What's the best (and cheapest) way to send chocolate to the desert?

In My Humble Opinion
1

There was a thread here a month or so back asking if any Dopers know of anyone stationed in the Middle East. I answered that my nephew in the reserves was told not to leave the state. Well, two weeks ago his number was called and he sent the plaintive request to all family members:

Please send me some toilet paper, candy and chocolate!

I want to send him a big old bag of fun sized candy bars. My first thought was a small cooler with those chemical ice packs in a box, but that’s gonna cost a fortune. Any ideas on how to do this cheaper while making sure he doesn’t get a box filled with liquid crap?

2

I hate to tell you this, but you’re probably going to be SOL on the chocolate for a couple reasons. First, it’s still in the triple digits over there, so the conditions aren’t very good for sending chocolate. Second, mail can take forever to get over there. (I recently got back a couple letters I’d sent to Airman in April.) In fact, neither Hershey nor See’s will ship chocolate in hot weather without a significant premium attached to the shipping cost. (IIRC, about $19 for a one-pound box, according to Hershey.)

You could try sending Tootsie Rolls to see if that’ll make him feel better.

Robin

3

What about sending chocolate baked goods that won’t melt? You know, like homemade brownies (no frosting). I’ve got a recipe that rocks if you want it.

4

And as for the time thing, maybe you can seal them in a big plastic Ziploc bag with all the air sucked out with a straw to keep them fresh.

5

Don’t send the chocolate at all. Even baked goods with chocolate chips arrive with these interesting holes where the chips used to be. S There is “tropical chocolate” that will stand the heat but it may not be available and tastes like a baboon’s butt anyway.
The APO address would cause it to go to the US and then back here so he needs a civilian-type address.
I think the chocolate is a dead issue but the candy and Charmain or whatever is easy.
If you can get me a working address for the nephew I’d be glad to send him some munchies, toilet-paper, whatever.

(Same for you, MsRobyn)

Best regards

Testy

6

Hey Testy, thanks for the offer. I might take you up on it.

What about Tootsie Rolls? They’re pretty melt resistant.

7

Sure, tootsie rolls would probably make it. I’ll call the embassy in Riyadh tomorrow and ask about the APO thing. If we can send stuff direct from here to there using the APO system we could send all kinds of things. Riyadh has about everything you could want, except beer and pork ribs. (Damn!) The local mail is more-or-less reliable but things do occasionally go missing.

Anyway, don’t hesitate if there is anything I can do.

All the best

Testy

8

Thanks for the offer, Testy, but Airman has been home for quite some time.

Robin

9

I had a thread a few months back with good news/bad news.

Good news: Friends in Germany sent me chocolates.
Bad news: It was summer in Las Vegas.

The pudding was quite tasty, albiet ugly and quite a mess.

My advice…promise a vat of chocolate when they get home, but don’t waste your time and money. Just ain’t gonna happen.