With so many of our American military personnel assigned to duty on far-away foreign soils, care packages laden with food from home say “I am thinking of you” in a special way.
In warm temperatures, it is imperative that whatever food you send be non-perishable and able to tolerate extremely high temperatures as well as rough handling.
If you are unsure how the food you want to send will survive shipping, wrap the product well and place it in the container. After giving it a few vigorous shakes, open the container and see how well it fared.
Because military packages can take from 2-6 weeks for delivery, it is unsafe to send perishable foods.
Perishable foods such as meat, poultry, fish and soft cheese must be kept at 40° F or cooler to remain safe to eat. Perishable foods should not be left at room temperature for more than two hours or more than one hour in temperatures of around 90° F and higher.
Federal Guidelines caution that military personnel stationed in Persian Gulf countries should not be sent any pork/pork products or alcohol due to local religious reasons.
The USDA recommends against sending high- moisture baked goods like banana nut bread, because of their susceptibly to molds. Cookies likely will arrive in crumbs, and any chocolate product will melt in high temperatures.
With those favorites off the list, what is there to send?
USDA Recommended Food Gifts for Military Overseas
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Dried beef or poultry such as beef jerky, turkey jerky, beef slims. Bacteria can not grow in foods that have been preserved by removing moisture.
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Dehydrated soups and drink mixes are easy to mail and lightweight.
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To spice up food at mess halls or Meals Ready to Eat (MRE’s), send condiments such as hot sauce and Cajun seasonings in packets. Be sure to put them in unbreakable containers.
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Canned foods such as corned beef, shrimp, tuna, chicken, crab, dips, and cracker spreads make a nice treat. Recipients should inspect canned foods for signs of damage or swelling and not eat them.
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Baked goods that are dry and dense like biscotti are good choices.
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If cookies are chosen, wrap individually and pack items in commercially packing “peanuts”.
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Dried fruits such as raisins and apricots, canned nuts and fruit and commercially packaged trail mix need no refrigeration.
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Hard candies and sturdy homemade sweets such as pralines and toffee are safe to mail because their high sugar content prevents bacterial growth.
Remember when sending these “care packages” to loved ones make sure they are packaged securely and that the name and correct address is on the package.
Cocoa-Almond Biscotti
½ cup butter or margarine, softened
1 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 ½ tbsps chocolate syrup
2 ¼ cups flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
1 ½ tbsps. cocoa
1 cup (6 oz.) whole almonds
Combine butter and sugar in a large bowl; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs, beating well. Mix in chocolate syrup.
Combine flour, baking powder, salt and cocoa; add to butter mixture, beating well. Stir in almonds.
Divide dough in half; shape each portion into a 9x2 inch log on a greased baking sheet.
Bake at 350° F for 30 minutes or until firm. Cool on baking sheet 5 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
Cut each log diagonally into ½-inch thick slices with a serrated knife using a gentle sawing motion. Place on un-greased baking sheet. Bake at 350° F for 5-7 minutes. Turn biscotti over and bake 5-7 additional minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool. Yield: 2 ½ dozen.
Approximate values per piece: 221 calories, 17 g fat, 23 mg cholesterol, 6 g protein, 13 g carbohydrates, 81 mg sodium.