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Care Package Ideas for a Sick Friend

WHAT DO YOU GIVE SOMEONE WHO FEELS SICK?

Pike Place Clam Chowder Bread Bowl
Pike Place New England Clam Chowder Gift Set

Nothing fights sickness faster than a special delivery from a loved one. While cards and flowers are traditional get well soon gift ideas, a creative care package can be a more thoughtful gift. Care packages give the recipient nourishment that is needed to get better.

From convenient heat-and-eat meals to soothing hot tea and honey to savory and sweet snacks for a Netflix binge, share some TLC with our care package ideas. Whether your nearby friend or long distance loved one is battling through cold and flu season, quarantining with COVID-19, or recovering from an injury or illness, show how much you care with these care package ideas. Then, treat yourself with your own self-care sick kit.

What Do You Put in a Care Package for a Sick Friend?

No matter the reason or the season some of the most popular care package items are:

Soup: a Spoonful of Comfort

Soups are full of soup-er ingredients like veggies, beans, and high-fiber whole grains. Soups help hydrate and boost the immune system. 

Factor’s Famous Deli Matzo Ball Soup

Heartwarming Homemade Chicken Soup: Factor’s Famous Deli

Nothing beats chicken soup when it comes to fighting off illness. Factor’s Famous Deli’s Homemade Chicken Soup is like a warm, comforting hug and tastes just like Grandma’s. The chicken soup from this Los Angeles Jewish deli includes handmade Matzo Balls and Kreplachs (dumplings).

Get Well Homemade Chicken Soup >

Sensational Souper Douper Soup Sampler: Lido Kosher Deli

Chicken soup isn’t the only cure for sickness. Long Island, New York’s Lido Kosher Deli offers a quartet of soups in its Souper Douper Soup Sampler, which includes:

  • Matzah Ball Soup
  • Split Pea Soup
  • Mushroom Barley Soup
  • Vegetable Soup

Souper Douper Soup Sampler >

Lido Kosher Deli Soup Sampler

Read More: Best Soups For a Cold

Vitamin C-Rich Fruits & Veggies

It’s important to eat fruits and veggies every day, but even more so when you’re under the weather. Vitamin C is a powerful antioxidant, so eating fruits and vegetables high in vitamin C can boost recovery.

Frog Hollow Farm Organic Mixed Fruit Box

Outstanding Organic Mixed Fruit Box: Frog Hollow Farm

Boost your mood with mixed seasonal fresh fruit from Brentwood, California’s Frog Hollow Farm. The farm’s Organic Mixed Fruit Box includes five pounds of two different ripe fruits.

Organic Mixed Fruit Box >

Excellent Exotic Fruit Gift Basket: Melissa’s Produce

Take your tastebuds on a trip when you can’t. Melissa’s Produce’s Exotic Fruit Gift Basket includes the season’s best fruits. Options depend on the season.

Exotic Fruit Gift Basket >

Melissa’s Produce’s Variety Fruit Basket

Soothing Tea Set

Tea and its steamy vapors are a natural decongestant. Plus, tea is an antioxidant and an anti-inflammatory, so stock up on black tea, green tea, and herbal tea. To soothe a sore throat, add honey, which has antibacterial properties. To relieve nausea, add ginger.

Madame ZuZu's Emporium Artisanal Tea

Awesome Artisanal Tea: Madame ZuZu’s Emporium

Have a tea taste test with Madame Zuzu’s Emporium’s Artisanal Tea – Choose Your Own Pack. Be the teamaster and pick four of your favorites from the Chicago mon & pop shop. From Crema Earl Grey and Lemon Berry Meritage to Bourbon Vanilla Chai to Soothing Sunshine Ginger Turmeric and French Kissed Moroccan Mint, they have the perfect brew.

Artisanal Tea >

Heavenly Hong Kong High Tea: New Territories

Feel better with New Territories “Holiday in Hong Kong” High Tea which includes two tins of tea: Oolong Green Tea, known for its refreshing and smooth flavor with a sweet aroma, and Rose Ceylon, a floral black tea reminiscent of afternoon high tea in a rose garden.

“Holiday in Hong Kong” High Tea >

New-Territories-Tea-Set

Healthy Treats

Fruits and vegetables are healthy treats packed with germ-fighting, immunity-boosting vitamins. Enjoy the fruits sliced, in juices, blended in a smoothie, or as a refreshing popsicle.

Chelan Fresh Farms Sugarbee Apple

Superlative SugarBee® Apples: Chelan Fresh Farms

As the saying goes, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Chelan, Washington’s Chelan Fresh Farm ships its legendary SugarBee® Apples nationwide. The unique apple was born on a sunny day when one bee collected pollen from an unknown apple blossom and landed on a Honeycrisp blossom.

