Giving the Gift of Food Safely

December 4, 2003 (Updated December, 2007)
Carol Ann Burtness
University of Minnesota Extension Regional Extension Educator, Food Science
Email: burtn002@umn.edu

Many of us know people who are going to spend the holidays away from their family. Gifts of food seem to bring home closer. Consider sending food gifts either to loved ones either stationed abroad or living across the nation or world. Here are some tips on mailing food safely:

• Dried beef or poultry (e.g. beef jerky, turkey jerky or beef slims) are safe to mail. Bacteria cannot grow in foods that are preserved by removing moisture.

• Dehydrated soups and drink mixes are lightweight and safe to send through the mail.

• Condiments such as hot sauce and Cajun seasonings in packets, sealable bags or unbreakable jars are useful gifts for spice-lovers.

• Canned foods or specialty foods (e.g. shrimp, dips, corned beef and cracker spreads) make nice treats. The gift-receivers (recipients) should check the cans to make sure they are not swollen or damaged when they receive the gifts. Foods in glass containers should not be mailed because they can break easily.

• Dense and dry baked goods such as fruitcakes and biscotti are good choices for mailing because they will not mold. Other suitable baked goods include commercially packaged cakes and cookies in airtight tins, dry cookies such as ginger snaps and crackers.

• When mailing cookies or bars and homemade candies, wrap each piece individually and pack items in commercially popped corn, foam packing “peanuts” or foam to help cushion the trip. Place the food gifts in a sturdy box and seal it securely with packing tape.

• Dried fruits such as raisins and apricots, canned nuts and fruit and commercially packaged trail mix need no refrigeration and are easy to send.

• Hard candies and sturdy homemade sweets such as pralines and toffee are safe to mail because the high sugar content will prevent bacterial growth.

Instead of homemade foods, you may wish to send a favorite mail order food. Shelf-stable beef “summer sausage,” cheeses, cakes and snacks can be ordered on the Internet or through various mail order catalogues. Do not order any food gifts that must be kept refrigerated for safety because you are not sure of the delivery time and the great distances between the United States and duty stations overseas.

If you do order perishable foods, there some things to check out. Know how both the food and packaging will be handled. This is very important for meat, poultry, fish and foods such as cheesecake. The following food safety tips will help the purchaser and recipient know if their perishable foods have been handled properly:

• Make sure the company sends cold perishable items (meat or poultry) with a cold source and packs them in foam or heavy corrugated cardboard.

• The food should be delivered as quickly as possible – ideally OVERNIGHT.

• When you receive food marked “Keep Refrigerated”, open it immediately and check the temperature. The food should arrive frozen or partially frozen with ice crystals still visible. If a perishable food arrives warm, notify the company. DO NOT eat the food!

• Tell the recipient that “a gift is in the mail” so someone can be there to receive it and it won’t sit on a doorstep for a couple days.