Food Items

Themed Care Packages

Las Vegas Angel — Sun, 20 May 2007 00:45:09 GMT

My boyfriend is in the army and I've sent him a "few" of these themed care packages. Sometimes I need new ideas as I'm sure some of you anysoldier junkies can relate. The same old care package can get a little boring after awhile so I've taken some of the ideas I've found online and compiled one giant list. I'm sure many of you have great ideas and I'd love to hear them. Here is my "little"....well not so little list! Enjoy!

THEMED CARE PACKAGE IDEAS!

SOLDIER CARE PACKAGE
"Tucked inside this little bag
When your spirits are starting to sag
Are some little reminders that I care
As you fight for freedom over there."

Toothpick: To help you pick out the good in every situation you encounter.
Hugs and Kisses(Hershey's Hugs and Kisses): Because sometimes we all need a "hug and kiss"
Paperclip: to help you "keep it together" when it all seems to be hitting the fan.
Marble: To replace "the ones we all lose" from time to time.
Snickers: To remind you to "laugh" even when you feel like crying.
Rubber Band: To help you be flexible and "bounce back" in times of trouble without breaking.
Stick of Gum: To remind you to "stick" with the task at hand.
Mint: To let you know you're worth a "mint" to me.
Cotton Ball: To help "cushion" the rough times.
Lollipop: To help you "lick" the problems you encounter.
Star Burst: To let you know I'm "bursting" with pride for you.
Nut: To remind you to relax and get a little "nutty" sometimes.
Tootsie Roll: To remind you of the important "roll" you play.
Lifesaver: To signify the "lifesaving" things you do to keep our country free.

New Baby:
A "Its A Boy/Girl" birth announcement card, candy pacifiers, baby bottles filled with candy, baby wipes (which they need), baby lotion, baby powder small stuffed animal, bubble gum cigars, baby boy stuffed bear, cheerios, Gerber Graduates - Banana Cereal Snackin' Squares, Veggie Crackers, Veggie Wagon Wheels, Fruit Juice Snacks, Cereal Bars, Johnson's Take Along toiletry pack, Sugar Babies, Milk Duds, Sour Patch Kids, Mini sweet tarts, Jerky Steak Bites - for teething, and can of powdered pink lemonade[Now I realize blue kool aid would have been more appropriate] (printed a new label - Baby Soldier Formula - Caution - use of this product may cause baby to require less sleep than normal babies, ability to sleep anywhere, develops strong patriotism, etc., and a disposable camera to record his rapid growth

Crazy for cookies:
Any type of cookie in the cookie aisle Would be great during the holidays.

From the local zoo:
animal crackers, peanuts, peanut butter from the elephants, beef jerky from the lions, dried banana chips from the chimps, trail mix from the birds ,Hostess Snowballs from the polar bears, tuna from the seals, postcards, stuffed animals or plastic zoo animals

You got the write stuff:
pens, pencils, markers, stationary, envelopes, your own letters of encouragement, phone card, blank greeting cards, post cards, hand made cards, gel pens, stickers, sheet of computer printed return labels

Sweet Dreams package:
cookies, hot chocolate, tea, pillow, powdered milk, book, small reading light, marshmallows (for the choc), mug

Fiesta theme:
Margarita drink mix, Pina colada mix, lemonade, Salsa, Torango Chips (in a triangluar pringles type can), cheese in a jar (found in chips isle), hot tamales candy, Fire Balls candy, Red, green, yellow balloons, Chili peppers (canned), Refried beans, taco or fajita seasoning, tobasco Sauce, pinata (filled with candy),Taco Bell sauce packets

Lets Play Ball:
baseballs, peanuts, major league gum, sunflowers, baseball cards, baseball hat, shreaded beef jerky (looks like snuff), sunglasses, popcorn, fake beer (near beer?), Cracker Jacks and a pennant from a hometown team, game day programs, stats on teams and players

Brain Teasers:
Those little games you get at parties and you have to put those little balls in the holes, crossword puzzles, puzzles, those puzzles that are small and metal and you have to take them apart and then put back together, rubiks cube, travel size games of checkers and chess

Emeril of Iraq (or other place):
all kinds of hot nuts and sauces and spices, Sun-dried tomatoes, dried shitake mushrooms olive oil, minced garlic (jar), balsamic vinegar, dry rub spices, marinades, specialty oils pesto, capers, anything from Emeril's food product line (esp BAM! essence), perhaps some grilling utensils (spatula, tongs, etc), Emeril recipes/cookbook (Every Day's A arty sounds like a fun one) napkins, coasters, etc from his restaurants in New Orleans, Las Vegas, or Orlando

Under the Sea:
anything with Sponge Bob? Fish shaped crackers, salt packets, Blue colored Kool Aid, shark gummies, swedish fish, little game that has those fish going around and you have to fish for them? Goldfish game cards, At Oriental Trading company you can buy those toy fish. Maybe a Go Fish game. Tuna, those Sea Monkeys you add water to and they grow. Maybe the crystals you add water too and they grow to resemble underwater coral growths, How about one of the medium sized Conk seashells so he could hear the ocean? Salt water taffey is always a hit too

Breakfast on the Go:
individual packages of cereal, instant oatmeal, trail mix, hot chocolate, coffee, mug, chex morning mix, donuts, Pop Tarts, cereal bars

You Stink:
soap, deoderent, socks, laundry soap tablets, air fresheners, Foot powder, Odor eaters, baby powder, Fabreeze, baby wipes, new undies, tee shirts, whoopee cushion

Big Cheese/Promotion Box:
Cheese curls, cheese balls, cheese flavored chips, cheese Doritos, cheese popcorn, cheese and crackers, cheese flavored crackers, tubs of cheese spread, cheesy instant mashed potatoes

