Care package contents - thanks, all done!

[ScoutTN]

I am in a group with other moms and grandmothers of college students. We will be assembling small care packages to send to our kids. We will write cards and notes of love and encouragement. I know others are bringing stress-relief tea, lip balm, cliff bars, microwave popcorn. I need to think of something to add to the box. Not too expensive as there are 20 boxes. What small treat  would your college student like? 

Edited August 25, 2023 by ScoutTN

[Arcadia]

Trader Joe’s green tea infused mints

My kids also like their seasonal Chai Tea mints

(source of picture: https://images.bonanzastatic.com/afu/images/5754/010a/664b_13059216259/__57.png)

[Kassia]

Individual bags of goldfish crackers or pretzels always seem to be enjoyed (even when I was in college, my roommate's mom sent us goldfish and we were overjoyed!).  For girls, fuzzy socks and gel pens.  My kids love individual bags of peanuts (regular or honey roasted) or cashews.  Oh, with Halloween coming, you can find fun size candies easily too.

ETA - I saw Cliff bars listed, but I was thinking about protein bars (but those can be expensive), breakfast bars, granola bars...  My kids love fruit snacks, so I recently bought the animal shaped ones for fun https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BJSCFS3J?ref=rcxsubs_myd_ct_detail_page&sbo=GLaw0Fx56FiNH%2FiZ%2B6XKiQ%3D%3D, oh - maybe little boxes of animal crackers or individual bags of cookies would be good!  Maybe pop tarts?  

 

 

Edited August 23, 2023 by Kassia

[Kassia]

A few more ideas - those little Nutella to go packs (I don't know how much they cost - individual packs of Nutella with some breadsticks), the sandwich crackers with peanut butter or cheese in them, applesauce cups, fruit cups (those can be messy), pudding cups, jello cups...obviously, they need utensils for those last few.  

[Sneezyone]

Ramen, always ramen, lol.

[ScoutTN]

1 hour ago, Sneezyone said:

Ramen, always ramen, lol.

My kids like a Korean brand, hot chx flavored! A trip to the international market is a good idea! Bonus that it’s cheap and light.

[ScoutTN]

Oooh, Nutella with pretzels and fruit snacks are always winners with Dd! 
 

Y’all are full of good ideas! So glad I asked here. 😎

[JennyD]

21 minutes ago, ScoutTN said:

Oooh, Nutella with pretzels and fruit snacks are always winners with Dd! 
 

Y’all are full of good ideas! So glad I asked here. 😎

Do you have a Costco membership?  If so might be worth looking there to see what you can get in bulk.   I don't remember for sure but I feel like I have seen those Nutella packs at Costco.  I sent oldest DS some of those That's All fruit bars when he was away this summer, and I know I got those at Costco.

 

 

[Clemsondana]

You can buy packs of cookies at Sams or at some grocery stores- a box of packs with 6 oreos each or nutter butters or pouches of teddy grahams or mini chips ahoy.  Fruit leather, instant soup packets or 'cup of soup' type meals, packets of hot chocolate, apple cider.  Microwave popcorn.  

[Kassia]

57 minutes ago, Clemsondana said:

You can buy packs of cookies at Sams or at some grocery stores- a box of packs with 6 oreos each or nutter butters or pouches of teddy grahams or mini chips ahoy.  Fruit leather, instant soup packets or 'cup of soup' type meals, packets of hot chocolate, apple cider.  Microwave popcorn.  

I use Amazon for buying those kinds of packs because I don't belong to a warehouse club and have gotten some good deals there.  Love your other ideas!  🙂

[BusyMom5]

The powder you put into a water bottle to make KoolAid- lots of different flavors!  Protien bars or and snack-sized chips.  Post-its are always handy.  The little Kleenex pouches that go in your purse or backpack. 

[ScoutTN]

Going with electrolyte powder and the small nutella packs with pretzels.

[Roadrunner]

Using post office to ship? Isn’t it prohibitively expensive? 

[Dmmetler]

Shower fizzies, if that's not too expensive. 

 

Do you know if any of the kids have allergies or limited diets? 

 

 

[ScoutTN]

6 hours ago, Roadrunner said:

Using post office to ship? Isn’t it prohibitively expensive? 

Each person in our group who has college/grad student children/grands will take care of packaging and shipping for her peeps. The contents are not large or heavy.

My box is only going 70 miles away. 

Edited August 24, 2023 by ScoutTN

[ScoutTN]

4 hours ago, Dmmetler said:

Shower fizzies, if that's not too expensive. 

 

Do you know if any of the kids have allergies or limited diets? 

 

 

No food allergies! 

[Lilaclady]

You can use the post office flat rate boxes to get a good deal. 

[easypeasy]

My college kids never seem to get enough protein, so the care packages I send are full of protein bars, Kodak oatmeal in the microwavable cups, protein shake powder, meat sticks (Chomps are pretty good), and AG1 powder. I also usually send homemade cookies and muffins.

I don't know WHY (maybe it's just my kids?) but eating enough is always a struggle and they get sick because they aren't well-nourished. So I try to send things they can throw in their backpacks and have ready AT ALL TIMES for when they realize they forgot to eat and have a headache coming on.

[Dmmetler]

7 hours ago, easypeasy said:

My college kids never seem to get enough protein, so the care packages I send are full of protein bars, Kodak oatmeal in the microwavable cups, protein shake powder, meat sticks (Chomps are pretty good), and AG1 powder. I also usually send homemade cookies and muffins.

