Missing your kid at college? I'm sharing my favorite College Care Package Ideas to send some New England love, with ideas for packaged snacks as well as shippable homemade treats!
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Ah, college! It's an exciting and life-changing experience to be away from home, on your own, and truly independent for the first time. It can also be rather overwhelming, especially when the realities of class workloads and late nights set in. And, perhaps, a touch of homesickness.
Care packages for college students, sent from family or friends and stuffed full of treats, self-care supplies, and lots of love, are just what they need in those moments!
In a nutshell... 🐿️
- What this is: A complete guide to sending a college kid a box of love from home, something to help them feel less overwhelmed or homesick.
- You'll love this part: It's easy to come up with fun ideas, whether it's a practical collection of self-care products or tasty, homemade treats.
- How to use this: This guide has shipping tips and themed care package ideas (like a Finals box!) It also has recipe ideas for sturdy, shippable snacks.
Jump to:
- Notes from fellow cooks:
- What is a college care package?
- Before you send your college care package
- Ask about the college mailroom service
- Check the weather
- What To Put In A College Care Package
- Ideas for themed care packages:
- Don't just take my word for it...
- Homemade treats for College Care Packages
- Cookies, snacks, and treats you can make:
- 💬 Comments
Notes from fellow cooks:
"I don't think I ever received care package snacks in college (sad violin!) but I did send some to my friends. My mom did (and still does) send non-edibles, like crossword puzzles or comic strips from the local paper that she thought I'd like." — CakePants
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What is a college care package?
Care packages are boxes of treats, supplies, and fun stuff to help them get through weeks of grueling classes and work. More than that, care packages are a way to send some love—and who doesn't want that?!
The boxes can be big or small, and what you send can be practical or silly.
Care packages can come from moms and dads, stepmoms and stepdads, and grandparents. You can also send one if you're the favorite aunt (or hope to secure that title!) Send a package as a family friend.
Have a girlfriend or boyfriend or best friend away at school? This is a meaningful way to let them know you miss them.
You can even send a package on behalf of the family pet!
Most important of all, care packages do not need to be expensive or elaborate. And you definitely don't need to shell out for pricey, curated boxes from online services.
👉 The point of a care package is just to show your student that you love them and you're thinking of them.
Before you send your college care package
Here are a few things to check and keep in mind as you prepare to ship your package. Then, keep reading for some great ideas for what to send, recipes for treats, and ideas for themed care packages.
Ask about the college mailroom service
Package processing at college mailrooms is often slow—especially at the start of the school year and during the holidays. Add to that the transit time it takes just for your package to reach the school.
This isn't as big a deal when you're sending shelf-stable snacks or non-food items. However, with homemade treats, you won't want them sitting unopened for days on end.
Check with your student to see how the mail/package delivery has been going so you can plan for any delays. Even better, if you have a friend heading to the area, ask if they can drop off the care package for you. (This is a great reason to connect with local families whose kids are going to college in the same area as your kid.)
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Check the weather
I'm not just talking about the temperature outside: ask your student what the temperature is inside their dorm. Unfortunately, many older dorm buildings have no air conditioning, so the rooms are sticky and hot even when it's cool outside.
If this is the case, don't send melty things like chocolate-coated cookies or homemade fudge. Instead, send sturdy cookies and snacks that will hold up in the heat.
(Save the melty stuff for a winter care package.)
Share this!
Share these tips with your family members, and encourage them to send care packages, too!
What To Put In A College Care Package
Food for the microwave and mini fridge
Our daughter's requests for her very first college care package? Easy Mac, Goldfish, and cans of Spicy V-8 Juice.
Even with ample dining hall options, having snacks and microwavable foods in her room made it easy to hunker down for intense blocks of studying and work. Packaged foods like these also help students on days when there's no time to buy food between classes.
Some good choices for prepackaged foods include:
- Salty, cheesy Goldfish crackers
- Energy bars
- Cup Noodles
- Fruit pouches
- Pudding cups
- Jerky sticks
- Microwave popcorn
(Even if your student has no microwave in their room, common rooms usually have one.)
If your student needs snacks that are allergy-friendly, gluten-free, or vegan, a care package is a perfect way to stock them up, especially if the selection is limited in their area.
Games and toys
Food isn't the only treat that'll bring a smile to your student's face: include some things that are fun, silly, or heartfelt—or all of the above!
Help students unwind with games to play with friends. Send a deck of cards and game ideas—some of our favorite card games are Pitch, Hearts, Thirty-One, and Spoons.
Other games to consider:
- Cribbage
- Codenames
- Uno
- Catan
- We Didn't Playtest This At All
- Cards Against Humanity.
I used to like to send DVD movies however, I know most movie watching is done via streaming now. Still, it can't hurt to ask if your student's common room still has a DVD player. Who knows? Maybe your kid will start a movie night trend featuring retro tech! 🎥
Throw in magazines, a new book release from a favorite author, a random toy from their bedroom, a cute little stuffy, or handwritten notes from everyone at home.
These are all great ways to make a care package that really reflects your unique and amazing kid.
