Whether you want to send food as a gift to a client in London, ship product samples to a distributor in New York, or simply share a taste of home with a friend, shipping food requires precision. Unlike shipping a book or a shirt, food can spoil, spill, or be seized by customs. At ParcelParcel, we help thousands of customers send food through the mail safely. This guide covers everything from packaging techniques for unique food gifts to send to the complexities of shipping frozen goods.
Chantal has been writing about logistics topics for almost two decades and has worked for major international carriers.
The short answer is: Yes, but with restrictions.
To successfully send food to someone, you must first categorize what you are shipping:
Non-Perishable (Ambient) Food: This is the safest category. Items like chocolates, canned goods, spices, coffee, and pasta have a long shelf life and do not require temperature control.
Perishable Food: Items that expire quickly (fresh fruit, meat, dairy). Most standard couriers (DHL, FedEx, UPS) restrict these unless you have a specific business contract.
Homemade Food: Internationally, sending homemade food is extremely difficult due to health and safety regulations. Customs authorities usually require food to be in original, sealed manufacturer packaging with a clear ingredients list.
One of the most common questions we get is: "Can you send frozen food in the mail?"
Yes, you can, but it is a complex process. If you need to know how to send frozen food in the mail, follow these strict guidelines:
Coolants are Mandatory: You cannot use regular ice (it melts and leaks, destroying the box). You must use Dry Ice (frozen carbon dioxide) or frozen gel packs.
Dry Ice Regulations: Dry ice is considered a "Dangerous Good" (DG) because it displaces oxygen. If you use it, you must label the package correctly and declare it to the carrier.
Insulated Packaging: You must use a thick Styrofoam (polystyrene) cooler inside a sturdy cardboard box.
Timing: Never ship frozen food on a Friday. Always ship on a Monday or Tuesday to avoid the package sitting in a warm warehouse over the weekend.
Important Note: For standard B2C shipments, many carriers prohibit Dry Ice without a pre-approved account. Always contact our support team before attempting to ship frozen goods.
To ensure your gifts of food to send arrive in one piece, proper packaging is non-negotiable.
Seal It Tight: Even if the food is in a jar, place it inside a leak-proof Ziploc bag. Changes in air pressure during flight can cause lids to pop.
Cushioning: Wrap glass jars or fragile items individually in bubble wrap. There should be at least 5cm of cushioning between the item and the box wall.
Fill the Voids: If you send food to someone, the box should not rattle. Use packing peanuts or crumpled paper to stop movement.
When you sends food internationally (e.g., from Europe to the USA), customs is your biggest hurdle. Food is highly regulated to prevent diseases and pests.
The FDA Prior Notice (USA): If you are sending food to the USA, you must file a "Prior Notice" with the FDA, even if it is a gift. Without this registration number, the package will be destroyed.
Commercial Invoice: You must list every item clearly. Instead of writing "Snacks," write "2x Boxes of Belgian Chocolate (200g each)".
Store-Bought Only: As mentioned, customs officials look for factory-sealed packaging with nutritional labels.
For more details on restricted items, check the Netherlands list of prohibited and restricted items.
If you want to send food to an inmate, you generally cannot use a standard courier like DHL or ParcelParcel to ship a personal package directly to the prison. Prisons have strict security protocols and usually only accept packages from approved vendors (like Amazon or specific commissary services). Always check the specific facility's regulations first to avoid the package being rejected.
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The best way is to choose non-perishable items like artisanal jams, hard cheeses (if allowed), chocolates, or olive oils. Ensure they are commercially packaged. Always use a carrier that offers "Express" shipping to minimize transit time.
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We generally advise against sending homemade food internationally. Most customs agencies (including US Customs and Australian Border Force) will seize homemade items because they lack safety certifications and ingredient lists.
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The cost depends on the weight, dimensions, and speed of delivery. Since food often requires heavier packaging (glass jars, ice packs), the dimensional weight might be higher. You can calculate the exact price using our shipping calculator.
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Alcohol is strictly regulated. While some carriers allow it between certain countries, it often requires a business license. Shipping alcohol to individuals (B2C) is prohibited in many destinations (like the USA) via courier networks.
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You can instantly check the shipping costs through our rate calculator. Enter the weight, dimensions, and destination country of your shipment, and you will see all available shipping options along with their respective delivery times. The calculator can be used to compare shipping rates for both export and import shipments.
If you need help calculating a shipping rate, watch the video below. Click on the 
button to play the video and the 
icon to view the video in fullscreen.
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Shipping costs are calculated based on dimensions (LxWxH in cm), weight (in kg), and the destination country. Both the actual weight (as shown on the scale) and the volumetric weight are considered.
The volumetric weight is the weight calculated based on the space your shipment occupies in the plane. The higher of the two weights (volumetric or actual weight) is used to calculate the shipping rate. You don't need to calculate this yourself; our calculator does it for you.
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You can use the discount code PP10 for 10% discount on the transportation costs of your first shipment. You can apply the discount code during the checkout process (instructions).
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Whether additional costs apply depends on whether your shipment stays within the European Union or is sent to/from a country outside the European Union. Below, you can see the additional costs for each situation.
Within the European Union
If, for example, you send a shipment from the Netherlands to Italy (within the EU), there will be an additional 21% VAT on the shipping costs.
Furthermore, if your shipment stays within the European Union, you won't have to deal with any import duties or customs clearance fees because your shipment doesn't go through customs. Please note that the European Union is not the same as Europe.
View here all the countries that are part of the European Union. For example, Switzerland is part of Europe but not part of the European Union.
Outside the European Union
If, for example, you send a shipment from the Netherlands to the United States, there will be no VAT (0%) applied to the displayed shipping rates.
However, there might be import duties levied by customs in the destination country if you send a shipment to/from a country outside the European Union. Typically, customs costs are charged to the recipient. This is known as Delivered At Place (DAP) in logistics terminology.
Customs is a government agency that levies import duties in certain cases to protect the local market. As a company, you can also ship using Delivered Duty Paid (DDP), which means any customs costs will be charged to you as the sender.
If you have any questions about this topic, feel free to contact us. Additionally, you can read everything about import duties, VAT, and the customs clearance process in this blog.
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A customs invoice is a form where all the goods you want to ship are specified. This invoice includes an English description of the goods, along with their corresponding value and weight.
The contents of your shipment must be specified per type of product you're sending to avoid delays at customs. A customs invoice is always prepared in quadruplicate in accordance with customs guidelines.
When is a customs invoice required?
A customs invoice is only required for shipments to/from countries outside the European Union (e.g., Netherlands - United States). If your shipment stays within the European Union (e.g., Netherlands - Italy), your shipment will not go through customs, and therefore, a customs invoice is not required.
Additionally, document shipments are not subject to customs, so if you're sending a document to a country within/outside the European Union, no customs invoice is needed.
Please note that not all goods can be shipped to every country. You can find a list of goods that cannot be sent via ParcelParcel on this page.
Do I need to create a customs invoice myself?
If you're sending a shipment to/from a country outside the European Union, it's mandatory to include a customs invoice with the shipment. We provide free support in creating a customs invoice.
You can easily generate a customs invoice through our shipping platform. The customs invoice will be automatically generated based on the content you specified during your booking.
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You can import just as easily as export via ParcelParcel.
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You can find a list of goods that cannot be shipped via ParcelParcel on this page.
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