Anyone ever mail a pie? Is this doable?

M

mariadnoca

Moderator
I'm trying to give consumables and experiences as gifts this year. My sister mentioned a while back my BIL loves fruit pies (she doesn't bake so they often get a grocery store one) I was thinking I could make a pie to add to the package I ship. I do have a food saver (not sure if that would crush it though). I thought about those mini mason jar pies but they look like something that needs to be frozen, and well a big pie would actually weigh less when it comes to shipping charges.

Anyone have any experience shipping a pie?

 
A sad history of a pear pie.

My mom and dad bought and planted our pear tree and when planning a visit to them in Phoenix one year, I made a pear pie for them, unbaked and frozen. It was carefully packed into my suitcase which was then forgotten by the airline and in fact never left the city. It was there in the room in front of staff but they just failed to do anything about it. (not the last time that luggage sat in plain view of staff)

I claimed the loss, got the money and a month later, my suitcase was returned to me, mushed pear pie and all. Very sad-looking pie, disappointed parents, annoyed passenger.

I thought that by freezing it very solid, it could withstand most problems it might encounter. I was wrong.

My husband and I took lots and lots of frozen food to the Caribbean, for years, never a problem and never thawed. But things happen.

I think there is just too much risk and too much work involved. Why don't you ship a pear cake like Judy's, that gets better with age and if it takes a week to get there, it will be just right. It's also lighter and less fragile.

 
From NoCal to SoCal/FedEx....

I'd thought I might do a double crust, freeze, then Foodsaver it, then pack it in a box within a box. Mark this side up/fragile. I suppose I could put some dry ice in there too if need be. Didn't know if I should bake it first. Honestly I'd sorta thought I'd just box it within a box of other gifts like I do other food gifts, but maybe I'm not being realistic?

The whole reason to do pie instead of something else is that pie is specifically the food gift of choice for this person. (And bonus, zero cost for me to make.)

I may be getting crazy in my old age -- I was also thinking of making cookies and batches of icing/plunger/tips to create a cookie decorating kit for the kids -- kinda an art project with food instead of auntie just sending the finished cookies.

 
I think your plan may work! If you take it from the freezer, insulate it well...

and ship within an hour or so...yes, it's going to sit somewhere, but well insulated it should be ok. I get a pet food item shipped frozen with dry ice from TX to CA in the summer just fine. In the winter, I get all the dry ice as well. From NoCal to SoCal...pardon the pun...piece of cake!

 
Yes, sort of (bus) but it got stolen & the empty box sent on.

We use the bus service - MUCH cheaper.

We froze the pie and wrapped well although now that I have a foodsaver, I would seal with that after freezing. We packed it in a soccer ball box just because we had it and then that inside another box.

DH took it to the bus station and in hind sight, made a huge mistake in labeling that it was a Dutch Apple Pie. Somewhere between Nashville-Memphis-Jackson, MS someone opened the box and took the pie out and sealed it back up.

Thank goodness mom opened it at the Greyhouse parcel counter to share a piece with her buddy down there (she made pickups there EVERY morning). She called thinking we had pulled a prank on her. But we hadn't. So they paid us $60 (and that was 20 years ago) and shipped a second one for us for free.

But I can tell you that it does work. I also use Priority Mail and pack in insulated bags (Califoria Innovation bags) with frozen ice packs. Ships very cheaply and almost always gets there within 3 days sometimes quicker. Ususally by the time it gets there it hasn't fully thawed and I ship things more perishable than just pies this way.

Shipping via FedEx or UPS is just way too expensive due to the weight in my opinion.

 
my sister just sent me fresh jalapenos and other goodies, USPS Flat Rate priority. mailed Sat, recvd

Monday. that's from Indiana to Alaska. pretty good. I sent them potatoes and carrots grown in Alaska, same way---priority flat rate and stuffed the box full. got there in just 2 days as well. now with holiday mail increasing, it may take longer.

 
Maria, any chance it's coming down here anywhere near LAX? I'll be up in Sacramento Dec 7-14

I'd be glad to bring it back in my carry-on.

 
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