SugarBee® Apples >

Marvelous Maui Gold® Pineapple: Maui Gold® Pineapple

Sweet, juicy pineapples bring brightness and cheer when feeling sick. Hawaii’s Maui Gold® Pineapple’s famous Maui Gold® Pineapples were developed in 1973 after years of experimentation and crossbreeding by Dr. David Williams at the Pineapple Research Institute. Maui Gold® Pineapples have low acidity, high levels of vitamin C, and superior sweetness.

Maui Gold® Pineapples >

Maui Gold Pineapple

Something Sweet

Struggling to pick the perfect pick-me-ups for your sick friend? How about a little something sweet for your get well soon care package?

Brooklyn Blackout Cookies

Craveworthy Cookie Tin: Brooklyn Blackout Company

Is your friend a chocoholic? Send bite-size Brooklyn Blackout Cake with these cute Brooklyn Blackout Cookies from Brooklyn Blackout Company. Each tin contains 18 glazed chocolate cookies sure to bring a smile to your BFF’s face.

Brooklyn Blackout Cookies >

Joyful Junk in Da Trunk Cookies: Hedy Goldsmithy

When you feel down in the dumps sometimes what you need are ooey, gooey cookies. Hedy Goldsmith’s Junk in da Trunk® cookies are loaded with couch potato favorites: chocolate chunks, crushed kettle potato chips, crumbled pretzels, peanut butter, and a touch of Maldon salt.

Junk in da Trunk® Cookies >

Hedy Goldsmith Junk in Da Trunk Cookies

Read More: The Best Cookies for Sweet Gifts

Something Salty

Sometimes salty, crunchy snacks are what satisfies on a sick day. There’s more to savory snacking than Saltine crackers.

Salume Beddu Gift Box

Satisfying Salami Gift Pack: Salume Beddu

Meat lovers will appreciate the savory, no prep, and easy-to-eat Salume Beddu Gift Pack. It contains three of St. Louis’ Salume Beddu’s best-selling salume: 

  • Spicy Calabrese flavored with dried chiles, smoked paprika, coriander, wine, and garlic
  • Tuscany-style Finocchiona flavored with toasted fennel, black pepper, garlic, and red wine
  • Venetian-style Veneto made with Eastern spices like black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger.

Best Seller’s Gift Pack >

Hearty Hand Pies: Panbury’s Double Crust Hand Pies

Is your loved one tired of chicken soup? Switch it up with hand-held savory pies from Atlanta, Georgia’s Panbury’s Double Crust Hand Pies. Choose three of their favorite pies with the Choose Your Own Hand Pack. Pie flavors include:

  • Steak & Stout, Country Chicken
  • Spinach & Feta
  • Pepper Steak “Beef & Brandy”
  • Chicken & Mushroom
  • Veggie Thai Curry.

Choose Your Own Hand Pack >

Panbury’s Double Crust Hand Pies

Gift Baskets

Who doesn’t love a gorgeous gift basket? We’re gifted with a large collection of culinary gift baskets for all tastes and occasions.

Melissa's Produce Veggie Gift Basket

Beautiful Baby Veggie Gift Basket: Melissa’s Produce

Veg out with a beautiful Baby Veggie Gift Basket from Melissa’s Produce in Los Angeles. Depending on the season, the basket may be brimming with artichokes, beets, carrots and more!

Baby Veggie Gift Basket >

Loveable Large Gift Basket: Sugaree’s

Cookie cravings delivered straight to your couch? Yes, please. Sugaree’s Large Gift Basket is filled with freshly baked:

  • Pecan Tassies
  • Strawberry Thumbprint Cookies
  • Blackberry Thumbprint Cookies
  • Turtle Thumbprint Cookies
  • Wedding Cookies
  • 1 8×8 pan of brownies
  • 1 large Pecan Log

Large Gift Basket >

Sugaree's Gift Basket

Read More: How to Make a Gift Basket

Gift Cards

Let your imagination scroll with Goldbelly gift cards — perfect for every food explorer. Share Goldbelly love with those who are feeling under the weather.

Goldbelly Gift Cards

Digital Gift Card: Goldbelly

Want to instantly share your get well soon sentiments? Send a Goldbelly Digital Gift Card and let your favorite food explorers choose their favorite foods, goodies, and gadgets from 800+ food makers.

Goldbelly Digital E-Gift Card >

Physical Gift Card: Goldbelly

Send some snail mail filled with Goldbelly greatness. The Goldbelly Physical Gift Card is the perfect care package, allowing recipients to relive their most loved food experiences and discover new ones!

Goldbelly Physical Gift Card >

Goldbelly Physical Gift Card

Cheer up your sick friend and show how much you care with care packages filled with soups, teas, fresh fruits and vegetables and tasty treats — all shipping nationwide on Goldbelly! Shop get well gifts for friends or family today!

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Dan Myers
6 months ago

These are all great ideas! Honestly, whenever a family member is sick, I send them a Matzo Ball Soup kit from Junior’s. It always arrives with perfect condition, with the matzo balls and noodles on the side. Sometimes I’ll add on their mini cheesecakes, which makes it a really special treat. Everyone loves it, and it’s a real taste of New York!