How long does food stay frozen in our package?

Summer test, warm conditions (82–93 °F air). This is our worst season, not a typical day.

Short answer: in our own summer test, food packed in a sealed foam cooler stayed below freezing (32 °F) for 48 hours, with 82–93 °F air outside. That is why frozen orders ship Monday to Wednesday and travel with a 2-business-day carrier service to the Lower 48. In cold weather, food in the box stays frozen longer; we have no winter measurements of our own yet, so we give no winter numbers.

Our test results — summer test, warm conditions (82–93 °F air)

Temperature in the center of the cooler, by hours since it was closed:

The readings were taken in °C and are shown here in °F, rounded to the nearest degree.

How we tested

• Cooler: expanded polystyrene (EPS) foam, about 9 × 10 × 11 inches outside, walls about 1 inch thick.
• Food: 12 frozen Jimmy Dean croissant breakfast sandwiches.
• Cold packs: five frozen ice blocks of about 1 lb each, at −8 to −11 °F: two under the food, three on top. No dry ice.
• Packing: inside our freezer at about −8 °F, a double layer of foil on top, the foam lid taped shut.
• Outside air: a warehouse in summer — about 82 °F with the air conditioning on, 86–93 °F and warmer at night with it off.
• Sensor: in the center of the cooler, for 3 days.

What it means for your order

• A trip of up to 2 business days fits inside the 48 hours the food stayed below freezing in our summer test. The margin is not large, so we never plan a longer trip.
• Frozen orders ship Monday to Wednesday — Thursday only to a ZIP the carrier reaches in 1 day — and never on Friday, so a box does not sit in a carrier warehouse over the weekend. See shipping and holiday shipping dates.
• Your order is packed the way we describe on How we pack: an insulated foam cooler with frozen gel ice below, beside and above the food.
• When the box arrives, bring it inside and put the food in the freezer right away. If something arrives thawed: money back when it’s our fault — conditions apply.

The limits of this test

• It is our own test, run in summer 2025. It is not certified by a laboratory.
• It shows warm conditions. In cold weather, food in the box stays frozen longer, but we have no winter measurements of our own yet and give no winter numbers.
• The cooler stood still in a warehouse. A real trip adds handling, truck heat and dock time.
• The test cooler and ice blocks are not identical to every cooler we ship today: we use four cooler sizes with frozen gel ice.
• By 60 hours the food was above 40 °F, so we do not promise anything beyond a 2-business-day trip.

Questions

How long does frozen food stay frozen in your cooler?

In our own summer test, with 82–93 °F air outside, food in a sealed foam cooler stayed below 32 °F for 48 hours and was above 40 °F by 60 hours. In cold weather it stays frozen longer; we have no winter numbers yet. Orders travel within 2 business days.

Does the food arrive frozen?

It ships frozen, packed for a trip of up to 2 business days anywhere in the Lower 48. In our summer test the food stayed below 32 °F for 48 hours. If something arrives thawed, money back when it’s our fault — conditions apply.

Do you use dry ice?

No. Orders ship in an insulated foam cooler with frozen gel ice — no dry ice.

Why don’t you ship frozen orders on Friday?

A Friday box could spend the weekend in a carrier warehouse. Frozen orders ship Monday to Wednesday; Thursday only to a ZIP the carrier reaches in 1 day.