Care Package Items College Kids Actually Use Up!
What parent doesn’t love sending care packages to their children in college? It gives you this feeling of connectedness. It feels like even though we’re far away from each other, we can still take care of our children and meet their needs in some way.
The thing about care packages though, is that they have to be super useful.
Dorm rooms are small! There is hardly any storage space, so everything that crosses the threshold needs to serve a purpose and (hopefully) get used up quickly.
These are the 15 items that my husband and I send again and again that actually get used, plus our seasonal favorites!
1. Instant Ramen and Cup Noodles
If there is one meal that college is known for, it’s Instant Ramen or Cup of Noodles!
These are probably the cheapest thing that we send in our care packages and they’re always gone the fastest.
They’re just a familiar food from childhood and I think it’s the nostalgia (plus super quick cook time) that keeps our kids hooked on them.
2. Microwave Popcorn
I once got super environmentally-friendly and sent a popcorn maker and a massive jug of popcorn kernels to my college kids.
I can confirm that this is NOT the way to go.
Microwave popcorn, the kind in the bag, is a college favorite.
We always send the flavored popcorn seasonings too, especially the fun holiday flavors when they come out.
It’s cheap, easy to make, and perfect for late night study sessions!
Plus, it is kind of a rite of passage to stink up the entire dorm floor with burnt popcorn at least once in your college career.
3. Protein and Granola Bars
There is something comforting to me about knowing that my kids have some snacks in their dorm rooms that don’t require a microwave.
Protein and granola bars are perfect because they can grab one on the way out the door in the morning, throw a couple in their bag, and always have something to eat on the go between classes.
At the very least, they have no excuse for completely skipping breakfast!
I send a new kind with every care package. By the time you’ve worked your way through an entire box of the same protein bars, you’re definitely ready for a new flavor.
4. Coffee Pods or Instant Coffee
It seems that all college students these days are completely addicted to energy drinks.
If you have a child that likes coffee, always add some coffee pods to their care packages.
My kids actually like the canned coffee that looks like an energy drink, so I’ll send those occasionally too.
Plus, when your college student has some sort of coffee in their dorm room, it isn’t quite as tempting to waste money at the coffee shop so often!
5. Tea and Hot Cocoa
This is one of my favorites, especially around the holidays!
There are so many fun flavors of tea and hot cocoa that just make a care package feel more seasonal and exciting.
I have been a tea drinker for years, and apparently my kids have inherited my vice.
They go through almost as much tea as I do, so I send tons of black tea bags, enough for them to use one or two a day.
The fun seasonal flavors are just extras, but they’re always a hit!
6. Single-Serve Nut Butter Packs
These single-serve nut butter packs have become an unexpected favorite in our family.
They’re convenient to put on crackers or toast, but my kids have started to eat them straight out of the package.
Weird, I know.
My son argues it’s not really any different than eating a nutty granola bar, and I guess he’s right.
They take up less space than a small jar of peanut or almond butter, so even if your child prefers to use them more conventionally, I think they’ll love them as much as my kids do!
7. Microwave Mac and Cheese Cups
These are another staple in most college dorm rooms.
Do I wish my kids would eat healthier food while they’re away at college?
Yep.
Am I happy they’re eating in their dorm instead of ordering take out, even if it’s microwave macaroni and cheese?
Also yep.
These are great for late study nights or just when it’s too late to go purchase something on campus with their meal plan.
We send a few microwave mac and cheese cups in most of our care packages.
Now that our kids have friends and study partners, we’ve started just sending the regular boxed option that they grew up with.
It feeds more people and is more economical per serving.
8. Beef Jerky
Beef jerky has been a staple in our home for basically my kids’ entire childhoods.
College is no different.
This is one of the more expensive things I send in our care packages.
I know my kids can’t easily afford to buy this for themselves, and that’s always the measure of a good gift.
We send their favorite beef jerky flavors in their care packages and usually a random new one that we’ve found.
When I’m out shopping, I’ve gotten in the habit of grabbing random odds and ends and setting them aside for the next care package.
Unique kinds of jerky are almost always in there!
9. Their Favorite Snack From Home
If you think about your kids’ childhoods, there is a snack or two that they always loved.
For my son, it’s that gross cheese in a can with saltine crackers. He would eat it for Christmas dinner if left to his own devices.
My daughter has an obsession with chocolate-coated dates and has since her toddler years.
Whatever it is for your college student, make sure to send it in each of their care packages.
Most of the things we’ve discussed so far are useful and any college kid would love them.
Make sure to include something that just makes them feel loved as soon as they see it.
10. Gum and Mints
My kids prefer gum over mints, so we send a ton of it with every care package.
When they were younger, my kids begged for gum every time we went to the store.
I can’t tell you how much gum I’ve scraped off of random places all around my house over the years.
Now that they’re older, gum isn’t as exciting as it used to be, but they still go through a boatload of it. Each of my kids run out long before their next care package comes.
I used to fight to not let my kids have gum, and now we’re sending it in bulk. It’s funny how times change!
11. Laundry Pods
Not everything that we send to our kids in their care packages is edible.
I try to check a bunch of things off of their shopping list to ease the financial burden of being a broke college student, if even just a little bit.
