Now that you have decided this year's holiday gifts will be of the delicious, nutritious variety, you have some homework to do. You have to decide what foods to give, whether they will be produced commercially or made at home, how to package the food, label it, and deliver it. You also need to decide when and how the food should be mailed. You may need to let the recipient know how to keep and use the food item once they get it. Some food gifts are best when they're not a surprise.
Refrigeration is needed to control bacterial growth, and keep the food safe.
The last thing you want is to spoil someone's holiday by giving them a gift they get sick from or have to throw out. So, if you are sending a gift of food this holiday, use these pointers to make sure it is not only delicious and nutritious but safe as well. If you are ordering a gift to be sent from a mail-order company, ask how the gift will be packaged and mailed. It should be packed in foam or heavy corrugated cardboard. If it is perishable, it needs to be packed ice cold or frozen with a cold source, such as dry ice or a frozen gel pack.