GetShippingRatesPowered byArmstrong Transport Group877-240-1181Get a quoteQuote
Food and temperature · how to ship

How to ship frozen food

The right mode, how to prepare it, what drives the price and the mistakes that cost money. Best modes: Reefer LTL, Reefer truckload.

Short answer: Ship frozen food in a reefer set at 0°F or colder: reefer LTL for a few pallets, a reefer truckload for full loads. Product must be frozen solid before pickup, pallets should be stretch-wrapped and labeled 'keep frozen', and the set point goes on the bill of lading.

Updated November 3, 2026 · By the GetShippingRates team at Armstrong Transport Group

Step by step

Preparing frozen food for shipping

  1. Freeze product solid to shipping temperature before pickup.
  2. Stretch-wrap and label pallets 'Keep frozen'.
  3. Put the set point and continuous mode on the BOL.
  4. Book delivery appointments; frozen warehouses run tight schedules.
  5. Check the temperature record and product temperature at delivery.
Cost

What drives the price

  • Frozen capacity and fuel for the reefer unit
  • Appointments and lumper fees
  • Pallet count and weight
  • Detention at busy cold-storage warehouses

For real prices see pallet shipping cost, the freight rate index and reefer shipping cost.

Avoid these

Mistakes that cost money

  • Tendering product that isn't fully frozen.
  • Missing the appointment at a cold-storage receiver.
  • No temperature on paperwork.

More food and temperature guides

Frequently asked questions

Can frozen and chilled products ship together?

Not in the same compartment. Multi-temp trailers exist but most loads run at one set point.

Does frozen reefer LTL exist?

Yes. Reefer LTL carriers run frozen and chilled services; pick frozen when you quote.

What temperature is frozen freight?

Usually 0°F or colder; ice cream often ships at -10°F to -20°F.

More shipping cost guides

  • Shipping cost calculator — Billable weight for parcel, LTL, truckload, air and ocean, the mode that fits, and a dated LTL price range.
  • Pallet shipping cost — What 1 to 12 pallets cost to ship by LTL, by distance, from 97,000+ real shipments.
  • Freight shipping rates — How each mode is priced, and LTL price per 100 lb by weight and distance from real shipments.
  • LTL vs truckload — Where LTL stops making sense: pallet counts, weight, linear feet and transit, with real LTL prices.
  • Air freight rates — How air cargo is priced: chargeable weight, weight breaks, surcharges and door-to-door charges.
  • Ocean freight rates — FCL vs LCL, container sizes, revenue tons and every charge on an ocean freight quote.
  • Freight rate index — Median all-in truckload price per mile by equipment, distance and city, from hundreds of priced lanes.
  • Reefer shipping cost — What refrigerated LTL and reefer truckloads cost, from real quotes on 16 lanes.
  • White glove delivery cost — Curbside to white glove with assembly: what the two-person delivery leg costs in 16 US cities.
  • Broker vs. carrier direct — When a direct carrier contract beats a broker, and when it doesn't.
  • Volume LTL vs. partial truckload — The 6-to-18-pallet gray zone: how each is priced and handled.
  • Where to get a freight quote — Carrier sites, marketplaces, brokers and instant-rate platforms compared.
  • How to ship anything — Mode, packaging, freight class and cost drivers for furniture, machinery, produce, hazmat and more.
  • Shipping to Mexico — Cross-border freight: border crossings, the documents each side needs, and the US leg's real cost.
Live quote

Get a quote to ship frozen food

Pick the mode, enter the lane and freight, and see live rates in seconds where the mode supports it. Armstrong Transport Group's team handles the rest.

Prefer to talk? Call 877-240-1181 or email info@getshippingrates.com. Shipping several modes? Request a free multimodal shipping review.

Reefer LTL quote

  2. 2 Shipment
  3. 3 Contact
Chilled, frozen or ambient pallets
Lane
Freight
Temperature
Extra services (optional)
At pickup
At delivery