College can be a very exciting time—a new place, new friends, more work, maybe a few parties—but it can also be lonely, especially for freshmen or transfer students. Even if it’s their second, third, fourth, or even fifth year back at school, they’ll probably still find themselves feeling a little homesick throughout the school year. 

Whether you’re a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, cousin, or friend, chances are that you know someone in college whom you miss and want to let know that you’re thinking about them. Sending a care package is a great way to surprise your favorite undergrad and brighten their week (even during finals season!). 

Want to send something to their dorm but don’t know what? Don’t worry—we’ve got you covered with a list of care-package ideas that are perfect for college students. 

A Break From the Dining Hall: Your Guide to Food-Filled Care Packages

Everyone jokes about the freshman-fifteenfreshmen-fifteen, but here’s what we should really be warning incoming college students about—getting sick of the dining hall. Even at colleges where there’s a wide variety of dining options, it’s only a matter of time before students get tired of eating the same things all of the time. Give your college student the chance to switch things up with a care package featuring different types of food. 

Breakfast Care Packages

If they have early-morning classes, odds are they’re going to miss breakfast at least a few times a week. Help them stay healthy with a breakfast-themed care package! Who says nutrition can’t be fun?

Balancing Breakfast into Their Busy Schedule

Some people just aren’t too keen on the traditional breakfast foods that you find in a campus dining hall. While some students might love starting the day with waffles, pancakes, french toast, bacon, and eggs, others just aren’t up for that many carbs first thing in the morning. Alternatively, they might not have time before class to have a sit-down breakfast. 

This care package is filled with quick yet satisfying breakfast options like trail mix, granola bars, instant oatmeal, and more. College students will appreciate the convenience (and the tastiness) that this care package has to offer. 

A New-England-Style Breakfast Anywhere

Whether they’re from New England or just love a great breakfast spread, college students everywhere will feel their mouths start to water when they open up this care package with all of their breakfast favorites. 

You don’t have to be from New England to cherish the beauty of a home cookedhomecooked breakfast! With scone mix, pancake and waffle mix, gourmet coffee, New Hampshire maple syrup, and blueberry jam, this care package has all the fixings for a gourmet breakfast. 

Sweet Care Packages

The fastest way to a college student’s heart? Through their stomach! Nothing soothes homesickness like a care package full of comfort food. Cater to their sweet tooth with a bunch of sugary snacks that they can keep right in their dorm room. 

Chocolate Galore 

Whether they’re in need of a late-night boost to make it through that last leg of homework or just looking for a little reward for surviving that impossible exam, this chocolate-themed care package will add some much-needed sweetness to your college student’s life. 

Make any chocolate lover’s dreams come true with this CoCoa Crazy care package! Even the constant challenges of a college curriculum don’t seem so bad when you have a box stuffed with Kit-Kats, mini Oreos, Nutella, Reese's cups, Twix, 3 Musketeers, and more. 

Candy’s a Foodgroup, Right? 

Remember when they were a kid and wanted to eat candy for dinner—and you told them that they could when they were older and living on their own? It’s time to see what’s changed and what hasn’t in all these years . . . with this care package of assorted sweets! 

This Sweet Tooth care package has everything from Starburst and Skittles to Rice Krispie’s Treats and Lucky Charms. Whether it lasts them a few weeks or a few days, your college student will have you to thank (or to blame) for the sweetest gift of the semester. 

Salty Care Packages

There’s plenty to be salty about in college—too much homework, unfair grades, expensive tuition, stingy professors—but these savory snacks certainly aren’t one of them! Surprise your college student with a care package brimming with their saltiest guilty pleasures. 

Chipping In 

Going to class on an empty stomach is no fun. Keep them from feeling hangry with this chip-themed care package—perfect for munching on the walk to their next class! 

College life is hectic by nature. That means there’s not always time to stop at the dining hall for a quick snack during a day of back-to-back class. With this care package, your college student can simply throw a bag of chips into their backpack for a quick, easy grab-and-go snack later in the day. Plus, they’ll have a variety to choose from, since this care package includes Goldfish, Lays, Bugles, Chex Mix, and more! 

Feelin’ Cheesy 

You might not be there to wipe off the leftover cheese powder from their fingers, but you can still send your college student their favorite cheesy snacks with this Extra Cheesy care package. 

Cheetos, Doritos, Kraft Mac & Cheese, Smart Food Cheddar Popcorn . . . What more could any cheese-lover ask for? There’s no telling how quickly your college student will tear through this care package of cheesy snacks, but one thing’s for sure—they’ll love every minute (and bite) of it! 

Healthy Care Packages

There’s no denying that healthy snackers are pretty rare—but don’t worry, we haven’t forgotten about them. If your college student is struggling to find their fix of healthy snacks in the dining hall, send one of these healthy care packages for some instant relief! 

Make Eating Right Less of a Hassle

Between the fried food in the dining hall and the cheap beer at parties, finding a way to be healthy on a college campus isn’t exactly an easy task. Remind your college student that healthy options are still out there—and can even be pretty tasty—with this care package of healthy snacks. 

Even if they haven’t been too enthusiastic about healthy eating in the past, college is the perfect time to build some good diet habits—because if you can eat healthy in college, you can do it anywhere. This care package includes healthy soups and snacks, as well as tea and some gluten-free options. 

Wealth of Health 

Healthy snacks aren’t just better for you—they also give you the nutrients you need to make it through a long day (and in college, it’s always a long day). Give your college student some firsthand experience with the benefits of eating right with this fuel-food care package. 

College students need all of the energy that they can get—and no, that doesn’t mean to drink more caffeine. Eating healthy can help even the busiest college student feel more energized throughout the day. This care package includes healthy snacks like granola, trail mix, oatmeal, and more. 

Remind Them to Check Their Mailbox! 

The last thing you want is to send your college student a care package full of snacks only to have it left sitting in their mailbox for weeks on end. When it gets close to the delivery date, shoot them a quick text to let them know that they should check their mailbox. It’ll still be a surprise—just not one filled with ants (or other hungry critters!). 

Snacks are always a great gift to receive in the form of a care package, and there are tons of options to choose from. Find these snack-filled care packages and more on the Care Packages website.