If you are sending homemade pumpkin pies to loved ones for Thanksgiving, make sure to follow proper packing and shipping procedures so that they will arrive intact, fresh and ready to be enjoyed. Here are some simple tips on how to properly pack and ship pumpkin pie.
If you are making the pie yourself, bake it in disposable foil pie pans with a domed lid for easy packing. These kinds of pans come in a variety of sizes and are readily available in supermarkets. Don’t ship homemade pumpkin pie in glass or ceramic pans. This runs the risk of breakage which can render the pie not safe for consumption plus the weight of the pan adds up to your shipping costs.
Let the pumpkin pie cool completely before placing the lid on. Place the entire pie in a Ziploc bag or wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate. If sending to a far destination, it is best to freeze the pie overnight.
On shipping day, place the pie inside a polystyrene foam container. Put frozen on the sides and top of the pie. Fill the empty spaces with packing materials such as bubble wrap and newspaper to prevent movement during transit. Put the container’s lid on and seal with packing tape.
Place the foam container inside a sturdy, corrugated cardboard box. If there are empty spaces between the inner container and the shipping box, fill them up with packaging materials.
Seal the box tightly with packing tape. Address the box and attach labels such as “Perishable Item.” Be sure to tape over the entire address label to protect against wet delivery conditions. Ink can wash off and bleed when exposed to rainwater.
Send the pie immediately through a shipping service, such as FedEx or the United States Postal Service, using the overnight shipping option.