make sure the contents are sealed in plastic so any melted moisture does not get out. If you use dry ice, it must be declared as such. Dry ice sublimes so not only could there be vapors escaping from your package, but it will weigh less when it arrives than it did when it was sent. Both factors raise eyebrows in this age of heightened national security.

Check the websites of the 3 carriers mentioned above for specific details. If you choose UPS or FedEx, unless you you take it to one of their main distribution/collection points for your area, check for their collection schedule. I believe both of them may have reduced schedules during this holiday week and may not get back to "normal" until January 5.

I have seen things shipped in those cheap Styrofoam beach coolers that are available all over the place in the summer but probably can't be found anywhere right now. They provide quite a bit of insulation and don't weigh much, so they help keep the shipping costs down. If you have one, you might consider using it.

Marking the box "This Side Up" is a waste of magic marker ink because EVERYTHING is sorted by impersonal automation on conveyor belts. The equipment is only programmed to read addresses, not sorting instructions such as "handle with care" or This Side Up."

Hope that helps!