The pandemic changed a lot of day-to-day activities, paving the way for new businesses and ways to live to come to the forefront. In the same way, remote work from home came into the spotlight; meal kits also gained a lot of traction as a safe way to prepare and enjoy fresh food at home without needing to visit a restaurant or grocery store. But as meal kits gain more popularity, special insulated shipping considerations need to be made.
Freshness Matters
Meal kits are fresh ingredients measured into portions to make a particular dish for a set number of diners. Different businesses offer select meals from a menu and then send the ingredients to customers so they can prepare the meals at home. However, they are perishable because they are fresh ingredients of meat, vegetables, and sauces. Without proper protection, like insulated packaging, they are at risk of damage and spoiling.
As with any food item, the raw ingredients of meal kits are vulnerable in two ways. The first is that they are physically delicate, as ingredients like raw meats and vegetables are soft and can tear or bruise easily. This requires sturdy physical protection.
The other issue is one of perishability. Raw ingredients inevitably spoil and become unsafe to eat given enough time. However, that lifespan can decrease considerably if other factors are introduced. A warm, humid environment, for example, can spoil exposed ingredients much faster than food that is stored in a cool, dry environment.
Insulated packaging, and other solutions like passive pallet covers for larger shipments, are ideal ways to handle the problem. Once chilled to the ideal temperature, ingredients remain at that temperature throughout the shipping process with insulated packaging.
Insulated shipping protects the goods even if the unexpected happens and a shipment is left waiting on a tarmac, dock, or yard exposed to the elements. This ensures that the ingredients still arrive fresh, tasty, and most important of all, still safe for cooking and consumption.