Jamaica in a Box:
Jerk Seasoning for their MRE's, Bob Marley posters and CD's, sand bucket and shovel (They have all the sand they need there), travel magazines from Jamaica Some beach towels with board games like twister, checkers on them, sunglasses, tropical fruits (since you can't send fresh fruits, he thought either the canned ones or dried fruits) pictures of the Jamaican countryside we took, little tropical things like palm trees, fish, etc that you can get from Oriental Trading Company postcards from Jamaica, sunscreen one of those hats with dread locks attached, translation guide on how to speak Jamaican or Patois as it's called there, a Jamaican Flag with an explanation on what the colors mean

Sun Tea:
Get one of those plastic 2qt jugs with the handles and the push button spout.. fill the inside of the jug with tea bags, sugars and sweet and lows and see about finding a restraunt that carries those little packets of real lemon...or even include a few real lemons??? Include a spoon and some cups... or Celestial Seasonings 'summer tea' bags that you use with cold water....hubby seems to like these real well....I also found on an end cap at wallyworld sample size for 25cents that came 4 bags in each pouch...we used these in our platoon packages this last shipment. ~

Pool/Sand Party:
a burnt cd with the 'beach boys' or any other group singing about...summer time fun... beach ball, squirt guns--water balloons--ummmm, koolaid and those little paper umbrellas, several different types of "water bombs" that you soak in water and toss around, footballs, vollyballs, sand toys, those velcro pads you wear on a hand & the balls that stick to them. bunch of beach towels, , chapstick, bottles of aloe vera, Beach Towel board games(Twister, Checkers & Tic, Tac Toe), hacky sacks, insect repellent, plastic baseball bat and ball sunflower seeds, buckets and shovels(to build sand castles), soft-sided cooler plastic Trucks to play in the sand with, croquet game, kiddie blow up pool, ice tea, lemonade, sunglasses, sunscreen

Hawaiian/Luau:
Macadamia nuts, coconut creme cookies, Kona coffee, sugar in the raw packets, photos/cards with Hawaiian scenery, go to orientaltrading.com they have a TON of Hawaiian things like paper palm trees, grass hula skirts, leis, coconut novelties, tropical staws w/ palm trees, flamingos, pineapples, etc. pineapple chunks, 'hawaiian tropic lotion smell', Hawaiian punch juice boxes, sun glasses, pina colada drink mixes, bag of seashells, line the box with tropical themed wrapping paper, Hawaiian girl car ornament, inflatable fish, sharks, palm trees, Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition, Dole tropical fruit cups, dried mango, papaya and pineapple, those Loreal Kids Shampoo in fish shaped containers, teriyaki chicken and beef nuggets, Barbie dolls dressed in bikinis, colorful flip flops

Kick back and have some fun:
Dominoes, playing cards, magazines, books, music CD's, those relaxation CD(the ones with sounds of waves, etc), crossword puzzles, word searches,jig saw puzzles, hand-held electronic games, squirt guns, water balloons, bubbles, hacky sacks, nerf Balls, jokes and funny pictures and cartoons

Going Nuts/Hang In There Package:
banana chips, barrel of monkey game, I think Little Debbie makes some Curious George Banana Twin cakes, Bath & Body Works has some Kids Bananarama wipes, all kinds of nuts - carmel corn with nuts, peanut butter, peanut butter crackers, baby ruth, snickers, almond joy, planters bars, peanut brittle, Peanut - Almond or Peanut Butter M&M's, all flavored corn nuts

Cold Season :
some cough drops, kleenex, tea, instant noodle soup, hot chocolate, get well card phone card to call MOMMY

Poker Party:
Poker chips and cards... for snacks so far I have pizza, cheese and bbq pringles, sunflower seeds, tobasco flavored microwave popcorn (found at dollar store)... and since I have read of people being successful sending cans - I am going to send O'Douls non-alcoholic beer in ziplocks and bubble wrap. maybe send cheese/cracker snack packs with Pepperoni pieces, chips and dips, salsa, pretzels, shelled peanuts, dice, play money, dealer visors and a lucky rabbits foot and shot glasses, felt to play on, Crackers & Pub cheese or velveeta (no refridge req'd kind), beef summer sausage, salami, or pepperoni, drink mixes (Bloody Mary, Margarita, etc - for virgin drinks), Gatorade or iced tea powder some kind of multicolor hard candies (in case they run out of chips, chocolate - Tasteations or Nips or equiv. for the summer, men's magazines, CDs/Music & batteries, cards, chips, dice , cigars/cigarellos - the real ones - recommend Black-n-Mild - they're pretty cheap, bubble gum cigars & candy cigarettes - for those that don't want the above, party-themed napkins/plates/decor

Salute to the Heroes:
bag of toy soldiers, donuts, water guns, small black flashlight, there are some fire stations that will give a t-shirt to another fireman in a different area that may be visiting, maybe if you explain what you are doing they may give you a t-shirt from their station a St. George Medal. St. George is the Patron Saint of the Military. The inscription on the back reads: "Keep us safe, day and night. Give us courage, strength and might."

Warm Them Up:
Hot Tamales, flamin hot Cheetos,hot sauce, hot nuts,cajun spices,Fritos and Jalapeno Dip, Atomic Fire Balls, Cinnamon Gum, Red Hots, Hot-Flavored Planters Peanuts, Mini bottles of hot sauce, Cinnamon TicTacs, IcyHot Sore Muscle Rub, Crystal Lite Iced Tea, Andy Capp Red Hot Fries, Jalapeno Jelly Belly Beans, a Hot Rod magazine and Tums,Icy/Hot Cream

and Cool Them Down:
A few of Angel's chilly willys squirt guns (forgot to put them in the bday box - space cadet!) Fan/Mister & Batteries Dentyne Ice & Koolerz gum IceBreakers mint tin Lemonade Drink Mix SnowBall cakes Cool Ranch Doritos Sunglasses (also forgot to put them in bday box - I must get organized!) water bottle "wet suit" candy ice cream cone thing-a-ma-jigs

