In response to the demand of alternative eco-friendly packaging materials for foods, hydrogels based on carboxymethyl cellulose (Na-CMC) emerges as water absorbent food packaging packets was prepared. Degree of substitution, intrinsic viscosity, degree of polymerization, and average number molecular weight of CMC were determined. The graft copolymerization of acrylamide onto carboxymethyl cellulose sodium salt in aqueous medium was performed with varying acrylamide ratios. The grafting was characterized by investigation means of FT-IR, X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope (SEM), elemental analysis, and thermal behaviour (TGA and DSC). The maximum water swelling capacity was 413% at 30.28 grafting degree. Migration test of residual acrylamide to fresh meat sample upon direct contact was done to ensure meat safety. The result revealed that, carboxymethyl cellulose grafted polyacrylamide copolymer (CMC-g-PAm) is safe and healthy for meat packaging during storage.