Ideas for themed care packages:
Feel Better Box
The first time you get sick away from home really stinks! With so many students living together, dining together, and sitting side by side in classes all week long, and... doing other things together, it's inevitable that sickness will spread. Mild cold bugs, flu, strep throat, and Covid-19 are all common on campuses.
A care package with medicine and self-care items is so helpful and comforting.
- Soft tissues
- A digital thermometer
- Dayquil
- Herbal teas
- Saltine crackers
- Heating pad
- Instant chicken noodle soup.
It can't hurt to send some Vitamin C supplements like Emergen-C their way as well. Many elementary teachers I know swear by them to fend off colds!
Pantry and Kitchen Box
Does your student live in an apartment-style dorm? (These are pretty common for upperclassmen.) If they have their own kitchen in their apartment or suite, sending pantry basics is a huge help. Because you know they won't remember to pick up groceries until they're too hungry to think straight!
Send staples like:
- Packaged mixes for baked goods
- Basic spices like garlic powder, salt, pepper, chili powder, cinnamon, and crushed red pepper
- All-purpose flour
- Nonstick spray
- Baking powder and baking soda
If your student has a favorite dish that you always made for them at home, send the recipe along with the shelf-stable ingredients they'll need to put it together.
(Need a recipe idea? Give them this easy Kielbasa, Cheddar, and Rice recipe.)
Another option is to explore grocery delivery services like Uber Eats or InstaCart, where you can order groceries and treats for delivery to your student.
Mid-Terms and Finals Box
Three words: caffeine, sugar, and salt. These are the three basic necessities when students are stressed out and need to stay up late for marathon studying and writing!
Sweet and salty snack mixes hit the spot here, along with tea and coffee. Send instant coffee if they don't have access to a coffee maker. Do they have a Keurig? (Like this cool, single-serve version.) Send them a box of K-cups.
This is a good time for gift cards too: Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts, Taco Bell, or Dominos.
Finally, check the food service page on the college's website — in addition to special dining events to get students through exam weeks, many offer options for parents to order special treats that students can pick up.
Don't just take my word for it...
"Being a student away from home, I always loved receiving care packages like this one." — Juliet
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Homemade treats for College Care Packages
My informal poll of college students (my kids and their roommates) reveals without a doubt: care packages with homemade treats RULE!
There's no better way to show how much you care than baking up some tasty treats, especially if they're your student's favorite cookies and snack mixes.
Make one of these recipes for your college care package. They include sweets and treats that are not only delicious but will hold up well during shipping:
Cookies, snacks, and treats you can make:
- Ginger Cookies, with Candied Ginger
- Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Cookies
- Butter Cookies Recipe
- Walnut Coconut Cookies
- Lime Snowball Cookies
- Soft Cocoa Cookies
- Peanut Butter Caramel Cookies
- Spicy BBQ Chex Mix Recipe
- Chocolate Toffee Bark with Shortbread Cookies and Almonds
- Soft Molasses Cookies
- Soft Pumpkin Cookies
- Peanut Butter Balls
- White Chocolate Chex Mix
- Sour Cream Sugar Cookies, Aunt Clara's Recipe
- Best Coconut Macaroons
💬 What are you putting in your college care package? Let me know in the comments below!
Mary says
How can I pack brownies to mail to my grandson. From Illinois to Nashville, Tenn.
Nancy Mock says
Hi Mary! You are the best grandmother ever. 🙂 You'll want the brownies to stay moist so I would slice them up and wrap each one in plastic wrap before packing them into a container, like a Glad or Ziploc food storage dish with a lid. Cushion the brownies in the shipping box to help protect them on the trip. Talk to the post office or carrier about the different shipping times available - faster would be better, of course, but more expensive, too. But as long as they arrive within 3-4 days, they should be in good shape.
Finally choose a slightly cakier brownie recipe to send to your grandson, as opposed to a really soft and gooey one which may be more likely to fall apart during shipping.
I'm sure he'll love them!
Heidi Echo says
I'm sure she loved these Nancy! I just Hannah a small package the other day--pumpkin mini breads and muffins, a package of gum and a note. She got it the day after I sent it thankfully!
Nancy Mock says
Ooh, those sound yummy, and seasonally delicious! Glad to hear the package reached her quickly.
CakePants says
Wow, your daughter is a lucky girl to have such a thoughtful parent - and all those snacks look great! I don't think I ever received a care package in college (sad violin!) but I did manage to send some to my friends for their birthdays. My mom did (and still does, years post-college) send non-edibles, like crossword puzzles from the local newspaper or comics that she thought I'd like.
Nancy Mock says
I love that you sent things to your friends 🙂 Newspaper clippings! There's something so heartwarming about that, I used to get those from my grandparents especially Garfield and Nancy comics. It's a sweet feeling knowing that someone is thinking of you as they read the paper!
armchairsquid says
The girl doesn't know how lucky she is...
Great post with lots of excellent advice. The glass microwave popcorn popper is pure genius.
Nancy Mock says
Aw thanks 🙂 Those poppers are awesome, I highly recommend.
Juliet says
Such a great post! Being a student and away from home, I always love receiving care packages like this one. I'm convinced your daughter was thrilled 🙂
x, Juliet
Nancy Mock says
Thanks Juliet! What do you get in your care packages?