American A-Z:
A- Individual Apple Pies B-Baseball: Plastic or nerf baseball and bat C- cotton candy in a bag, chocolate chip cookies, D- Ding Dong Hostess Cakes E- F- Flags, Nerf Footballs, G-Gatorade powder H- Hot Dogs(Vienna Sausages(chicken)) I-Ice Cream -The astronaut Ice Cream someone else mentioned J- Jokes, jelly bean ( red white and blue ) K- Kool Aide mix, Kellogâ€™s cereals L- M- mac n cheese N- O- Oreos P- poker cards/chips,phone card to call home, Mr Potato Head, popcorn Q- Q-tips R- Racing: Die Cast Cars, Schedules from Race Tracks, Ritz crackers S-Sunflower Seeds, Soldiers (Toy Soldiers), slinky T- tea for sun tea, twinkies, taco bell sauce U-Unity: Photos showing people's support of our soldiers(signs in yards, etc) V- volley ball and net W- watermelon flavored hard candy X- Y- yo yos, yellow mustard Z- zingers

Fishing:
a box of "Whoppers, the game Go Fish, some little plastic fish from Oriental Trading Co, they've got all kinds of fish and things like that, rig up a little fishing pole out of a piece of dowel rod and string, a hat with fishing flies on it, pepperidge farms goldfish crackers, Swedish Fish, Field and Stream magazines, gummy night crawlers, tuna kit

Lets Play Ball:
baseballs, peanuts, major league gum, sunflowers, baseball cards, baseball hat, shredded beef jerky (looks like snuff), sunglasses, popcorn, fake beer (near beer?), Cracker Jacks and a pennant from a hometown team, game day programs, stats on teams and players

Gentlemen start your engines:
Any racing related items: NASCAR, NHRA, BUSCH, Fomula One, little remote control car, they also make die cast car replicas of the individual driver's cars

Personal Hygiene:
razors, baby wipes, toilet paper, deodorent,foot powder, odor eaters, sunscreen, toothbrush, toothpaste, eye drops, lotion, soap with plastic case, Q-tips, shaving cream, towels, Bug Be Gone, medicated chapstick,antibactarial hand sanitizer,dental floss, tampons/pads, baby powder, sports bras, underwear

Pamper Party:
I'm thinking of including 2 bottles of foot soak and a small inflatable pool so they can all soak their feet, also some foot lotion, foot powder, foot files, new socks, some mud mask stuff, and some cappucino or International Foods coffee and some cookies,some shampoo and deep conditioning treatment too, scented lotions, peel-off facial masques (individual), travel size Caress body washes & lotions, travel size baby powders, chap sticks, clear fingernail polish, emery boards, foot scrub & foot/leg lotion, new socks & underwear, microwave popcorn, fancy chocolates, the movie "Thelma & Louise", Cosmo & other magazines, stationary, plastic soap dish's with lid's and used those to pack several small bottles of nail polish & toe seperators. Wal-mart has a little itty bitty bottle for $0.88 in various colors. Liquid body gel & lotion in matching scents, a soap scrunchie, a back washing "strap", packet of pony tail holders, case of bobby pins, a small pair of trim scissors., nail clippers, tweezers, disposable "ladies" razors, toothpaste, toothbrush

Birthday Ideas:
In an Oriental Trading book, there is balloon animal kit, cake in a jar, party hats, streamers, confetti, noise makers, get some of the Little Debbies cakes and candles, traditional birthday banner, party favors, noisemakers of course, confetti, balloons, filling space with shredded colored tissue paper (red, white & blue or camo colors to keep with the theme so to speak), hard candy, and bubblegum, camo napkins, plates (seen them at party supply stores and craft stores) party games like pen the tail on the donkey. Hostess Cupcakes, box of candles, confetti, birthday cards signed by as many people as possible, goodies like candy and books etc wrapped in birthday paper. Hershey gifts sells a chocolate cake (basically it's in the shape of a cake-candle included and personalized) it's like a giant chocolate candy bar but a circle in a b-day tin. check out the link:
www.hersheygifts.com/p...2(Hershey)

Christmas Ideas:
how about a Christmas card swap, I know postage would be a little more but soldiers would be bombarded with cards across the nation, those little Christmas trees that they sell in all of the mail order catalogs (Lillian Vernon, etc.) that come with their own ornaments, mini Christmas stockings and candy canes or those little candy bags of coal (bubble gum ones), the green and red M&Ms for the holidays, an Advent Calendar box, Oriental Trading Company has these. They are little pine trees (about 4" tall) that have a mineral solution on them (I'm going by memory here, I have a whole bag upstairs in a closet but am too lazy to dig them out). You add water to the little base, and these color mineral salts "grow" on the tree and look like colored snow and decorations

Halloween Ideas:
A gingerbread haunted house ( all precut and ready to go), goodie bags full of candy, plastic carved pumpkins, a Tootsie Roll pop covered with tissue to look like a ghost, apple cider packets, candy corn, costume for your soldier, carvable pumpkins

Thanksgiving Ideas:
Turkey Jerky, dried cranberries I think they are called Craisens?, if you check a good candy store there are some candies called Peas n Carrots ( they are round green balls and small orange squares ), candy corn, beef jerky or summer sausage = venison, potato chips = potatoes, canned veggies = veggies, dried fruits and assorted mixed nuts are themselves assorted crackers or breadsticks = asst. breads, hostess fruit pies for the pies, cupcakes for cakes, you could even send some caramel sauce with shortbread cookies for the gravy! and send it in one of those cheapy cornucopia baskets from the craft stores and stick some plastic or silk colored leaves around it and write a note on a nice autumn looking picture postcard ! If you have kids - or access to some, you can do some Thanksgiving crafts. The old trace-you-hand and color turkey comes to mind, instant mashed potatoes, many of the big candle companies make scented candles that would fit this theme and Thanksgiving also, for example, Yankee has Harvest, Cranberry Chutney, Apple Cider, Autumn Lodge, Pumpkin Pie, and Spiced Pumpkin

