You know you want to send some love to a soldier overseas…

The hard part is…

What do you send?

We’ve compiled a list of ideas to help you pack up that first, or second, or 10^th care package!

Treats

Soldiers love getting treats from back home, but remember that they need to be non-perishable. If this is your first care package you’ll have to do a little guess work but if you are thinking about sending treats be sure to ask your adopted soldier to write back with a list of their favorite snacks.

The key to sending treats is to make sure they are portable. Soldiers like to be able to carry snacks on them. This means looking for packaging that is smaller and won’t burst open easily. You could also include ziplock bags so that your soldier can portion snacks.

• Snack bars (we send a lot of Moose Crunch Bars)
• Small, hard containers of snacks
• Snack cakes
• Cheese crackers
• Candy (avoid chocolate)
• Gum
• Sunflower seeds
• Nuts
• Trail mix
• Chips of any kind
• Gummies

Food and Drink

Sending food or drinks is a little trickier. The best things to send are things that are already prepared, things that will enhance the MREs they receive (Meals Ready to Eat) or quick sources of protein. Here are some ideas:

• Ramen Noodles
• Seasoning salt
• Hot sauce
• Flavoring packets for water
• Individual packets of condiments
• Powdered drink mix
• Energy bars
• Tuna fish
• Sardines
• Beef Jerky
• Summer Sausage
• Instant Mac and Cheese
• Tea bags
• Peanut butter
• Coffee Whole Bean or Ground
• Red Bull
• Monster Energy Drinks
• V8
• Perrier
• Gatorade

Toiletries

Lots of soldiers say that toiletries are also great to send, but be sure to check-in with your soldier on his or her specific needs. It may not seem that exciting to you, but the soldiers really appreciate receiving personal care items. Here are some things to send:

• Toothbrushes
• Toothpaste
• Shaving lotion
• Disposable razors
• Shampoo
• Mouthwash
• Baby wipes
• Lip Balm/gloss
• Lotion
• Pain relievers
• Feminine hygiene products
• Eye drops
• Foot powder
• Sunscreen
• Glass cleaner or lens cleaning cloths (for cleaning sand off their glasses)
• Axe Body Spray
• Finger nail clippers
• Q-Tips
• First aid kits

Entertainment

Entertainment options are great to send as soldiers have downtime to spend while they are not out on a mission.

• Letter writing supplies
• Frisbies/balls
• Holiday decorations
• Board games
• Cards
• Books
• Journals (Pilot Precise is often requested)
• V5 Stick Rolling Ball Pens

Other Items

Other items that are frequently requested:

• Ankle socks, boot socks, and work gloves.
• AAA batteries are also in demand
• Cozy Shower Towels

Sending care packages is a great way to show our heroes that we are thinking of them. As you are gathering your items – don’t forget to decorate the inside of the box!

Want to join Soldiers’ Angels and adopt a soldier to send care packages to? Click here for more info.

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