Back in the day, pre-MREs, a can of peaches and a pound cake was da’ bomb...when our church makes up care packages, I tape a can of peaches to the bottom of a plastic tub (Zip-Lock), add in a package of shortcake (2 per) in a aired up Zip-Lock baggie toss in a plastic spoon, seal the tub with tape...instant dessert.
The taped down can prevents crushing the cake and the aired up baggie acts as a buffer because care packages aren’t always handled with care. The tub becomes the bowl, and can be used for storage later...reports coming back are positive.
These are mostly young guys so I toss in car, 4X4, gun, motorcycle, etc magazines, as many different current issues as I can find...they are great for a quick read and traded freely...even if there is a PX, BX or Navy Exchange handy where the troops can get them, free is still the best price and if there is no Exchange...score!
My sister used to bake a cake with leaven, pull it out 15 minutes early, wrap it up good and ship it.
It would age with the leaven in transit, cure, and I would get it like it was 4 days old, but it was still chocolate cake from home! :)
I also thought that sending the Sunday Funnies was really good, sending a hometown newspaper, too
I offered to send a friend’s son a short wave radio so his kid could listen to Voice of America when over in Iraq...he looked at me and told me they had CNN, FOX NEWS and all cable stations!...am I that old??