Maybe it’s a sore throat. Or a sudden sneeze. Or a cough that won’t go away. Whatever the symptoms are, the first signs of a cold can creep up fast. Before you know it, you’re stuck in bed with a fever. No one likes getting sick. From the stuffed nose to the constant coughing, you often spend the whole time waiting for whatever bug you caught to leave your body.

One popular remedy for easing these symptoms is a nice bowl of hot soup! If you have a friend who’s suddenly come down with a cold, you can help them get through it with a soup care package. Adding other essentials like nasal spray and cough drops can also make a huge difference in your friend’s recovery. Check out our guide to assembling a great soup care package for a sick friend now!

Why Soup is Good for the Soul

Soup offers many health and nutritional benefits

There’s nothing better than nourishing yourself with a warm bowl of soup when you’re sick. Since the 12th century, physicians have recommended cooking up a bowl of chicken soup to help combat your cold. Recent studies have even found out that there are numerous health benefits to eating soup when you’re under the weather. This can all be attributed to the food’s:

• Temperature
• Liquidity
• Nutrients
  

The steam that emerges from a hot bowl of soup can help open up blocked airways and reduce congestion. It also has a mild anti-inflammatory effect, which is great for easing an uncomfortable sore throat. Soup will also keep you hydrated, which is critical when you’re nursing a cold. Furthermore, the abundance of nutrients inside soup — particularly chicken noodle soup — can help boost your immune system, helping you feel better in no time!

Perfect Soup Care Packages for Getting Through a Cold

A warm bowl of soup can make a huge difference!

While chicken noodle soup is a great meal for treating a cold, you don’t have to tie yourself down to just this one option! Other soups that have been found to help treat colds include:

• Butternut Squash Soup, which has a high amount of vitamin C and anti-inflammatory properties
• Tomato Basil Soup, which is packed with antioxidants and vitamins
• Creamy Corn and Potato Chowder for providing vitamin C, vitamin E, and vitamin K
• Chicken and Wild Rice Soup for its high source of protein and antiviral properties
• Italian Beef Vegetable Soup, which is filled with an abundance of nutrient-rich vegetables
  

If you’re able to cook a pot of homemade soup, go for it! Your friend will love and appreciate you for it. But if you’re not much of a cook, you can easily find some delicious soup mix or canned soup for your friend. You might also find some restaurants and cafes that offer soup to-go. Even better, you can purchase a whole soup care package!

Soup and Crackers Care Package

Our Soup and Crackers care package is perfect for the sick person’s soul. Filled with Tortilla Soup, Minestrone Soup, and Split Pea Soup, this care package offers a great selection of soups for your friend to choose from. In addition to the soups, the care package also has several tea packets that are great for soothing sore throats. Whenever your friend is feeling a little hungry, but isn’t in the mood for a full meal, they can also nourish themselves on some of the package’s snacks.

Comfy and Cozy Kit

The Comfy and Cozy Kit is also perfect for a sick friend. Inside, you’ll find Noodle Soup, Split Pea Soup, Tortilla Soup, and Minestrone. Almost a dozen tea packets are also included, so your friend definitely won’t have to worry about running out of them. Other essentials like tissues, lotion, and Emergen-C packets can be found inside the pack. Your friend will definitely want the Emergen-C packets for the future. You can also personalize the package by adding a custom greeting card!

Healthy You Kit

The Healthy You pack offers all of the essentials that your friend needs for nursing a cold. In addition to its Noodle Soup package, the Healthy You basket also offers Fusion Green & White Tea Packets, Chamomile Tea Packets, and Raspberry Tea Packets. Adult gummy vitamins filled with Vitamin D, Omega-3, and other nutrients are also included.

Is your friend struggling with a stuffy nose? The pack’s tissues can help take care of that! Airborne and Emergen-C packets are also included and are perfect for helping your friend prevent another cold in the future.

Other Care Package Essentials

Don’t forget to add other essential items like tea, cold medicine, and more!

In addition to soup, you’ll want to add other sick care package essentials like nasal spray and Tums. As you assemble your care package, make sure you double check the list below to make sure you remembered to include everything you need to help your friend get better:

• Nasal spray for sinus congestion
• Tylenol to help reduce fever
• Tums for indigestion
• Tissues to help stop a runny nose
• Cough drops for a sore throat
• Tea to soothe a throat and clear up congestion
• Blankets to help your friend stay warm
  

Having a cold can be pretty miserable. From the constant sniffles to the sore throat, it can feel like an eternity has passed until you finally start feeling better. If you have a loved one who is feeling under the weather, consider showing how much you care about them with a special soup care package!

What are your go-to soups when you’re feeling under the weather? Let us know!