The Conservative Cave
Current Events => The DUmpster => Topic started by: franksolich on January 20, 2012, 07:05:57 PM
-
http://www.democraticunderground.com/11574421
Oh my.
EFerrari (158,985 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore
Advice needed on shipping food.
I want to be able to send entries up to two elderly relatives on a weekly basis who live about 90 minutes away. One lives alone with a caregiver who isn't much of a cook. The other is part of a couple that is really busy and might enjoy a treat (or a break) on Friday nights. It might be fun for them if I could only figure out the shipping part.
I wouldn't like to freeze anything because the texture goes south. So, what are the options? Packing in ice overnight? I've never done anything like this, have only shipped candy and cookies where the perishable part wasn't an issue.
Does anyone have any experience or suggestions?
What are "entries"?
Anybody know?
Denninmi (1,919 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore
1. It sounds like a nice gesture, but perhaps not practical.
I assume you're talking about something you've made yourself. From a food safety standpoint, this sounds tricky -- basically, you would need to freeze it, which you said you didn't want to do. And you would probably need to pack on dry ice and ship overnight -- very pricey.
Instead, what about either sending them commercial made canned and packaged items that don't need refrigeration, or gift cards for some local eateries that might work for them, especially for places that might deliver?
Why not just send them money?
Money always works.
elleng (28,099 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore
2. We called them 'freezies,' little ones used in lunch boxes, larger for picnics and beach, plastic thingies containing some sort of chemical which we stored in freezer. They come in various sizes.
Wouldn't do ice; it MELTS, and even if you're driving, one never knows.
EFerrari (158,985 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore
4. Freezies? LOL! Where do you get them?
I know people do this, I just need to figure out how they do it.
maddezmom (124,980 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore
3. I'd think you can do it if the overnight fees aren't unreasonable
I agree with elleng about using the reusable packets or you could make your own using double or triple ziplocks. And another thing you could pack with are those stryo popcorn things as they also would help to keep things cooled without using a cooler. You'd probably have to retrieve them after a bit to reuse.
EFerrari (158,985 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore
5. I thought about packing stuff into a little styro cooler
but in the end, that would mean that little cooler would have to come back eventually, although I don't know how much they cost but tend to hate styro in all forms. My brother is up in the area of one relative and he would go fetch for me there but the other one is in the opposite direction and nothing I send up there will ever come back. (Hmm. Maybe I'm overlooking an opportunity there.)
-
Gee whiz, Beth. Both are 90 minutes away. Why not buy the ingredients for some gourmet dinners and sashay your DUmb butt over to their place a cook the dinner for them.
Unless you hate them and don't want to spend the time with them.
-
Wonder where she gets the disposable income to do that? Maybe entries are cheaper than entrees.
Cindie
-
With two big old dogs crowded into that cramped little camping trailer, I wonder if poor, stupid Beth can prepare a meal that doesn't have dog hair as one of its ingredients.
She should check with the LVL. He apparently has all his meals shipped in by Fedex.
-
In this corner, Poor Stupid Beth. Challenging her, A Wet Paper Bag.
-
She could send them meals from Omaha Steaks.
Of course, then she'd get phone calls and mail from Omaha Steaks for the next ten or fifteen years.
-
This person has a job that prevents them from driving there once every couple of weeks?
-
Gee whiz, Beth. Both are 90 minutes away. Why not buy the ingredients for some gourmet dinners and sashay your DUmb butt over to their place a cook the dinner for them.
Unless you hate them and don't want to spend the time with them.
That requires effort... something dummies notoriously lack.
-
This person has a job that prevents them from driving there once every couple of weeks?
Seems like that would be the solution. Make a few meals that freeze well, pack them in a cooler, and drive 90 minutes to drop it off. Enjoy coffee, or maybe dinner with a relative, then drive home.
-
Denninmi (1,919 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore
1. It sounds like a nice gesture, but perhaps not practical.
I assume you're talking about something you've made yourself. From a food safety standpoint, this sounds tricky -- basically, you would need to freeze it, which you said you didn't want to do. And you would probably need to pack on dry ice and ship overnight -- very pricey.
Instead, what about either sending them commercial made canned and packaged items that don't need refrigeration, or gift cards for some local eateries that might work for them, especially for places that might deliver?
Ship them overnight? 90 Minutes away? Are you ****ing serious?
Make the meals, wrap them in foil and towels and drive them there. Hell, they will still be hot when you get there... growing up my mom used to cook meals and do this for the pot locks after 2-3 hours of church they would still be warm.
Or better yet, prepare the meal. Drive it there and cook it for them, or just hand it to them with the cooking instructions.
Oh wait, effort... you lack it.
-
I'm thinking the family doesn't want her crazy butt to come in person. I know I wouldn't.
-
Eat a really good entries and then send it to them over psychic airwaves. You know white healing light kind of thing, jeesh.
-
Why not the old-fashioned DUmmy method? Just mail them a photo of the food along with a note that reads, "Sending healing white lasagna vibrations your way".
-
elleng (28,099 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore
2. We called them 'freezies,' little ones used in lunch boxes, larger for picnics and beach, plastic thingies containing some sort of chemical which we stored in freezer. They come in various sizes.
Wouldn't do ice; it MELTS, and even if you're driving, one never knows.
I wonder if you put your vegies in your thingies to make your freezies.
I guess if they're inedible slop you can always give them to your goggies or your kitties.
(I'm going to go hide from frank now :-))
-
(I'm going to go hide from frank now :-))
You'd better.
It's really sick, the way primitives in their 50s, 60s, and 70s still use baby-talk.
-
You'd better.
It's really sick, the way primitives in their 50s, 60s, and 70s still use baby-talk.
Not really sick, but typical, considering their mental development.
-
elleng (28,099 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore
2. We called them 'freezies,' little ones used in lunch boxes, larger for picnics and beach, plastic thingies containing some sort of chemical which we stored in freezer. They come in various sizes.
Wouldn't do ice; it MELTS, and even if you're driving, one never knows.
Yeah, I've always just called those "ice packs". I think that Blue Ice was the brand that my mom bought for my lunches when I was little.
-
elleng (28,099 posts) Profile Journal Send DU Mail Ignore
2. We called them 'freezies,' little ones used in lunch boxes, larger for picnics and beach, plastic thingies containing some sort of chemical which we stored in freezer. They come in various sizes.
Wouldn't do ice; it MELTS, and even if you're driving, one never knows.
Smartest and most talented people (& I use that term loosely) on the internet.