What you bake
Frozen Pie Shipping Box: Cost, Padding, and Cold Pack
A clear way to pick a frozen pie shipping box, price it, and protect your margin.
On this page
- Start with the size of your pie
- How much padding do you need
- Do you need a cold pack
- What the box costs and how to price it
- Mistakes that cost you money
- What to check before you commit
- What goes in the box with the pie
- How to test one box before you buy 50
- Why the box is part of your price
- How Brevl helps you track box cost
- How to ask your carrier about cold packs
- How to set your shipping price to cover the box
- What to do if a pie arrives broken
What to remember
- Measure your pie before you buy any box.
- Add 1 inch of padding on all sides.
- Leave room for a cold pack if you ship frozen.
- Test one box before you order 50.
- Price the box into your pie price.
Choosing a frozen pie shipping box is a decision about size, padding, and cold. If you get it wrong, you lose the pie, the shipping, and the customer. If you get it right, you can sell pies to people who are not local. You can also find more craft guides at our craft hub.
Start with the size of your pie
Measure the widest part of your pie, including the crust, and add 1 inch of padding on each side. Our guide on pie shipping boxes covers 1 inch padding and cost per box.
How much padding do you need
Padding protects the pie from bumps, and the same guide says 1 inch of padding. For frozen pies, you also need room for a cold pack, so do not skip the padding to save space.
Do you need a cold pack
If you ship a frozen pie, you need to keep it cold, and that is a decision you make with your carrier. Ask your carrier about their rules for dry ice or gel packs before you promise frozen delivery.
What the box costs and how to price it
The box is part of your cost, and our guide on pie baking business covers cost per pie, price, and margin. Add the box, padding, and cold pack to your ingredient and labor cost, then set your price.
For example, a related pricing guide suggests $20 to $25 for a lemon meringue pie. At $20, your margin is $20 minus ingredients, labor, overhead, and the box. If you sell 20 pies in a month, the $20 Brevl overhead is $1 per pie. So your margin is $20 minus ingredients, labor, $1 overhead, and the box.
Measure your pie
Measure the widest part, including the crust.
Add 1 inch padding
Add 1 inch of padding on all sides.
Leave room for cold
Leave space for a cold pack if you ship frozen.
Test one box
Pack a pie and shake gently. If it moves, add padding.
Mistakes that cost you money
The biggest mistake is buying boxes before you test one, and another is forgetting the cold pack in your cost. A third is using a box that is too tight, because if the pie shifts, it cracks.
What to check before you commit
Check the box size against your pie and check the padding before you commit to a bulk order. Check the cold pack rules with your carrier and the total cost per order. If the margin is too thin, raise your price or find a cheaper box.
What goes in the box with the pie
You need the pie, the padding, and the cold source, and you may also want a note for the customer. Keep the note flat so it does not press into the pie, and do not add loose items that can shift.
How to test one box before you buy 50
Order one box and pack a pie the way you would ship it, then shake the box gently. If the pie moves, add padding or choose a smaller box, and if the box bulges, choose a larger box.
Why the box is part of your price
The box is not free, and it is part of your cost per order, so if you forget it, your margin is smaller than you think. Add the box, padding, and cold pack to your cost, then set your price with the same guide.
How Brevl helps you track box cost
Brevl has real costing for your recipes, so every pie price can include the box and you can see your margin before you sell. Brevl is one flat $20 a month, with no cut of your sales, and it works on your phone and computer.
How to ask your carrier about cold packs
Ask your carrier about dry ice and gel packs before you ship, because some carriers have restrictions on dry ice. Ask what they allow and how they want it packed before you promise frozen delivery.
How to set your shipping price to cover the box
You can include the box in your pie price or charge it as a shipping cost, but either way the box must be in your cost per order. Add the box, padding, and cold pack to your ingredient and labor cost, then set your price so the margin works.
What to do if a pie arrives broken
A broken pie costs you the pie, the shipping, and the customer, so ask for a photo of the pie and the box. Then check your padding and your box size, and fix your packing before the next order.
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- Pie Shipping Boxes: 1 Inch Padding and Cost per Box
- Pie Baking Business: Cost per Pie, Price, and Margin (2026)
- How Much to Charge for Lemon Meringue Pie: $20 to $25
Common questions
What size box do I need for a frozen pie?
Measure the widest part of your pie, including the crust, and add 1 inch of padding on each side. Then add room for a cold pack if you ship frozen, so the box must fit all three without squeezing.
Do I need a cold pack for a frozen pie?
If you ship a frozen pie, you need to keep it cold, so check with your carrier about their rules for dry ice or gel packs. Some carriers have restrictions, so ask before you promise frozen delivery to a customer.
How much padding should I use?
The same guide says 1 inch of padding on all sides, which protects the pie from bumps. For frozen pies, you also need room for a cold pack, so do not skip padding to save space.
How do I price the box into my pie?
Add the box, padding, and cold pack to your ingredient and labor cost, then set your price. A related pricing guide suggests $20 to $25, so if you sell at $20, subtract all your costs and the rest is your margin.
Can I ship a frozen pie in a regular box?
A regular box may not have room for padding and a cold pack, so you need a box that fits the pie, the padding, and the cold source. Test one box before you buy in bulk, and if the pie moves, the box is too big or the padding is too thin.
What if my pie arrives broken?
A broken pie costs you the pie, the shipping, and the customer, so prevent it with the right box and padding. Test one box before you ship, and if a pie breaks, ask for a photo and fix your packing.
General information, not legal or carrier advice.