How to Ship Frozen Food Overnight: A Practical Guide for Canadian and U.S. Sellers

If you’re trying to ship frozen food overnight in Canada, you know it can be challenging.. Whether you sell frozen seafood on the Atlantic coast, bake artisanal frozen pastries in Quebec, or produce ready-to-eat frozen meals in Ontario, you can only ensure customer satisfaction if your products arrive frozen and fresh.

Infact, according to a recent report and Canada’s federal export records, Canada exported 202 shipments of frozen food to the U.S. from October 2023 to September last year. There was a 201% increase year over year, making the U.S. the ultimate destination for 100% of Canadian frozen food exports during that period. 

If you are selling frozen goods on an eCommerce platform like Amazon or Walmart, you already know how high the stakes are. One small mistake in packaging, handling, or courier selection can lead to thawed goods, unhappy customers, and returns that can cost you your profit as a seller.So how do you get the process of frozen food shipping from Canada to the U.S. right? Well, what becomes extremely important is to work with a logistics partner who has the experience to handle it all for you

Working with a logistics partner like eShipper can help you navigate the process step-by-step, including:

• How to package frozen food correctly to maintain temperature
• How to use dry ice safely and effectively
• How to select the right carrier for overnight frozen shipments
• How to comply with customs and regulatory requirements for Canada and the U.S.
• How to reduce shipping costs without compromising quality

Before we dive into the ‘How to’ of shipping frozen food overnight, let’s begin by first understanding why overnight shipping for frozen food should matter to you. 

Why Should Overnight Shipping Matter to You as a Frozen Food Seller? 

According to USDA, to maintain the quality of food and ensure it’s safe to consume, frozen food must stay below - 18°C (0°F). If the product thaws during transit, it can spoil, lose texture or flavor, or become unsafe to eat.

Overnight shipping minimizes the time your shipment is in transit and reduces the risk of thawing. This is critical for fresh seafood, desserts, meat, and other perishable frozen goods.

Here’s the Food Safety and Storage Table you can refer to as a seller, along with shipping considerations for each of these: 

Food Type	Safe Refrigerated Storage Before Shipping	Recommended Frozen Storage	Shipping Considerations for Sellers
Salads (Egg, chicken, ham, tuna, macaroni)	Up to 3 days	Not recommended	Ship fresh salads with expedited refrigerated shipping, avoid freezing to maintain texture. Use chilled packaging and refrigerate immediately upon arrival.
Hot Dogs	1 week (opened), 2 weeks (unopened)	1 to 2 months	Use insulated packaging and cold packs for refrigerated shipments; dry ice if frozen overnight. Label clearly as perishable.
Luncheon Meat	3 to 5 days (opened), 2 weeks (unopened)	1 to 2 months	Vacuum seal to maintain freshness; use dry ice for frozen shipments. Choose overnight courier to minimize transit time.
Bacon and Sausage	1 week (bacon), 1 to 2 days (raw sausage)	1 to 2 months	Fresh sausage requires fastest shipping; frozen sausage can be shipped with dry ice. Confirm courier’s dry ice policies via eShipper.
Ground Meats and Poultry	1 to 2 days	3 to 4 months	Always freeze ground meats before shipping frozen; package tightly with dry ice for overnight delivery.
Fresh Beef, Veal, Lamb, Pork	3 to 5 days	4 to 12 months	Freeze before shipping with adequate dry ice; use sturdy insulated boxes to prevent thawing during transit.
Ham	3 to 7 days depending on type	1 to 6 months	Check curing status; vacuum sealed hams ship better frozen; label clearly to assist handlers.
Fresh Poultry (Chicken, Turkey)	1 to 2 days	9 months to 1 year	Freeze fresh poultry prior to shipping; dry ice recommended for frozen shipments. Schedule earliest possible pickup.
Fish and Seafood	1 to 4 days	2 to 8 months	Use vacuum sealing and dry ice; ship overnight with specialized couriers experienced in perishables.
Shellfish (Crab, Lobster, Shrimp)	1 to 5 days	2 to 18 months	Live shellfish require fastest shipping, often refrigerated; frozen shellfish require dry ice and insulated packaging.
Eggs and Egg Products	3 to 5 weeks for raw eggs in shell	Freeze yolks/whites separately	Do not freeze eggs in shell; ship refrigerated eggs quickly; frozen egg products require insulated packaging.