Valentine's Day Care Packages:
www.beyondbookmarks.co...ddonsid=30
www.funcarepackages.co...l?osCsid=f
Care Package Ideas to show how â€œsweetâ€ your soldier is to you:
Happy Valentine's Day Card
Red and White Crinkle Paper
Personalized Valentine's Message
6" Valentine's Plush Bear
Necco Conversation Hearts
Hershey's Hugs and Kisses
York Peppermint Patties
Nestle's Crunch Hearts
Sweetarts Hearts
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups
Big Red Gum
Red and White Mints
Twizzlers
Homemade valentines.
Traditional Valentines candy such as sweethearts
Conversation Hearts and/or small "friendly" gift such as warm socks or a stuffed animal.
Valentine's Tootsie Pops
Valentine cards from local school children
Valentine's for Veterans-get some vets to write out some cards for our troops or better yet send a Valentine for a vet.
A valentine letter wrote entirely with candy message hearts glued to the paper.

St Patricks Day:
green beanie baby, green jelly beans, instant irish coffee, rice krispie treats dyed green, potato soup, green sugar 4 leaf clover cookies, Irish Spring soap, Pert Shampoo, taste the rainbow of "skittles",Lucky Charms cereal, sour cream and onion Pringels, small toys from Oriental trading company or your local party store, gum in green wrappers, green dental floss, green toothbrush,guacamole chips,

EASTER IDEAS:
jelly beans, starburst, bunny corn, skittles, easter basket, colored candycanes,. eggs, candy, toys hidden in eggs, bible verses, chocolate eggs,Don't forget the peeps!!! Those lil sugary chics, bunnies, etc remember? A big hit last year were the "jousting" peeps. Send your soldier toothpicks, have them insert on in each peep, put them in the microwave facing each other, turn it on (obviously) and watch them "joust"!!! Your soldiers will get a big kick out of it!!! Banners to decorate their rooms or mess hall that say Happy Easter. Confetti to decorate the tables, pin the tail on the Easter Bunny-maybe a playboy bunny,Stuffed Animal of a Easter Bunny, Stationary, Phone Cards, typical chocolates, Easter Coloaring Book with Crayons, Easter Book Mark, just some fun things. I'm trying to find an Easter Pinata to send along with the candy so the soldiers can fill the pinata and have at it, Water Guns that are shaped like Easter, Easter Straws, if you go to walmart, in the toy section there is a pack with a jump rope , jacks, the paddle with a ball. I sent a few of those to a unit, and they said that was the best thing that they could have ever receive. They laughed all night long. And they are only $2.00 for a pack, How about a couple of egg dying kits. I'm sure they can get hard boiled eggs from the chow hall. Make sure the kits only require water (no vinegar). Easter M&Ms are great, they won't melt, Plastic eggs so he can make up Easter treats for buddies or have an Easter egg hunt, Stickers,The dollar stores sell al kinds of Easter Novelties, like plastic bendable rabbits, colorful erasers, pencils, etc.

4th of July Care Package Ideas:

Thanks for defending
the red, white, and blue.
We want you to know
that we're thinking of you.
So here are some treats-
all in U.S. hues,
To help you combat
the "Mess Hall Blues"!

Personalized Message
Cards from local school children
Red, White & Blue Crinkle Paper
Red, White & Blue - Chex Mix
Red, White & Blue - Cracker Jacks
Red & White - Starlight Mints
Red - Nacho Cheese Doritos
Red - Atomic Fire Balls
Red - Twizzlers
Red - Gatorade Drink Mix
Red - Skittles
White - Tic Tacs
White - Payday
Blue - Oreo Cookies
Blue - StarKist Tuna Pack
Blue - Rice Krispie Treat
Blue - Winterfresh Gum
Blue - Phase 10 card game
4th of July type movies (see other post)
4th of July music (see other post)
4th of July items from Oriental Trading
4th of July table decorations/picnic items
American Flags
www.bizrate.com/giftba...7195-.html
www.care4troops.com/pa...erican.htm

For Fun and Entertainment:
Batteries (AA, AAA, C), Blank Greeting Cards (for Soldiers to send home), Books, Magazines (Please see disallowed items list), Card games (Uno, Skip-bo, etc.), Colored pencils, Crossword Puzzle Books, Decks of cards, Dice, Disposable Cameras, DVD/CD cases with zippers, Bandannas, DVDâ€™s and VHS Movies, Electronic hand held games (poker, blackjack, etc.), Flashlight with a red lens, Frisbee, Envelopes, Global phone cards (pre-paid), Hackie Sacks, Hand-held games, Jigsaw Puzzle Books, ,Jokes & comics, Journals, Jump ropes, Mini-fans, Music CDs, Nerf toys (small footballs, basketball, etc.), Paper / Stationary, Pencils (mechanical), Pens (Black ink only), Pocket size notebook ,Slinkyâ€™s, Softballs, Squirt guns, Travel games, Word Search Books, Wrap Around Sunglasses (Blaster Shield Style), Yo-yoâ€™s, you could also use newspaper for packing material that way they could read it afterwards.

