Written on:
Let’s meat up! As eCommerce continues to boom, more meats and perishable food are being shipped across the country than ever before. With new food-centric delivery apps like Goldbelly, it’s not uncommon now for someone in Los Angeles to order a steak from their favorite New York restaurant and have it delivered to their doorstep. If you’re an online retailer trying to get in on the action, we’ve got you covered. This guide is all about how to ship meat with USPS, and the most effective way to get it done.
Table of Contents
- USPS Only Allows You to Ship Meat Domestically
- Priority Mail Express is Our Recommendation for Shipping Meat
- Fill Your Package with Sufficient Cooling Material
- Save the Most Money on Labels with Online Shipping Software
USPS Only Allows You to Ship Meat Domestically
The US Postal Service is pretty lenient when it comes to shipping meat. All you have to do is make sure the meat conforms to regulations set by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA). USPS also doesn’t restrict you to any specific type of service for shipping meat, as is the case when shipping hazardous materials. That being said, you can only ship meat with USPS domestically.
Priority Mail Express is Our Recommendation for Shipping Meat
Even though you can use any USPS service to ship meat, our suggestion is to use USPS Priority Mail Express service. Speed is the most important factor when shipping perishable items, and you want your meat to reach its final destination as quickly as possible.
Priority Mail Express offers next-day delivery to most urban destinations and 2-day delivery to and from rural locations. The best part is, you’re guaranteed to get your money back if the shipment doesn’t make it there in time! This service also comes with $100 of built-in insurance to cover you if your contents spoil or get lost during transit.
Fill Your Package with Sufficient Cooling Material
It’s also important to keep your perishable contents cool during transit, or else they will spoil. We recommend including either frozen gel packs, wet ice (melted water), or dry ice inside a strong, corrugated cardboard box. Whatever you decide to use, you should also include enough absorbent packing material to catch any leakage or liquid runoff.
If you do include dry ice, there are some specific guidelines you’ll need to follow. We’ve listed those out for you below:
- Make sure you don’t exceed the 5-pound per package maximum weight limit for dry ice
- Mark the package with “Dry Ice” or “Carbon Dioxide Solid”
- Affix the UN 1845 label to your package
- Mark the package with the net weight of dry ice in kilograms (1 kg = roughly 2.205 pounds)
- Include the name and address of the shipper
- Include the name and address of the recipient
Save the Most Money on Labels with Online Shipping Software
Priority Mail Express can get pretty expensive. So, you should save yourself money and buy postage online with shipping software. Online shipping software allows you to access the deepest USPS discounts like Commercial Pricing, which USPS typically only reserves for huge commercial shippers. When you use free shipping software you can print off your postage at home and can save up to 15% off of what you’d pay to ship the same package at retail prices!
On top of giving you access to the deepest possible discounts, most shipping software companies give you the option to schedule pickups for your packages through their websites, as well. When you schedule a USPS pickup, your letter carrier comes to pick up your packages whenever they usually deliver your mail and then transports them back to the outgoing USPS facility themselves. This allows you to save money and time by skipping a trip to the Post Office…and makes using shipping software a win/win.
Looking for the right shipping software for you?
To access the deepest discounts on all USPS services, check out our guide:
Last Updated:
Cindy Wheeler
I shipped a prime rib that left on 12/21/22 in Cody, Wyoming and was going to be delivered on 12/24/22. There was a delay in shipping, so it will not get there until 12/27/22. I put it in a styrofoam cooler and 4 gel packs with the meat being frozen. Will it still be good to eat?
Sharon Simms
Can I ship pork roll that comes 8 slices in a box from New Jersey to North Carolina…I would like to ship 12 boxes.
Paula
I want to ship hard cheeses and cured meats. I will be using dry ice packs. I wanted to use UPS 2nd Day Air on Pirate Ship but the 2 days is not guaranteed. Is Priority Express or Next Day the only option or is it still safe to go with UPS 2nd day without the guarantee?
Jeanette Champion
I’m trying to send my daughter tacos that are pinned and frozen. I would do overnight ir not too expensive. I don’t know how to find the correct packaging nor do I know where to find dry ice can you give me some suggestions?
John Eldridge
Question;
Shipping moose meat (legally harvested) to Ohio from Ottawa Canada.
It’s literally a 9 hour drive one way.
But how to ship, and can I? Not sure if it needs U.S approval?
Any help is welcome
Thanks
Kathleen
Looking to ship frozen beef from Oregon to Hawaii. Is it possible to get it there without thawing?
Have 1/2 steer in freezer and will be moving soon. Hate to give up the beef!