Step 1: Select the Best Packaging for Frozen Food

The right packaging is the first step to making sure your frozen food shipment gets delivered safely. If you’re wondering how to pack frozen food for shipping, the right insulation and sealing techniques make all the difference. To keep the temperatures in control, follow these packaging best practices: 

Use Insulated Containers

Insulated foam coolers or refrigerated shipping boxes provide the thermal barrier needed to keep your frozen food cold. These containers are widely available and are a cost-effective option.

Vacuum Seal or Wrap Your Products

Vacuum sealing removes air and moisture that can degrade your frozen food. If vacuum sealing is not an option, wrap items tightly in plastic wrap or freezer bags to prevent freezer burn and contamination.

Secure the Packaging

Place your wrapped food inside the insulated container and fill empty spaces with cushioning material like bubble wrap or packing peanuts to prevent shifting during transit.

Seal the insulated container securely, then place it inside a sturdy cardboard box. Label the outer box with ‘Perishable – Keep Frozen’ message. 

Step 2: Use Dry Ice Correctly to Maintain Frozen Temperatures

Dry ice is frozen carbon dioxide and is essential for keeping shipments frozen during overnight transportation. Always follow dry ice shipping guidelines to ensure safe handling and carrier compliance. Unlike regular ice, dry ice does not melt into water but sublimates into gas, making it ideal for long trips.

How Much Dry Ice Do You Need?

On an average, 5 to 10 pounds of dry ice disappears in 24 hours, depending on the packaging and of course the weather conditions. For instance, if you're shipping a box of frozen meat across the country, and it’s an overnight shipment, you’ll need at least 5 pounds of dry ice. If your box isn’t well insulated, you may need around 10 pounds of dry ice to keep your product frozen.

The exact amount depends on the package size, product type, and shipping duration.

When shipping overnight, plan for a minimum of 24 hours of cold retention. 

Handling and Safety Tips

• Always wear gloves or use tongs to handle dry ice to prevent frostbite.
• Do not seal dry ice in an airtight container; the carbon dioxide gas released needs ventilation.
• Label your shipment with "Contains Dry Ice" and the net weight of the dry ice used, as required by the carrier and transport regulations.

Step 3: Choose the Right Courier for Overnight Frozen Food Shipping

Choosing the best couriers for frozen food in the market is extremely important. Not all carriers handle frozen shipments or dry ice the same way.

With eShipper, you get access to multiple carrier options including FedEx, UPS, Purolator, and DHL, all highly experienced with perishable goods and overnight delivery.

What to Look for, while Choosing a Carrier

• Guaranteed overnight delivery to your customer’s location
• Experience and policies regarding dry ice and frozen goods
• Ability to handle cross-border shipments efficiently if shipping to or from the U.S.
• Real-time tracking and delivery notifications

A multi-carrier platform allows you to compare carrier rates and delivery options tailored to your shipment needs.

Step 4: Prepare and Label Your Shipment with Precision

Labeling your frozen food shipment clearly is a legal requirement and a practical necessity. Your labels should include:

• "Perishable – Keep Frozen" to alert handlers
• "Contains Dry Ice" with the net weight of dry ice included
• Shipping address and contact information, including customs documentation for cross-border shipments

Using a partner platform, you can generate compliant labels to reduce errors and speed up processing.

Step 5: Schedule Your Pickup or Drop-Off Early

To ensure timely overnight delivery for your frozen food shipments, it’s important your products are with the carrier’s network early.

Schedule pickups or drop off your package at carrier locations as early in the day as possible, latest by 11 AM, if possible.