Food and Snack Items:
Crystal Lite Drink Mixes (Just add water) Beef Jerky, Beef Summer Sausage, Breakfast Cereal â€“ Individual sizes, Cereal bars, Instant Cup of Soup (Just add Water), Cheese and Crackers, Chex Mix / Snack Mix, Instant coffee (various flavors), Chocolate, Coffee Singles (like a tea bag), Coffee-mate Non-Dairy Creamer (powder), Condiments (Fast food restaurant type packets), Cookies, Equal (packets), Fruit Cocktail / Applesauce Snack Packs, Gatorade (presweetened, powder), Granola Bars, Gum, Hard Candy, Hickory Farms Beef Stick, Homemade cookies / baked goods, Hostess Snack Cakes, Hot cocoa / Hot chocolate (Just add water), Huntâ€™s Snack Pack Puddings, Individually Wrapped Snack Items, Instant Grits (Just add water), Instant Oatmeal (Just add water), Jell-O Snack Packs, Kool-aid (presweetened, powder), Kraft Handi Snacks, ,Lemonade Mix (presweetened, just add water),Life Savers / Certs / Tic Tacâ€™s, Little Debbie Snack Cakes / Treats, Malted Milk Mixes (Just add water), Maruchan Instant Lunch â€“ Cup of soup/noodles, Milk & Cereal bars, Nacho dip, Peanut Butter and Crackers, Pop tarts / Pop tart sticks, Power bars, Pretzels (Regular, Yogurt dipped, etc.), Pringles snack size packs, Rice Krispies Treats, Salt / Pepper packets, Snack Crackers (Wheat thins, Ritz), Snack Size Chip Varieties, Sugar (packets), Tea Bags, Trail Mix, Tuna Snack Kits, Velveeta

Boredom Buster Care Package:
This care package is full of great activities to cure their boredom. It's an ideal military care package, or perfect for anyone that is homebound, in the hospital, or stuck in bed. If your child needs some extra fun for camp, this care package is great fun for camp. All of the items in this care package are small enough to fit into a pack, backpack, or suitcase.
Hasbro Electronic Hand-Held Yahtzee
Radica Electronic Pocket Poker Hand-Held Game
Radica Electronic Pocket Slot Hand-Held Game
MGA Entertainment Baseball Hand-Held Game
Original Full Size Rubik's Cube
Original Full Size Slinky

"Spiritual Journey"
devotional literature; encouraging studies; bulletins, notes, & recordings from congregation; books by favorite authors (to be shared with one another then donated to the chapel), etc.

"Surviving the Sandstorms"
eye wash, nasal spray, chap stick, sand scarf, bandana, etc.

"Laundry Load"
laundry soap (sample size), fabric softener sheets, cleans socks, socks, underwear and bras fare always eaten up by the washer and or dryer.

"Lotta Java"
Tea, cocoa, coffee singles, creamer, sugar, international coffee tins,

"Thanks a Million!"
Things that "seem" expensive such as Grey Poupon, small amount of cash, electronic version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire?, and wrap items in green tissue paper

"Hang in There!"
Stuffed animal monkey, banana bread, banana chips, banana
pudding, Monkeys in a Barrel game, card with a monkey on it

"A Day at the Beach"
sunscreen, beach towel, beach snacks, flip flop sandals (shower shoes), Aloe Vera gel, sunglasses, beach music, beach ball

"Medicine Cabinet"
Aspirin, band-aids, Neosporin cream, A&D ointment, cold medicine, Alka Seltzer, Rolaids, etc.

"Staying Healthy"
Nutrition/health bars, vitamins, nutri-grain bars, Gatorade or PowerAid,

"MRE/Mess Hall Survival Kit"
Restaurant size condiments and snacks

"Correspondence Carton"
Notebook paper, stationery, pens, pencils, stickers, journal, envelopes, address book (filled), camera with a note to send back once its filled

"Action Heroes"
Powerbars, squirt guns, Red Bull drinks, small Army figurines

"To Be a Kid Again"
silly string, bubbles, small bouncy balls, hacky sacks, brain teaser toys (Rubix Cube, etc.), deck of cards, dominoes, whoopie cushion

"Bathroom in a Box"
toilet paper, razor refills, foot powder, bars of soap, washcloths, travel size shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, toothbrush

"Stress Reliever"
back scratcher, bubble wrap, yo-yos, bubbles, squeezy tension

"I'm Nuts about You"
peanuts, cashews, pistachios, peanut butter cookies, any

"Rocks On"
Pop rocks, CDs, Itunes/Napster music gift card, music dvd

"And this Little Piggie went to the Sandbox"
(foot care kit) foot powder, boot inserts, foot lotion, foot file, fresh socks, toe nail clippers

"Chili Today, Hot Tamale"
Hot Tamales (candy), small cans of chili, red pepper flakes, salsa flavored sunflower seeds, Cajun flavor Pringles, Spicy Chex mix,
Boston Red Hots, peppered beef jerky, Taco Bell hot sauce packets, Extreme Doritos, chili powder, nacho cheese sauce in a can

"How do you eat your OREOS?"
regular Oreos, peanut butter Oreos, double stuff Oreos, chocolate filled Oreos, etc.

"Pick Nick Basket"
Line basket with linen napkin and fill with juice boxes, beef summer sausages, pre-packaged cheese, fruit roll ups, chips, nuts, cookies,
candies, pickles, olives, etc. Throw in some plastic ants and photos of your pick nick back home

"Breakfast on the Go"
nutrigrain bars, instant oatmeal cups, boxes of cereal, pop tarts, powdered donuts, packaged muffins, cocoa, coffee, Tang,

"Ruck Sack Snack Pack"
fill with loved oneâ€™s favorite snack items

"Sloppy Kisses"
chocolate melts there, so a package of Hersheyâ€™s kisses are
bound to be "sloppy kisses"

"Congrats on your Promotion"
congratulations party favors, snack items, sparkling cider (wrapped in bubble wrap)

"Pamper Party" (for females)
feminine hygiene products, shampoo, conditioner, hair barrettes and scrunchies (same color as their hair), facial scrub or soap, facial
mask, lotion, shower gel, razors, facial moisturizer, tweezers, nail care kit, toner, special facial products

Beach Party Luau:
Coconut drink holders, leis, Hawaiian music cd, dried pineapples & other tropical fruits, sunglasses, grass skirts, etc (a lot can be bought in the Oriental Trading Company Catalog)

Hot & Spicy Extreme Pack:
Hot sauce, chili powder, garlic powder, extreme Doritos, extreme cheese sandwich crackers, microwave popcorn (use chili powder on this), Nachos, jar cheese, salsa, tums.

