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WHAT DO YOU GIVE SOMEONE WHO FEELS SICK?
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 or get well soon package can be a more thoughtful gift. Care packages for a sick friend 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 sick care package items are:
- Soup: a Spoonful of Comfort
- Vitamin C-rich Fruits and Veggies
- Soothing Tea Set
- Healthy Treats
- Something Sweet
- Something Salty
- Gift Baskets
- Gift Cards
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.
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).
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
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.
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.
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.
Soothing Tea Set
Tea and its steamy vapors are a natural decongestant, making the perfect sick care package. 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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
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.
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.
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!
Cheer up your sick friend and show how much you care with get well soon 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!
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!