Here are some alternative items that would be better than food...

AT&T phone cards
Baby wipes and body wipes
Batteries (AA)
Dental floss
Mouthwash
Waterless hand sanitizer
Eye drops
Saline nasal spray
Deodorant
Black sunglasses
Chapstick
Sunscreen
Foot powder
Disposable razors
Soap (non-scented because bugs like it)
Shampoo (non-scented because bugs like it)
Toothbrushes
Toothpaste
Baggies with Zip Lock
Tube Socks
"Gold Bond" type anti-fungal powders
fleece gloves, scarves and blankets
lotion (non-scented because bugs like it)
Lidocane 4% cream

For food, we recommend that ANYTHING you send be packaged and factory sealed. Due to concerns for the health and safety of the soldiers, and as much as we don't want to say this, please do not send home-cooked anything to soldiers other then to your relatives or people who know you. Factory packaged only. Sorry. The soldiers are told to throw away anything that is not in a factory package.

We also recommend that all food items be sent in an individual zip-loc bag so the sodiers can have an easier time of packing their meals for the day. The bags are also useful for a host of other things.

Breakfast-type foods and drinks
Small, single pot packages of coffee
Hot chocolate packages
Canned tuna and chicken
Canned Chef Boyardee ravioli, beefaroni, spaghetti & meatballs, etc (in "zip-top" or easy to open cans)
Canned fruit (with flip top lids)
Beef Jerky
Canned Nuts
Cereal bars, granola bars, etc.
Pre-sweetened powdered drinks, Kool-Aid, Gatorade, etc.

Some other items we have seen requested include the following...

Beanie Baby toys to give the Iraqi kids.
Baseballs, old ball gloves, footballs, frisbees and as one solider put it "aything made by Nerf."

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