Laundry pods are one of those things.
I know that if my kids have to buy their own, they’re going to grab the cheapest jug they can find, and then lug that thing all the way to the laundry room.
I love sending laundry pods so they can just throw a pod in their laundry basket on the way to wash their clothes, and not give it a second thought.
12. Toiletry Refills
Toiletries and personal care items are another thing I try to handle for my kids in their care packages.
If you know the products your child uses, restocking their favorites is a great way to send something useful that they’ll appreciate.
Maybe it’s face wipes, makeup remover wipes, lip balms, deodorant, or any product that they use daily but struggle to pay for on their own.
This is another fun category for seasonal items. Especially for your daughters!
Holiday lip balms, lotions, hand sanitizers, and even some skincare products are so fun and festive around the holidays.
The seasonal, limited time items are always so much fun and make their care packages feel more exciting.
13. Cough Drops and Electrolyte Packets
Running on way too much caffeine and way too little sleep, plus all of that less-than-nutritious food is a recipe for illness.
Sending a few supplies for when the inevitable sickness pops up is a great way to make sure your college student is taken care of…even if you can’t be there to do it.
Little things like cough drops, electrolyte packets, and some pain relievers are great to have on hand.
Hopefully your son or daughter won’t need these products, but they’re nice to have and take up very little storage room in their dorm.
Better safe than sorry!
14. Food or Coffee Gift Cards
All college kids go out to eat and go for way too many Starbucks runs.
It’s always more fun when they aren’t worried in the back of their mind about whether they’ll have enough money to make it through the end of the month.
Giving gift cards for food and coffee are like giving your child a care-free meal or Frappuccino!
I usually send a small gift card to a favorite take out place near campus and add $10 or $15 to a reloadable gift card.
It isn’t much, but it makes a big difference to a college kid on a tight budget!
15. Pens, Highlighters and Sticky Notes
There is just something fun about buying office supplies!
My daughter has inherited my love of planners, and both of my kids love to get pens, highlighters, and pretty much any other fun school supplies!
They take up no space and cost very little.
Plus, pens, pencils, and highlighters have a habit of walking off during study sessions with other students.
It’s always a good idea to keep your son or daughter stocked up on pens and sticky notes, just in case they need them!
Don’t assume that because you sent some last month that they don’t need more. Trust me. Just send another batch.
Seasonal Care Package Themes
There are certain times of the year that call for different care package items. Here is what I have learned first hand over the years:
Finals Week:
No one is sleeping, everyone is stressed, and they’re either eating terrible food or hardly eating at all.
This is the week to send all of the coffee, energy drinks, extra money for take out or gift cards, and lots of snacks. Last year we sent new water bottles, just as a reminder to do at least something small to take care of themselves during this hectic week.
Thanksgiving
Hopefully your college student is coming home for Thanksgiving! If they’re not, make sure to send lots of comforting treats that they’ll remember from childhood.
Send some variation of their holiday favorites, desserts, and maybe a gift card to a local restaurant that makes take-out holiday meals!
Valentine’s Day
We have always made a pretty big deal out of Valentine’s day in our house, so I am always sure to send a cute care package in early February.
This is never anything big or expensive, just their favorite candy, maybe some cheap fuzzy socks for my daughter and a gift card for my son.
Birthdays
Birthdays might as well be a national holiday in our home.
We’ve traveled to crazy places, decorated to the nines, and try to make our kids feel like royalty on their birthdays.
Now that they’re at college, we still make sure they feel loved and important.
This is when we send bigger gifts or send some extra spending money. This year we sent our daughter a nice purse she had been wanting for a while and a new gaming remote for our son.
They may technically be adults, but I’ll never stop spoiling them!
Shipping Tips
Before I had kids in college, I may have mailed two packages in my entire adult life. Amazon has handled the rest.
Now, I feel like I could work in a mailroom given all that I’ve learned from shipping so many care packages.
My best tips are to check mailroom rules before you send anything, use flat-rate boxes to avoid surprisingly high shipping costs, and never ever send anything that melts.
Also, give your care packages plenty of time to arrive. Don’t assume that 7 days before a holiday is enough time for your package to get there in time.
Finally, ship your care package well before finals week starts. This is a common shipping time for college students and the local post office is sure to be inundated with packages just like yours!
The Thing You Don’t Want to Forget
As a seasoned college parent I can tell you, nothing matters inside of that box as much as the note you’ll send.
Hand-write a heartfelt note and put it inside of every care package.
Even the least-sentimental college kid will keep those for the rest of their days, I can almost guarantee it. Some kids will never admit it, but they’ll never part with them.
You can plan the most thoughtful care packages for your kids and still miss a huge opportunity if you forget to send a note that tells them how much you miss them and that you’re thinking of them.
Your kids are almost definitely homesick while away at college for the first time.
As much as they want the snacks and goodies from home, they’re probably too embarrassed to ask you for sentimental items too. While you’re at it, there are several things your college student is too embarrassed to ask you to send.
Being an involved parent may seem logistically difficult now that you no longer live together, but you can still pack a care package with their favorite things and write a simple note that reminds them how much you love them…no matter how far away life takes them!