Step 6: Communicate with Your Customers

Frozen shipments need to be received promptly to avoid thawing after delivery. Communicate expected delivery windows and provide tracking information so customers can plan to accept the package immediately.

You can use a platform like eShipper that helps you not only compare multiple carriers for competitive rates but also offer real-time tracking options, especially necessary for frozen shipments. When dealing with overnight frozen food delivery, real-time tracking and precise customer notifications are crucial.

Step 7: Understand Customs and Food Safety Regulations

Cross-border frozen food shipments are subject to regulations. 

Certain products such as meat, seafood, and dairy may require permits or certifications.

A platform like eShipper can help you with customs clearance support and prepare required documentation to avoid delays.

Examples from the Real-World: Shipping Chocolates from Vancouver to Calgary 

For a small chocolate business in Vancouver specialized in handcrafted truffles and dark chocolate bars made with organic ingredients, shipping across Canada wasn't a concern during the cooler months.  But once temperatures started rising in late spring, they ran into a familiar challenge: melted products, which meant unhappy customers.

Their chocolates were being shipped with basic packaging with minimal insulation. Even with ice packs, several Calgary and Edmonton orders arrived partially or worse, completely melted. The packaging couldn’t withstand the heat during transit. 

To solve this, they turned to eShipper to find a better shipping setup. 

This helped them to:

• Compare overnight delivery options based on cost and speed, especially during summer.
• Choose weather-safe routes and prioritize carriers with minimal handovers
• Access temperature-control packaging recommendations for meltable goods.

They began using insulated mailers with cold packs and moisture barriers inside. 

Deliveries were scheduled through the eShipper platform using the best available overnight weekday delivery carrier options to prevent weekend delays. 

Pickup times were adjusted to late afternoon to reduce wait times for transit. 

The chocolate brand experienced a noticeable drop in melt-related complaints. More importantly, they could continue selling through the summer, without needing to pause delivery operations or limiting delivery zones.

Additional Tips to Reduce Shipping Costs While Maintaining Quality

• Use right-sized packaging to avoid paying for unused space.
• Consolidate shipments wherever possible to lower costs per package.
• Compare carrier rates via unified shipping platforms to find affordable options.
• Schedule shipments in batches to negotiate better pricing.
• Use only the necessary amount of dry ice to keep costs down.

What To Do If Your Shipment Thaws

If your shipment thaws during transit, immediately contact your carrier and document the condition.

Keep your customers informed and be ready to offer replacements or refunds if necessary. 

Summary Checklist for Overnight Frozen Food Shipping

• Use insulated packaging such as foam coolers.
• Wrap or vacuum seal products securely.
• Use dry ice in the proper amount and label accordingly.
• Select a courier with overnight delivery and perishables expertise.
• Label packages clearly and include all required documentation.
• Drop off or schedule pickup early in the day.
• Share tracking info and communicate delivery expectations with customers.
• Comply with customs and food safety regulations.

Common Mistakes to Avoid:

1. Underestimating Dry Ice Quantity: Not using enough dry ice can lead to thawed goods.
2. Improper Packaging: Skipping insulation or vacuum sealing can reduce shipment viability.
3. Ignoring Courier Dry Ice Policies: Some carriers have restrictions that can cause delays.
4. Late Drop-off or Pickup: Delays increase risk of thawing, especially for overnight shipments.
5. Insufficient Labeling: Lack of clear “Perishable – Keep Frozen” or “Contains Dry Ice” labels can lead to mishandling.
6. Overpacking with Dry Ice: Too much dry ice drives up cost and creates extra safety concerns.

Conclusion

Perishable goods shipping from Canada, especially for frozen food, is complex but manageable with the right approach. By using insulated packaging, dry ice, trusted carriers, and support from expert shipping platforms eShipper, you can ensure your frozen products arrive fresh, frozen, and ready to delight your customers.

This reliability builds trust and loyalty, which are essential for growing your frozen food business.

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