I thought of a way to get some chocolate to our chocoholics......Betty Crocker makes individual, microwaveable brownies and cakes.  Granted, it isn't candy but they are chocolate and they are pretty good!  They come in individual bowls and all you have to do is add water and microwave.  A lot of times our local grocery stores have them on sale, buy one get one free, and there are coupons that come out regularly in the Sunday papers.  That makes them around a dollar each.  Normally, here in Tennessee they are around $1.50-$1.80 each.

I have a question about sending chocolate. M&M's were originally created back during WWI [I think it was the first one!] to send overseas. That is why it had the hard candy shell, to keep the chocolate from melting. I know the formula has changed over the years so it isn't quite like it used to be. But does anyone know if M&M's still hold up, since that is the whole reason they were created way back when??

A couple of messages we have gotten said that the M&Ms ship fine, but I like to push my packages of food in June and slow down on any food shipments in July and Aug. except for nuts, plain pretzels, crackers, drink mix powder, etc. because the heat is just so hard on food when it has to sit in the broiling sun.  They say that their appetites wane in the hottest times also because of having to push liquids so hard. A lot of them mostly want salty treats then. I even question sending the popsicle-type packets in July-Aug.  Will the extreme heat weaken the plastic (especially if the plastic pools can melt).

Gran

I just saw where someone else posted this idea in another thread.  Sorry about that!

At the grocery store here...They have these  insulated foil type bags to keep  your frozen things cool for a couple of hours. You can buy them for $1-3 depending on the size...I have sent M&M's in them...I of course wrap them in mutiple baggies too.  Some troops write M&M's make it...I guess it depends on how remote they are, and how long it takes to get the packages to them... Some of my troops have asked for these soft cooler type bags too ,to keep water cool when they are away from there base...they don't take up as much room as a cooler.

They love those Betty Crocker things ... but I resent how much space they take for one serving! LOL. Also have sent Nutella and Hershey's chocolate syrup in squeeze bottle. Have heard that they pass it around and squirt in their mouths. Did Ipost this elsewhere already? Sorry, if so. Have heard M&Ms still travel well. Have also sent the dunking chocolate (need microwave to melt it) along with Vanilla wafers.

Hi All,

What I just sent to one of my airman at his request was a box of honey graham crackers, a jar or marshmallow creme and a jar of chocolate syrup (plastic jars of course). He tole me they spread the marshmallow creme on top of a graham cracker and pour syrup on it then add another graham cracker for a smore. sometimes they heat it other times they don't. Aren't they creative

Diana

I think M&Ms *might* hold up to their own weight in the heat- but they might crack under pressure if they have the rest of the package and the stack of boxes pushing on them- so if I sent them- I think I would put the bag/s inside it's own rigid sided container.

I must be doing something wrong in Santa Fe then where temps during the summer can get up to 106 some days (dry heat no humidity)....the M&Ms always melt if i forget them in my car     They are still good, though!   LOL

 

michelle

I sent M&Ms in the dead of summer a couple years ago and they arrived fine.  I had sent them with a bunch of beanie babies and I just ziploc'd them and put them in the middle of the box. Even if they melt, the soldiers will eat them....even if they have to lick them off the package

 

I've heard that if you wrap the M&M's package up in newspaper it keeps them from melting.  I've never tried it but a few people swore by it.

The Betty Crocker Warm Delights are great to send!  The cholocate cake one is cute to send with candles for birthdays; they also come in a few non-chocolatey desserts (the Cinnamon Swirl Cake is really good).  They're kind of expensive at grocery stores, WalMart and Target have them (in the baking section) for least expensive. 

I try to put two of these treats in each of my snack boxes.  They are shaped a lttile awkard, but if you put in a can of pringles, and then put the microwave treats next to the canister (one upside down, one right side up) they fit together quite neatly and it all stays tight for shipping.  Also, I found some of these at the Dollar store so keep an eye out for them there. 

If buying from the Dollar Store or similar places (or any store) - make sure they are not made in China because there are a lot of problems with their food and hygiene items right now.

Hi All,

I found some chocolate twizzlers at Walgreens yesterday. They have the 16 oz. pkg for 99 cents. I have a unit of 30 that I support and they have been crying for chocolate so I picked up10 chocolate ones and 10 cherry and 10 multicolored packages for them. I tried it and its actually good! I never knew they made twizzlers in chocolate.

Diana

Whey Protien Powder generally comes in chocolate flavor and a lot of the soldiers have been asking for this.  Recent studies have shown that Whey protien speeds muscle recovery and reduces soreness.  It's not just a body building thing.