Perishables

Do Uncle Bob and Aunt Ginny miss real Iowa sweet corn? Do you want to send some Amana bread or Kalona cheese curds to Georgia? Do you have a friend or family member that needs a tenderloin fix? Pak Mail can make it happen. We are up to the challenge for packaging and shipping anything perishable so it arrives as tasty as the day it was shipped.

Don’t worry about packaging. We have styro-foam packaging material for any size box needed. So go ahead, get some kolaches from Sykora’s or bake Grandma’s rhubarb muffins and bring them to us. We’ll make sure they get there for that special taste of home.

At Pak Mail, we want your delectable morsel to arrive fresh so here are a few tips to consider:

• It is best to ship perishables, such as baked goods, meat or fruit, on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday.
• Whenever possible, ship perishables for next day or at least second day delivery to minimize time in transit. Avoid shipping perishables on a Thursday or Friday, or else the package may suffer extreme temperatures for as many as four days.
• Meat should be “rock hard” frozen before shipping. Keep items refrigerated or frozen until just prior to bringing them in to Pak Mail. We may be able to place the item in our in-store refrigerator for storage until courier pick-up.

To keep frozen items cold, we recommend properly insulated packaging, frozen industrial grade gel packs, and short travel time. We do not recommend dry ice because:
Not all carriers will accept dry ice. For those who do, the typical limit is 5 pounds. However, that will often add 5 pounds to the shipping weight.

Dry ice requires extra packing to create two moisture resistant layers, to diminish the possibility of condensation and frost forming on the exterior of the package. A package with exterior moisture may spread the moisture to adjacent packages and therefore compromise those boxes. As a result, carriers may discard the frosty or wet box to protect other containers.

• Freeze cakes, including cheesecakes and layer cakes, before shipping to keep them solid. Wrap the frozen cake in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil to help keep it cold.
• Despite precautions, icing may smear and decorations may become crushed in transit.
• Brownies and bars often travel better than cookies.