By: Maria McConville, MS, RDN, CPT*As a military spouse, and now a military mom of 3 Soldiers, my family and I have seen our share of deployments. Sending care packages to my loved ones has been an uplifting yet emotional activity for me. It’s my way of staying connected to my husband and kids when they’re away. Individualized care packages help lessen the physical divide between us and let them know I’m thinking of them. Sending special items shows I’m grateful for their service and that of their fellow Soldiers. Sharing and trading of care-package goodies is a regular activity amongst teammates. If I send something they can’t use or don’t want, someone else surely will!
I compare crafting a personalized care package to picking out a thoughtful and meaningful gift for someone special. I’m not sure I’ve gotten the care packages right 100% of the time, but there are a few things I’ve learned and believe are worth passing along.
- Avoid sending chocolate and other foods that melt in hot (or even just warm!) environments.
- Put liquids, creams, and gels (shampoo, lip balm, sunscreen, and hand sanitizer) in plastic bags.
- Send items that the Service Member can’t order online or have shipped to A.P.O. boxes.
- Homemade baked goods might not be edible by the time your care package arrives, although crispy rice and marshmallow treats seem to hold up well.
- Mail and packages might be held in outlying areas and only delivered weekly or monthly.
- Send Wi-Fi gift cards. Wi-Fi might be available for them to purchase, but it can be costly.
- Include self-addressed, stamped envelopes because stamps and envelopes might be inaccessible for your Service Member.
My husband’s favorite (and much appreciated!) items include razor blades, socks, new pillowcases, foot powder, coffee, and non-perishable snacks, along with the personal stuff such as cards and letters. Our 2 sons really treasured food items that they couldn’t get during deployments such as beef or turkey jerky, protein powder, banana chips, kale chips, nuts, gum, and mints.
Healthy snacks were especially hard to come by and were ideal to send. Non-food items such as playing cards, crossword puzzles, and board games could be shared and also helped build camaraderie with their teammates.
During our daughter’s deployments, her work shifts often ended after the dining facility was closed and access to food was limited. Because she’s allergic to soy products, I scoured grocery stores to find non-perishable items that she could safely eat and that could replace a missed meal. I sent small cans or packs of tuna, peanut butter, 3- or 4-ingredient meal-replacement bars, nuts, and individual servings of oatmeal, jerky, and smoked salmon.
She also appreciated lavender sachets and other pleasant-smelling items for her room and office. Sachets are great because candles can melt in shipping and are a fire hazard, and scented plug-ins might not be voltage or outlet compatible. She enjoyed coloring books and sketch pads, along with colored pencils (crayons can melt!) to use in her free time, too. In her care packages, I always included photos of her and our family from her younger days as they brought her happy memories.
Sending personalized care packages to my loved ones helps “the heart grow fonder” during their absence and allows me to feel part of their mission and deployment. It lets them know they’re never far from my thoughts, no matter the distance between us.
