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Whether you’re sending sweet treats as a side-hustle, treating your best customers to a batch of brownies, or sending your love a box of chocolates, we can help you send your food gifts in the post.
Read on to discover the best way to send food in the post.
Can You Send Food in the Post?
Yes! You can send most food by post as long as it’s not perishable.
What does perishable mean?
You need to keep perishable food refrigerated or frozen to stop them going off and becoming unsafe to eat. Things like fresh cream, meat, cheese, and seafood are all perishable foods.
Foods that have a long shelf life and don’t need to be refrigerated, like biscuits, dried or tinned food, sweets, and chocolates are not perishable. These are some of the top choices for food gifts in the post.
By law, all food items sent by post must arrive safe, and fit to eat.
Can You Send Frozen Food in the Post?
We don’t advise sending frozen food in the post when booking your postage with Parcel2Go.
This is because even if you’re sending your parcel on a fast next day delivery, we can’t guarantee the temperature will remain constant for the duration of its journey. Most couriers won’t allow you to ship liquids or gels either, so you can't pack your parcel with ice packs or gel cooler packs to keep your items frozen.
If you want to keep your items cool during transit, you could use polystyrene boxes. These are a great idea if you’re sending chocolate as they can help to prevent them from melting. For more top tips on sending chocolates to your loved ones, read our guide on sending chocolate by post.
Best Couriers for Food Delivery
With prices starting from just £2.15 exc VAT, you can trust us to deliver top-quality service at the cheapest prices in the UK.
We keep our prices low by comparing prices from some of the best couriers for food delivery.
Royal Mail
Send your food gifts in the post with Royal Mail from just £2.25.
Offering drop-off and collection services that makes sending your parcels even more convenient, Royal Mail offers super-fast delivery options in the UK—perfect for when you want to get that batch of brownies delivered asap.
Parcelforce
Post your food parcel with Parcelforce from just £7.95.
Choose from one of 11,500 drop-off points or arrange to have your parcel collected from a location of your choice. If you want to know exactly when your sweet treats will arrive, you can opt for Parcelforce’s timed delivery services which arrive by 9am, 10am, or 12pm the next day – yum!
DPD
Send a food hamper with DPD with prices starting from £7.45.
Offering over 6,000 super-convenient drop-off points, you’ll also be able to keep an eye on your parcel with exclusive tracking features with DPD. One of the UK’s most trusted couriers—whether you’re sending cakes or chocolates, you know they’ll be in safe hands.
Can you post food abroad?
As long as food isn’t listed on a country’s prohibited items list, it is fine to post food abroad.
To make sure your package isn’t stopped at customs, stick to the following guidelines:
- Make sure your food items are non-perishable
- Check the expiry date on the packaging – food should have at least six months left from the date of posting
- All food should be in its original packaging and should include a comprehensive ingredients list
Can you post food to Australia?
Yes, you can post food to Australia as long as it's non-perishable. It’s best to double-check the list of prohibited items before you book your postage. You can also filter by courier to check if they have any specific restrictions.
Shipping to Australia starts from just £16.29 with Parcel2Go and we can deliver your parcel down under in as little as 1-3 days.
The best couriers for food delivery to Australia include Royal Mail, DPD, and TNT Express. Get a quote today.
Can you post food to the US?
Sending food gifts in the post to the US is easy with Parcel2Go. Most couriers accept non-perishable food items, but we recommend you avoid sending homemade items to the US.
You can ship to the US for as little as £13.69 with Parcel2Go, and can choose our express delivery options to get your parcel there in just 1-3 days.
Some of the most reliable couriers between the US and the UK include Royal Mail, Parcelforce, and FedEx Express. Get a quote to see which service is right for you.
How to Post Baked Goods
After going to all the trouble of choosing a delicious cake or sweet treat to send to someone special, you’ll want it to look as mouth-watering when it arrives as when it left. Time spent on your packaging will make sure your cakes, biscuits, and chocolates get there in one piece.
These are our top tips for how to post baked goods:
- If your food items are already in presentation boxes, wrap them in plenty of bubble wrap before placing them in a corrugated cardboard box for posting.
- Use polystyrene boxes if you want to keep your items cool during transit. They’re also great for providing some extra protection during the journey.
- Wrap delicate items like cookies individually to give them extra protection.
- Pack your outer box with plenty of packing peanuts, balled-up newspaper, or bubble wrap to stop your items from moving around during transit.
- Invest in special boxes with dividers if you’re sending delicate items like cupcakes or macaroons—this will help keep them separate and looking fabulous.
- Make sure you write your return address on the box.
