How To Order An e-Comm Your LO Will Love

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The Best (and Worst) Commissary Items On e-Comm

My sister Meghan is a rock star and takes care of me with commissary funds and an occasional e-comm. But she recently told me that she has worried in the past she is going to order something awful for me. The good news is that most inmates will love anything you send because every little bit helps. The bad news is that there are a few items that most inmates would rather not receive in an e-comm order. Here are five recommendations of what you should definitely order, and five things you should probably avoid.

5 Things To Order On e-Comm

1. Soups

Ramen Soups are a staple in prison for almost every meal outside of the chow hall. Your LO will gladly accept as many soups as you're able to order on an e-comm because they also are the most common currency.

2. Meat and Fish Pouches

Unless your LO is a vegetarian, pouches can transform a bland prison meal into fine dining. Don't over think which pouches to order, we're resourceful in swapping for what we like best.

3. Chips and Cookies

There are a few inmates who avoid chips and cookies to reach their health goals, but the overwhelming majority of incarcerated people savor these items. You just can't send enough.

4. Condiments

From bottles of cheese and hot sauce, to individual packets of ranch dressing and jalapeño peppers, people serving time get creative with condiments to put the flavor back in the food.

5. Coffee

If you read my blog profile you know I love a good cup of coffee. Coffee wakes inmates up, is a good conversation starter, and never goes bad in the back of a locker. There are usually two coffee options on e-comm and you can certainly taste the difference in price, so splurge on the more expensive option if you can.

5 Things To Avoid On e-Comm

1. Toilet Paper

The prison system passes out a roll of toilet paper to every inmate each week, so unless your LO asks for it, or you're just a practical joker, don't send rolls of toilet paper.

2. Food for one meal

When we go to commissary (or "make store") we are stocking food in our locker. If you were only able to go to HEB once every two weeks you would try to fill your pantry with meal options for that entire time frame. That's exactly what your LO is doing too. So, don't send just one soup, one ranch packet, and one tuna pouch, help your LO stock their pantry!

3. Correspondence

Paper, envelopes, stamps, and pens are pretty easy to come across and most inmates already have what they need. The added fact that we now have tablets, makes correspondence much less important than it was before.

4. Hygiene

While your LO needs hygiene, most inmates have a solid stockpile of toothpaste, deodorant, and soap. If you decide to send some anyway, most inmates prefer the white or "powder" antiperspirant over the green deodorant, and you should know that the bars of dial soap are smaller sized like the ones at a hotel.

5. Bottled Water

This one might just be personal, but I think bottled water is a waste of e-comm space. Bottled water is bulky, heavy, and only a few inmates I have ever lived around drink it exclusively. Avoid the bottled water. As I said before, anything you send to support your loved one is a blessing and you really can't go wrong, but I hope this helps you make better e-comm purchases for your LO. Thank you for all you do for the ones you love. Share what items your LO prefers or what items I missed, and declare today: I Choose Hope!


Like Trent's blog? Subscribe to his monthly newsletter at ichoosehope.substack.com.

Contact Trent directly by creating a Securus e-messaging account at SecurusTech.net or on the Securus App. You'll need his full name, State, and facility (Trenton Blythe, Texas, Texas Department of Criminal Justice). He'd love to hear from you!

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