Yes, you can send snacks in the mail, but you must follow postal service guidelines and customs rules, especially for perishables or international shipments, focusing on proper packaging, declaration, and avoiding prohibited items like fresh produce, meat, or dairy without special handling like refrigeration. Non-perishable, commercially packaged items like cookies, candy, and chips are generally easiest to ship, while homemade or perishable items need extra care and specific packing.
Sending food in the post isn't a problem. But popping some flowers from your garden in with your box of bakes could be. We checked in with Australia Post and they confirmed that shipping brownies and other perishables is fine, as long as they are packaged properly and meet state quarantine regulations.
Most nonperishable food items are mailable domestically if properly packaged. See USPS.com Shipping Restrictions. See the Individual Country Listing for shipping restrictions to any country. See the Individual Country Listing for shipping restrictions to any country.
You can't mail weapons (including replicas), illegal drugs, fresh foods, plants, soil, certain animal products (ivory, some furs), counterfeit goods, or hazardous materials (explosives, aerosols, large batteries, strong chemicals) to Australia; biosecurity (pests/diseases) and security risks are key concerns, so declare everything, especially food, alcohol, tobacco, or items with cultural/security implications. Always check the Australia Post and Australian Border Force (ABF) official sites for detailed, up-to-date lists before sending.
You can post most non-perishable food items, like chocolate, biscuits, tea, or even vacuum-sealed meats, provided they don't require refrigeration and are packaged well. This makes food hampers, snacks, and sweets a popular choice for gifts.
As long as you're using adequate refrigeration methods, padding and packaging, you're able to send a variety of foodstuffs around the UK.
For perishable foods prepared at home and mailed, follow these guidelines: Ship in a sturdy box. Pack with a cold source, i.e., frozen gel packs or dry ice.
Food items are allowed in as long as they are non-perishable, ambient and sealed in manufacturers' packaging. So chocolate, sweets, biscuits, crisps, snacks and all the other goodies that go into our Gift Boxes are fine to send, although customs will occasionally inspect a parcel to check its contents.
Biosecurity (plant and food materials)
You cannot bring fresh fruit and vegetables, meat, poultry, pork, eggs, dairy products, live plants or seeds to Australia. These products could introduce serious pests and diseases into Australia, devastating our unique environment.
Detector dog teams work at Australian airports, seaports, cargo depots and international mail centres. We train our detector dogs to find drugs, firearms, explosives, currency and tobacco. They provide an effective complementary detection capability alongside technologies such as x-ray and trace particle detection.
Use an insulated foam container with a minimum of 1-1/2"-thick walls. Line the inside of the container with a watertight plastic liner if your item can melt or thaw. Double-bag perishable products that can melt or thaw and shipments that contain liquid in watertight plastic bags (minimum of 2-mil thickness).
P – Z
Dehydrated soups and drink mixes are lightweight and safe to ship. Condiments such as hot sauce and other seasonings in packets, sealable bags or unbreakable jars are useful for spice-lovers. Canned foods or specialty foods (e.g. shrimp, dips, corned beef and cracker spreads) make nice gifts.
Perishable items are materials that can deteriorate in the mail, such as live animals, food, and plants. Permissible perishable items are sent at the mailer's own risk. These items must be specially packaged and mailed so that they arrive before they begin to deteriorate.
Food and drink
Use an airtight container for packing the cookies. Line the bottom of the container with a cushioning material, such as bubble wrap or Kraft paper. If shipping different types of cookies, stack bigger ones at the bottom, with smaller and lighter ones on top. Fill empty space with cushioning material.
Food, including Potentially Hazardous Food
Customers must ensure food is packed with sufficient insulation and temperature control devices to take account of what might happen if there are delivery delays, and consider whether any delay could affect the quality and safety of the product being sent.
Depending on the purpose of the shipment, the following preparations may be required. If the shipment is for the purpose of sale, a country of origin label issued by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) must be attached to the food package.
You generally can't send dangerous goods (explosives, flammable items, aerosols, dry ice), illegal drugs, counterfeit items, certain live animals/plants, fresh food (meat, dairy, fruit, veg), pornography, and large amounts of currency or gift cards to Australia, due to strict biosecurity and customs regulations. Firearms, replicas, and their ammunition are also banned.
With the two golden rules in mind, follow these simple steps and you'll be approaching biscuit shipping perfection in no time:
For fruits, and vegetables contact the Plant division of APHIShttp://www.aphis.usda.gov. Baked goods, seafood, canned and packaged goods, candy and chocolate, etc. must be labeled with country of origin, ingredients, and nutrition information.
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.
The 2-2-2 food rule is a simple guideline for leftover safety: get cooked food into the fridge within 2 hours, eat it within 2 days, or freeze it for up to 2 months to prevent bacteria growth, keeping it out of the temperature "danger zone" (40-140°F or 5-60°C).
Ship Your Perishables Fast
UPS Next Day Air® service is recommended, though UPS 2nd Day Air® shipping may be suitable for foods that require minimal temperature control. Ship early enough in the week so that your package will not sit over a weekend.
These typically include hazardous materials like explosives, flammable liquids, and toxic substances, as well as illegal items such as drugs and counterfeit goods. Additionally, items like perishable food and live animals may have restrictions or require special handling.