I want to send stuff to my soldier in Iraq, I've been trying to read lists of what is ok, but I'm not sure about everything still. Is it ok to send brownies that I make myself, if placed in a plastic container, and sending it priority mail or something. Or would they not taste good anymore by the time they arrive? To those who have experience with this stuff, what do you think/reccommend?
2007-12-20 17:52:03 · 11 answers · asked by darkrose_09 3 in Politics & Government ➔ Military
do this instead. Invest in a decent vacuum sealer( and no not that new one from Reynolds wrap or whatever). they can be found fairly inexpensively for basic models. FREEZE the baked goods, then vacuum seal them. to prevent crumbling or squishing, either hand seal(don't let the machine suck all the air out, or place a very thin piece of cardboard( greeting card stock weight) in the bottom to the keep the bag from being distorted.
This trick works with anything you can freeze.
2007-12-21 00:32:19 · answer #1 · answered by Mrsjvb 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Being on a submarine, our mail is routinely delayed. The tricks are: Home made cookies will taste good no matter what (and if they don't he should tell you they do because that's his job). Double bag all cookies with ziplock bags (the real ones) and or gladware/ziplock containers. you can use the rubbermade seal and serve but honestly the suck and I don't use them, and I'm a guy... If you need something to keep cookies from getting crushed think creative when it comes to packing material. My mom (yes mom) uses cheetos in the little fun size bags. Other good things to send are the single serve crystal light packets. Whatever they're trying to serve us on the mess decks is horrible... we want something other than water and UHT or NFD every now and again... Chocolate is a no no... no matter how much your man loves it, it dosen't ship well overseas. Bahrain is hot and chocolate melts into a huge gooey mess all over the rice krispy treats (which is good) and the card you sent (drenched in perfume) and Clinique tastes like ***. When guys are underway a long time what we really want is something from home, something from family/the people we care about, and something to remind us of why we do such a crazy job.
2007-12-21 02:02:41 · answer #2 · answered by Max J 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
They may get moldy before he gets them... I've been sending packages to an Army Chaplain who distributes them out to other troops. You want to send things that won't spoil, leak or melt. I usually send powdered "Gatorade" and other drink mixes so they can improve the taste of the water. And things like "power aide" to help give them a boost. Nuts are fine, as well as beef jerky. And candy sent should be some sort of hard candy or something like mints. A lot of the guys end up giving their stuff to the local kids....
Speaking from experience, I loved getting the "care packages every now and then. But I hated getting sick off of stuff that had gone bad.
Best of luck to you and him, and send warm wishes to him from his backers over here.
2007-12-21 02:23:22 · answer #3 · answered by James P 2 · 2⤊ 1⤋
yes it is fine to send them. The mail system is much better now that we have been there for a while and most teams and platoons have a designated person to go check on mail at the mail room. I had family members send me cookies, brownies, and cartons of yoohoo. Thank you for being considerate of the soldiers.
2007-12-21 02:20:57 · answer #4 · answered by twackman4life 4 · 2⤊ 1⤋
When my husband was in Afghanistan, he stressed that I shouldn't send baked goods because between the long time it took to get mail (even with priority, it take a while), customs and the weather conditions over there, the food would likely spoil before he got it.
Instead, he asked for American products he couldn't get there, like Doritos. I think I sent him two bags in every care package to share with his buddies.
2007-12-21 02:01:02 · answer #5 · answered by meadowbee 3 · 1⤊ 1⤋
My grandma is a genius. She owned a bakery when I was a child. She was in MO and we were in TX . She sent us brownies and cookies all the time. Wrap each in saran wrap then seal tight. Don't frost them. That tends to melt and separate.
Thank your soldier for all of us. I would have my grandma send him brownies too if I knew who he was.
2007-12-21 02:00:13 · answer #6 · answered by BIYATCH! 2 · 3⤊ 1⤋
I don't know how the Iraq bases are set up. I was over in Oman. But, we had a mail tent, but noone ever went over there. If you got mail, noone would tell you, you just had to go over once in a while and check if there was anything there. So, if he's not expecting it, it'll just sit there and go bad.
2007-12-21 01:57:56 · answer #7 · answered by Moral Orel 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
my parents and old church sent me something that would have went bad by just regular packing. But instead they used one of those seal up the bag air tight things and it worked great. I wouldn't just send them in some plastic bag, use on of those machines they show on tv to give it an air tight seal.
2007-12-21 05:07:49 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 1⤋
You would be fine sending that. It's not that hot over there anymore so they wouldn't go bad packing them the way you are.
2007-12-21 20:34:15 · answer #9 · answered by dustynmill 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes, it is ok to send them..... my wife sent me brownies when I was over there and they made it, they were good.... go for it....
2007-12-21 02:00:12 · answer #10 · answered by Stampy Skunk 6 · 2⤊ 1⤋