I don't know WHY (maybe it's just my kids?) but eating enough is always a struggle and they get sick because they aren't well-nourished. So I try to send things they can throw in their backpacks and have ready AT ALL TIMES for when they realize they forgot to eat and have a headache coming on.

Or when their class schedule is ridiculous. My kid always ends up with a couple of really long days due to having labs one day a week.

[ScoutTN]

2 minutes ago, Dmmetler said:

Or when their class schedule is ridiculous. My kid always ends up with a couple of really long days due to having labs one day a week.

Yes, Dd has a couple days with a schedule unhelpful for eating lunch!

[Arcadia]

On 8/23/2023 at 11:39 AM, ScoutTN said:

Going with electrolyte powder and the small nutella packs with pretzels.

I haven’t tried this but I would likely send a box with DS18 because he needs a Vitamin C boost during flu season. This type doesn’t need water so easier for him. 

Emergen-C Crystals, On-The-Go Immune Support Supplement with Vitamin C, B Vitamins, Zinc and Manganese, Orange Vitality - 56 Stick Packs

https://www.amazon.com/Emergen-C-Crystals-Supplement-Vitamins-Manganese/dp/B0BSV1XGXR

[mommyoffive]

2 hours ago, Arcadia said:

I haven’t tried this but I would likely send a box with DS18 because he needs a Vitamin C boost during flu season. This type doesn’t need water so easier for him. 

Emergen-C Crystals, On-The-Go Immune Support Supplement with Vitamin C, B Vitamins, Zinc and Manganese, Orange Vitality - 56 Stick Packs

https://www.amazon.com/Emergen-C-Crystals-Supplement-Vitamins-Manganese/dp/B0BSV1XGXR

OH those look fun.  i hate the e-C powder drinks.  Gluh.

I bought something like this in pill form on Costco, but this looks like more fun.

I was just going to ask this question about care packages.  I feel like it is cheaper if to just order things off Amazon/costco and have it shipped there.  Is there any good subscription type places that do this?  I think Amazon used to do things like this.

Edited August 24, 2023 by mommyoffive

[ScoutTN]

1 hour ago, mommyoffive said:

OH those look fun.  i hate the e-C powder drinks.  Gluh.

I bought something like this in pill form on Costco, but this looks like more fun.

I was just going to ask this question about care packages.  I feel like it is cheaper if to just order things off Amazon/costco and have it shipped there.  Is there any good subscription type places that do this?  I think Amazon used to do things like this.

Probably would be cheaper for an individual. But this was a group project for 20 college/grad students. 11 moms or grandmas contributing. 

[mommyoffive]

4 hours ago, ScoutTN said:

Probably would be cheaper for an individual. But this was a group project for 20 college/grad students. 11 moms or grandmas contributing. 

Gotcha.  I read it that you were in a group of that many moms who were all sending packages to their kids and just sharing ideas on what to put in the boxes.   I didn't get that you were all doing this together and all bringing items to them pack the boxes.  

[easypeasy]

8 hours ago, mommyoffive said:

 I feel like it is cheaper if to just order things off Amazon/costco and have it shipped there.  Is there any good subscription type places that do this?  I think Amazon used to do things like this.

It is cheaper, but my kids are exasperated when they have four amazon boxes arriving every other day (or, worse, when four packages from one order arrive all at once!) that they have to trek across campus to pick up.

So I started buying the stuff myself and shipping it. I'm able to eliminate a lot of extra packaging and stuff that way too.

I usually only send packages when they are feeling stressed out, so I try to make the packages as no-stress as possible, since that would be completely opposite of what I'm attempting to do! lol This way, I only wind up sending a few packages through the year, so I don't mind the shipping costs too much.

When they *need* something, they just Amazon-order it themselves (which, honestly, steals some of the romantic notions of sending a care package in the first place... haha! they never *need* anything from me, specifically!). 

[mommyoffive]

On 8/24/2023 at 1:45 PM, Arcadia said:

I haven’t tried this but I would likely send a box with DS18 because he needs a Vitamin C boost during flu season. This type doesn’t need water so easier for him. 

Emergen-C Crystals, On-The-Go Immune Support Supplement with Vitamin C, B Vitamins, Zinc and Manganese, Orange Vitality - 56 Stick Packs

https://www.amazon.com/Emergen-C-Crystals-Supplement-Vitamins-Manganese/dp/B0BSV1XGXR

I was just needing some of these for one of my kiddos and saw they are a deal where if you buy $25 you save $7.  Just wanted to let you know in case you need to send some to your ds.

Also, really cheap at Sams. 

Emergen-C Crystals On-The-Go 500 mg Vitamin C Immune Support, Orange & Strawberry (72 ct.) - Sam's Club (samsclub.com)

Edited September 23, 2023 by mommyoffive

[Eos]

We sent each of ours an owl post in their first few weeks at college, somewhat following the list of first-year supplies in the Harry Potter books.  Oldest went to engineering school so had a box and letter from the Ministry of Magical-Muggle Cooperation congratulating him on his educational choice and filled with things like duct tape and tools.  Dd got a flowery hatbox from Beauxbatons with opera glasses, scales (the musical kind), a Useful French Phrase Book and some other items, third one got a box from Zonko's joke shop with lots of tricks and a strobe light plus homemade candy from Honeydukes, fourth has just received a box from the Guild of Magical Movement with dance robes, a knee brace quilted with stars, velvet dance shoes, some sore muscle potions and a muscle roller.