Picnic Basket:
Cheap picnic basket, checkered tablecloth, plastic ants, summer sausage & cheese stuff (from Hickory Farms), Hostess Apple Pies, root beer barrels, Frisbees.

At the Movies:
New release movie, or taped sitcoms, microwave popcorn (get empty popcorn tubs from movie theater for putting popcorn in), cups & straws, Koolaid mix, movie candy (good-n-plenty, whoppers, malt balls, etc)

Saturday Morning Cartoons:
tapes of cartoons, mini boxes of cereal, poptarts, cereal bars, fun socks or boxers, fun pillow cases

Fun & Games:
Nerf balls of all kinds, bubbles, cards, card games, hacky sack, squirt guns, balloons, Frisbees, silly string, slinky, bubble gum, rice krispy treats, cookies, pez & dispensers, popcorn, koolaid, travel games

Friday Night Pamper Me Party (for the girls):
shower/bath gel, lotion, flavored coffee (Starbucks), teddy bear, cute coffee mug, fun socks, stationary, teas, novels, bath beads/salt, nail polish & other nail accessories, mask, hot oil treatment, popcorn , wooden hand massager, relaxation cd, candle in a tin & CHOCOLATE

Foot Care Kit:
Foot soak, Peppermint foot lotion, foot file, foot powder/spray, Pumice stone, Dr Scholls Inserts, new socks, put all in plastic tub big enough to soak feet in

Fishing in a Box:
Fishing Magazines, goldfish crackers, Swedish fish, gummi worms, fishing games, â€œgo fishâ€ playing cards, fishermans hat, tackle box, lip balm, sunscreen, lego kit of a boat, sand pail to fill with water to play with fish price fishing game that comes with plastic fish, fishing pole & tackle box.

Action Hero/Super Hero:
figurines or toy action figures, packs of little green army men, squirt guns, Gatorade, power bars, red bull drinks

Keep in touch kit:
writing supplies, journal, pictures, cameras, blank all occasion cards, address book, envelopes

Keep Smiling box:
Magic 8 Ball, Mad Libs, Smiley Face Toys, Goofy candy like Sours, Nerds, Laffy Taffy (line box with Smiley face paper)

Lotta Java Pack:
teas, cocoa, coffee packs & canned coffees (starbucks), Milanoâ€™s cookies, relaxing magazine to read, etc

Staying Healthy:
Doctor bag or plastic toy one filled with aspirin, cold meds, sinus meds, vitamins, visine, bandaids, Neosporin, power bars, soup, and other health related things

Movie Care Package:
Movie (DVD or VHS), Microwave Popcorn (or already popped if they don't have access),M&Ms,Doritos,Cracker Jacks,Rice Krispie Treats,Twizzlers,Cookies (Oreos and Chips Ahoy),Ruffles Chips & Dip,Hot Tamales,Nachos (Tortilla chips & cheese),Make a "Now Featuring" Movie "Poster" on your computer and add it to the package

Get Well Package:
Puzzle,Chicken Noodle Soup Packets,Gourmet Tea Packets,Cold Medicine,Crackers,Inspirational "Get Well" Quotes,Goldfish,Dole Fruit Cups,Get Well "Pills" (candy coated mints),Get Well Card, Chapstick,A&D ointment

At Ease Package:
Glow in the dark yo yo, Crossword Puzzle Book, Silly Putty, Deck of Cards, Ritz Bitz, Pringles, Cookies, Twizzlers, Cheetos, Cereal Bars,

"Scruf" Care Package:
Razors, Baby Wipes, Chapstick, Shaving Cream, Deodorant, mouthwash, Lotion (if soldier is female step it up a notch and do something SPA line),Foot Powder, Shampoo & Conditioner, Soap, Big Fluffy Towel, Toilet Paper, Shoe Polish

Comforts of Home Package:
Small Bottle of Febreeze, Candle, Snuggle Dryer Sheets, Phone Card, Blanket (A nice comfy one), Glade Stick Ups, Pair of Slippers or Cozy Socks, Hot Cocoa or Coffee, Decorative Coffee Mug, Pillowcase with your perfume/cologne sprayed on it, Book on Tape

"Big Kid" Package:
Squirt Guns, Silly Putty, Silly String, Whoopie Cushion, Funny Face Eyeglasses, Sidewalk Chalk, Crayons & Color Book, Jacks,
Marbles, Balloons, Frisbee, Football/Soccer Ball (mini), Hacky Sack

Holiday Themed Packages:
Fill any package with holiday themed ideas and use things like tissue paper, balloons, confetti etc. to decorate it!

Bath Package:
Gel eye-pack, Shower Gel, Shower Flip-Flops, Aroma therapy oils, Scented candles and holders, Pumice stone, Washcloths, scrubber or loofa sponge, Back cleaning brush, Relaxing music on CD or cassette, Rubber ducky

Write Home Package:
Note paper or cards, Envelopes (choose a variety of sizes), Letter opener, Nice Pen or Pencil, Address Labels, Address Book

Sports Theme Package:
Favorite Sport Magazine, Taped TV or DVD of favorite sport, cheetos, Popcorn, Personalized Mug, Cookies

