Military Care Package Ideas: What Soldiers Ask for Most

Sending a military care package to a soldier serving overseas is a great way to help show your support for their sacrifice. The most important question to ask when putting together a care package is, "What exactly do soldiers ask for the most?" There are three basic categories of needs that soldiers have, including food, hygiene supplies and items from home.

Food supplies

When choosing what food items to put in a care package, remember that it takes a while to reach its destination. Good food items to pack are powdered drink mix, instant coffee packets, beef jerky, small box cereal, gum, candy, protein bars, crackers, peanuts and sunflowers. Foods with long expiration dates are the best to send.

Hygiene supplies

Many soldiers must deal with overseas conditions without even basic hygiene supplies. Things soldiers are looking for are razors, soap, shampoo, hand sanitizer, Q-tips, band-aids, lip balm, deodorant, combs, brushes, tissues, foot powder and eye drops. Any liquid items should go in a plastic baggie.

Items from home

A lot of soldiers crave things from home that remind them of America or their family. These items include things that keep them in touch with their family, such as blank note cards, envelopes, prepaid calling cards and photo books. They also want items to make the time go faster including crossword puzzle books, travel board games, a deck of cards, books and magazines.

Care packages are always appreciated by soldiers overseas because they let them know they have support back home. When sending a care package, it is a good idea to check with the local military base to see if there are any restrictions. You may want to include a nice note with your package.