Spring Break Care-Package Ideas for College Kids

I’ve been thinking a lot this week about how different spring break is for our college kids this year.

A year ago this week, my daughter Grace was visiting her best friend who was studying in Madrid and my son Eddie vacationed with a close high school buddy who goes to school in Miami. Fast-forward to spring break 2021 and most college campuses are just powering through to summer vacation in the hopes of keeping students healthy. The spring break kids once knew has been cancelled.

So of course I jump into mom mode, trying to figure out what I can send them to get them over this hump, and my Mom’s cookies (click here for the recipe) are definitely on the list. But I’ve also had really good luck with some local and national retailers sending some fun care packages. In today’s post, I’ve put together a round up of care-package ideas that might be fun to send this month. This is by no means an all-inclusive list, but it might spark some ideas for your kids.

• Forest Greens Juice Bar: Work with owner Annemarie Ranallo and create a custom selection of juices, frozen smoothies, and foods to give your child a healthy boost. Annemarie works with local shipper Postnet to ensure that your gift arrives cold and fresh. And when you’re pulling together your package, don’t forget to add in some of her immunity shots!

• The Gift Studio: This is an amazing online retailer based in Evanston whose mission is to curate the perfect care package for whomever you are shopping for. I’m so impressed with the variety of items they offer and their commitment to making your gift as personalized as possible.

• Bent Fork Bakery: Does your college kiddo have a favorite sweet from Bent Fork Bakery? They will get it to them! Bent Fork takes all of the worry out of trying to get something baked to your child.

• The Hungry Monkey Baking Company: Another local North Shore business, the Hungry Monkey Baking Company, actually has a Student Survival Kit complete with brownies and banana bread. If this doesn’t float your boat, they have loads of other items you can choose from to ship.

• Craig’s Vegan Ice Cream: If you have a non-dairy ice cream lover like I do, Craig’s Vegan Ice Cream has an incredible assortment of minis you can send to a dorm or off-campus abode. This was a hit!

• Goldbelly: As much as my Grace has claimed a non-dairy life, she does have a weakness for cannolis. Her favorites are from Mike’s Pastry in Boston (yes, she is spoiled!). You can actually order a Mike’s Pastry cannoli kit through Goldbelly and have it overnighted. This is not inexpensive but it does make for a special, special treat. Goldbelly has relationships with loads of restaurants so you can treat your kids to their favorite pizza, sandwich, or farm-to-table meal that they would like.

• House of Shan: I talked about Shannon Buth and her incredible business dedicated to spreading messages of love and connectionon the blog last week. Her sweatshirts and accessories make awesome gifts, and she donates a portion of every purchase to a female-based charity.

• Alice & Wonder: I clearly have more girl ideas than boy ideas and here is one more–sorry! Alice & Wonder is a darling boutique in Chicago that definitely captures the vibe of a college-age girl (at a great price point). They can ship anything from their store, and I’m a huge fan of their holiday and Chicago product lines. Super, super cute!

I hope this gets your creative juices flowing! And please share ideas you have for a fun college care package!

xo,

Photo of me by Jenn Marie Photography