"A Day At Home" Package:
There are several variations of this package. The idea is to replicate a day with you. First, you'll need a camera. Take pictures of each thing you do. Use your creativity here are a few ideas:
We woke up (take a picture in bed) and ate breakfast (take a picture eating cereal) and then took a shower (take picture in towel). We started the day off by doing some yard work and mowing the lawn (take picture mowing lawn). After our work, we had lunch (take picture with lunch). Then we colored pictures - or threw around a football etc. (take pictures doing activity). We all ate dinner together (take picture having dinner). We had a full day so we were tired when it was time to set down and watch our favorite TV programs (take picture watching TV). Later we snuggled up in our jammies (take picture in jammies) and had a nighttime snack (take picture snacking). We love you very much and miss you! (send picture of kiss goodnight)
Now take all of your pictures (referencing above) and send them with "treats"
Pillowcase with cologne/perfume sprayed or maybe a decorated one
Several small boxes of cereal or cereal bars
Shower Gel or Shampoo or even a towel
Grass Clippings in a baggie or dirt from backyard (strange but reminds them of home)
Color Books or Football
Lunch Snacks
New Pajamas
Popcorn
Recorded TV show or movie DVD
Hershey's Kisses

Individual servings

Thea — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:45:06 GMT

Hi ASJunkies,

When you send individual servings of oatmeal, coffee, tea, hot chocolate -- do you take them out of the boxes and repackage them in ziplock bags? I could fit more in the box that way, but I don't want the stuff thrown out if its not in the original box.

Thanks for the advice!

Package gone within minutes

Brooklyn Born — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:38:13 GMT

I received an email from one of my contact who is in the 9th month of deployment. She is in afghanistan and I sent it to her CSM.who in turn forwarded it to her. I have been slowing down on packages since I have been out of work. I put together a relatively inexpensive package that was well received and gone in minutes. I got free magazines from my dentist. The receptionist saves them for me. A good variety of sports illustrated, people, time, car and driver, outdoor living, national geographic, Glamour. I found Large beef summer sausage at ALDI for 2.99 and bought 2, A large box of crackers for less than 1.50 and cheese in a jar for 1.30, can of slim jims 1.50, Freezer pops for .79 cents for 24 and individual drink mix for 1.00. She cut up the sausage and spread out the crackers on a plate and said it was literally gone in minutes and the rest of the package lasted less than an hour. Just wanted to share in case others are looking to send a package that won't break the budget

halloween candy

Thea — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 21:16:40 GMT

Hi All,

We're getting ready to send our first box, and the kids want to send Halloween candy to our contact in Afghanistan.

Is it okay to send? Will chocolate melt? Can I add a few decorations or Halloween items like funny pencils?

Thanks for the advice.

Thea

Beef Summer Sausage

Momma Mellie — Fri, 23 Oct 2009 16:12:30 GMT

My Sam's Club has Hillshire Farms beef summer sausage for about $7.50. This is a big 3 pound stick. I hope it will fit diagonally in the large FRB. The sign said "seasonal item," but I'm not sure which season.

Mellie

Beef jerky

AOMOM — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 00:50:32 GMT

I was at the dollar store today and they have beef jerky for $1.00...lol that was dumb. Seems like they just got it in, so I stocked up...it can be up to 6.00 at other stores.

Jelly Belly Sports Beans Sale

JBurke — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 19:44:14 GMT

Jelly Belly makes a Sport Jelly Bean for Quick Energy for Sports Performance. I really liked the fact that they contain electolytes.

They are 15% of until August 23,2009. The code to use at checkout is SBSALE

Hope someone can use this!

Jauton

chocolate pudding

amelia — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 23:00:14 GMT

I know it's still too hot to send chocolate bars but could I send the chocolate pudding snack packs? Should I also include some plastic spoons?

Thanks!

Amelia

Gatorade...Military Direct Ship to APO/FPO...

Amtracer — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 17:13:59 GMT

Located a site that ships GATORADE PRODUCTS
directlt to APO/FPO's...

They have special Military Packs...

Shipping is include in the Price...
Most on the chat agee that it is a Good Price !!!
I have shipped many cases from them.

http://www.gatoradeforless.com

Heathly Snacks...Special APO/FPO Pricing ONLY !!!!

Amtracer — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 17:46:52 GMT

These prices are for Direct Ship to APO/FPO ONLY...
Must mention that you heard about it on www.anysoldier.com for pricing...

Mr. Stephen Stern, President/Owner of "Mister Snacks"
manufactuer of "Sunbird Snacks" is making their "Snack Line"
available at Special APO/FPO Only Pricing.
He is just one of many American Small Business Owners
That are trying to support our Troops..
Quote" It is the least I can do"...

When speaking with Mr. Stern about his products and that
I wanted to ship to APO/FPO...he volunteered the Special Pricing,
for "CASE LOTS" for APO/FPO Only...

All Products are Manufactured/Packed/Shipped
the sameday...insuring FRESHNESS...

Examples: 24 Packs of SS 08004 Rocky Mountain Mix 2.50 oz
@ .65 Cents = $15.60 a cases + USPS Cost

12 Packs of SS 02017 Rocky Mountain Mix 5.5 oz
@ $1.30 each = $15.60 per case + USPS Costs

To see the Products go to: http://www.mistersnacks.com
Contact Stephen Stern at: steve@mistersnacks.com ask
for a Price list of the Special Priced Products...

Since this is FACTORY DIRECT...you must email
or Telephone for these Prices...1-800-333-6393

Disclaimer: I DO NOT make anything on these Products...
                  Just a VSO trying to locate the best pricing...
                  to get a Little to a lot of Troops on AS...
                  Have shipped many many cases...

Respectfully submitted
Glen A. Smith VSO VVA 681

Items under pressure?

irishk49 — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 02:32:02 GMT

Hello all,

As usual I apologize if this has been addressed already as I have not had time to read through all the forums. I am wondering about sending canned items that are under pressure. It seems it would not be a good idea to send these items now do to the extreme heat, but I have seen recent requests for canned cheese in particular. Also wondering about items such as silly string or travel size shaving cream. Is there any possibility of these items exploding in transit?