Rockwell Sands
Hi Kathleen, you can definitely do this, but it’s probably going to be expensive shipping it all the way to Hawaii! Honestly, if you’re looking for the most reliable service and price isn’t a concern, then shipping with FedEx and using their proprietary cold packaging is the safest option. Second to that, stuffing a bunch of frozen gel packs and shipping Priority Mail Express should still be fine! Lately, FedEx and UPS are just more reliable than USPS has been for packages like this. Hope this helps!
lindsay brown
Hi there! We run a pecan farm and have had an issue with selling chocolate pecans during the summer due to them melting when being shipped. What is the best way to keep costs low, but also get customers their pecans without the chocolate melting?
Rockwell Sands
Hi Lindsay – Thanks for writing in! This is a real pickle you’re in, since the summer months are always the bane of any chocolate shipper’s existence. To keep costs low, I would suggest firstly using shipping software to capture the best shipping discounts with USPS. You can learn more about which shipping software provider may best fit your needs here. If your boxes are small enough so you can ship your pecans via Priority Mail Cubic service, that’s the best bet! In this case, weight doesn’t matter until you go over 20 pounds…so if I were you, I would load up your packages with frozen gel packs as much as you can. That’s probably the cheapest way to do it, because if you with FedEx cold packaging or another specialty service like that, it’s going to be much more expensive. I hope this is helpful!
Darleen Wilkins
I want to ship pork pies from NH to Fl for thanksgiving. Assuming I should freeze it first then package with ice packs? Any suggestions?
Rockwell Sands
Hi Darleen – that’s a great idea! Following the steps in the guide above should help you out…if I were you, I would freeze the meat, then line your package with absorbent material (rags, towels, etc), and then fill it with frozen gel packs. Also, ship with USPS Priority Mail Express so it gets there as fast as possible!
Rhonda Brennan
I am visiting in Arizona, I live in Texas. I need to ship Salsa and Burritos from my favorite Mexican food restaurant. Any suggestions on how to package the salsa so it arrives edible? I plan on using dry ice , is there any suggestions on the type or size of cardboard box to use? Or is the standard priority express box acceptable?
Sharon Martin
My Grand daughter is in Pullman Washington at the University. She is homesick for Granny’s cooking. I want to send her 2 meals. Approx weight 5 lbs from Tacoma WA.. Will this arrive the next day with priority mail?
Rockwell Sands
Hi Sharon – that’s a sweet thought! If you want these meals to arrive the next day, then you should opt for Priority Mail Express rather than Priority Mail. It’s more expensive, but it’s the only next-day shipping service that USPS offers. Just be sure to drop off your package as early in the day as possible at the Post Office, so it has the best chance of being delivered on time the next day. We have a guide here that goes into everything you need to know about Priority Mail Express: https://www.shippingschool.com/usps-priority-mail-express-what-you-need-to-know/. I hope this is helpful!
Brenda Morrow
Hi I want to ship some meat to my son I live in Chicago he lives in Cincinnati I would like to do it next day mail what do I need to do
Martha
My kids are moving from Oklahoma to Alaska they have about 350 pounds of beef how is the best way to ship it?
Rockwell Sands
Hi Martha – 350 pounds is a heavy amount to ship, so I think the best way to do this may be to break up all the meat into several different boxes, maybe 10 boxes that weigh 35 pounds each. Depending on the size of the boxes, you’ll probably want to use USPS, because they offer the cheapest rates when shipping to Alaska. You can check out some rates here, if you type in the dimensions and weight of the boxes they’ll be using. Hope this is helpful!
Melanie Stephenson
Did you ship the beef to Alaska? I’m wanting to send some to my son in Alaska but not sure how to do it. Thought maybe you might have some pointers. Thanks!
TRACY GOLDMAN
Would like to know how much it will be to seen meat to Chicago from Texas??!!!
Rockwell Sands
Hi Tracy, thanks for the comment! The price of how much it will cost to ship your meat from Texas to Chicago depends on the size of your package, and how much it weighs. The best way to get a rate quote is to use this instant rate calculator here. It will show you how much it’ll cost at the absolute cheapest prices, and the different services you can use.
Barry Morris
i would like more information on shipping 8lb packages of beef to ny
Rockwell Sands
Hey Barry, it all depends on how big your box is, and where you’re shipping from. You can use this instant USPS rate calculator to see how much it’ll cost you when you type in all your information!
Kim
I would really like to get some more pricing info on Shipping from NYC places like Texas, LA, Florida, Arizona, Washington, Kentucky, Chicago, Wisconsin and more far out places for cheap.
Rockwell Sands
Hi Kim, sorry for the late reply here! The cost of shipping your boxes depends on how much they weigh, how big they are, and how far they need to travel. You can use this instant USPS rate calculator to plug in your info and get super fast quotes at the cheapest rates!