Thanks.

substitution for otter pops...

bradley626 — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 13:15:38 GMT

i've read a lot of soldiers requesting otter pops: otter pops are expensive to send, but it turns out you can make something similar using jello and ice-cube trays (or the more official popsicle molds made by tupperware...) this would be nice because it would fit into a flat envelope...?

http://forfood.rezimo.com/?p=674

coffee themed box

diggerdeb — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 10:39:24 GMT

my contact requests good coffee.

i can think of the obviuos like creamers (powered-too hot for liquid), flavored splenda, sweet and low to include in the box but what else?

i know junkies always have more ideas.

True Lemon

geez123 — Mon, 06 Oct 2008 20:44:05 GMT

This is a great product. Many uses.

Request a free sample and the company will send 10 packs to the troops.

http://truelemon.com/gratitude-sample.html

Freezer Pops

peachycor — Mon, 11 May 2009 15:15:04 GMT

Rite-Aide has Otter Pops on sale this week and when I went to purchase them, I found "Power Ice" pops. This is like frozen Propel so has electrolytes in it. I know how much they love Otter Pops, but wait til they get these. They're a little more expensive, but worth it!

Healthy Snacks

PastryChef86 — Sun, 03 May 2009 15:08:27 GMT

I picked up a new Air Force contact not too long ago asking for healthy snacks. So I went out and bought a bunch of different things for his group. He e-mailed me after he recieved it thanking me and telling me to my surprise that they really liked...wait for it... those new Fiber Plus Antioxidant bars! I don't know if anyone has tried these or not, but they come in two flavors right now -- Chocolate Chip and Dark Chocolate Almond. They're pretty tasty. The only reason I ended up trying them was because they were on sale (2 for $5) and I had a coupon for $1 off.

I just thought that I would share that if anyone is looking for new ideas to send your servicemembers. Does anyone have any others?

Amy

Need Advice on Sending Chocolate

AConlin — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 01:02:18 GMT

Hi,

A couple of my co:ntacts have requested chocolate and one specifically requested M&M's. Had a few questions about sending chocolate.

1) Is it too late to send chocolate? (didn't know if it was too warm right now)

2) Is there a chocolate that survives the trip better than other kinds of chocolate? Individually wrapped vs M&M's, etc?

3) Any suggestions/helpful hints on how to pack it to reduce the chance of it melting?

Thanks for any help you can provide and I appologize if this is already explained somewhere. I looked all over, but couldn't my answers. All the other information y'all have provided has really helped this beginner.

Anna

101 things to pack for a hero

colourful — Wed, 06 May 2009 00:51:43 GMT

I stumbled onto this blog...haven't gotten very far through it but it's worth a look!

http://janes-list.com/2009/05/101-things-to-send-him-when-hes-deployed-33-43/

Candy/Chocolate items?

irishk49 — Wed, 06 May 2009 03:06:09 GMT

I know this has been addressed as I have seen to only send chocolate in the winter elsewhere on this site, yet people are still asking for it in some of their most recent posts. Does anyone know of maybe certain types of chocolate candy bars that are okay to send? Some of it must be arriving in tact if they keep asking for more. I know everybody loves chocolate and would love to send some if there is a safe way to do so. What about other candies? I have seen tons of requests for stuff like jolly ranchers, starburst, skittles, cow tails, etc. Will they melt or get gooey at all? And how do you send a moon pie without it getting mushed? So far I have only sent out healthy stuff like jerky and Clif bars because they do not melt and are in solid packages.

PeanutButta Anyone?

graywolf — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 14:06:06 GMT

I love peanut butter. Has anyone started back sending peanut butter in their packages. I would hate to send something that would be rejected and thrown away. I usually send a jar of one of the major brands like Skippy, Smuckers, or Reese's. I like Reese's to send with a box of vanilla wafers.

"God Bless Our Brothers & Sisters In Arms"

Coffee Order doubled!

Krewe Captain — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 12:52:24 GMT

I think I posted this a while ago, but wanted to alert you all to a good Louisiana Company trying to do its part.......Community Coffee will double your order to the troops.........they ship APO/FPO. So for every 4 you order they will send 4 additional. There are 5 Flavors to choose from and you can send up to 4 boxes per month per contact. Check out the site. Great Coffee....Great Folks!

Protein Powder

teja2 — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 20:45:31 GMT

Good afternoon!

I support several groups that have requested protein powder. I know absolutely NOTHING about protein powder, so I'm hoping someone here can help. I've seen flavors such as vanilla, chocolate, fudge and such. What is a good flavor to send? Any good brands anyone can name?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Mary

Great coffee - cheap!

Widget — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 14:13:12 GMT

Consumer Reports did a blind taste test of top coffees and ranked Eight O'Clock coffee the best taste/price. I finally used the last of my usual coffee and tried it this morning. It is very good! So if you send coffee to soldiers, this is a great option. It beat out Dunkin Donuts, one of the soldiers' favorites. The Dunkin Donuts was tops for decaf, tho.I've also heard that extra mugs are appreciated.

You can find Eight O'Clock at WalMart, groceries, etc. It only comes in beans so you'll need to grind it and put it in an airtight container (like a ziplock baggie) before sending so it will stay fresh.

Let me know what you think of it if you try it yourself!

Starbucks Instant

carries — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 17:58:39 GMT

Not sure if anyone saw it on the news...Starbucks has a new instant coffee and it is actually really good, it tastes just like the brewed stuff. It is only available in IL and NY right now though. Its perfect for missions and the stores have a mug that holds 6 of the packets it the mug for travel.

Cotton Candy?

Sqdancr — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 02:28:23 GMT

I was wondering if anyone has tried sending cotton candy? I bought some today to taste and it is really good!!! but how will or has it arrived to our guys in the past? It is in a vacuum package. Also, when we did alot of hiking and camping we carried alot of freeze dried stuff and one in particular was ice cream. It is strange to think about but when you ate it, it tasted like ice cream and even made your mouth feel cold. Has anyone ever sent that and how did it arrive. I am concerned with both because of the condensation that could occur from the shipping to arriving in a very warm climate. Thanks for you advise.

Sqdancr