12 College Care Package Treats

12 Care Package Treats to Send Your College Kid

Prior to sending my oldest off to college, I’m not sure I ever mailed one of my kids a care package. But since her freshman year, I’ve found popping an occasional little something in the mail to be a sweet way to stay connected. And while my packages aren’t always about food, I do think baked goods from home can’t be beat. With the school year wrapping up, I thought some inspo might be in order. I’ve curated a collection of 12 college care package treats that range from mega healthy to mildly decadent and work well when boxed up and sent in the mail. I’ve also learned a few things in the care package process that might come in handy.

College are Package Tips

  • Send your baked goods as soon after baking as you can swing it for maximum freshness. Best is to send earlier in the week, so your package doesn’t get held up at the post office over the weekend.
  • Wrap everything well! A layer of plastic wrap plus a resealable bag work for most baked goods. You can also re-use your produce bags for this purpose to minimize single-use plastic. Provide some padding around the goodies so they don’t get jostled on their journey. Crumbled newspaper or tissue paper will do the trick.
  • I’ve found the US Postal service flat-rate priority service to be the most affordable way to mail things in a speedy fashion. If you go with their small flat rate box, it costs $7.20 and will arrive in 1 to 3 days. Consider picking up the box in advance so you can pack it at home once your treats are baked and cooled.
  • Consider including a little something extra to go with the treats, such as a favorite tea  or hot cocoa mix.
  • Don’t forget a love note! That may be the best gift of all.

12 College Care Package Treats

1. Cowboy Cookies

slow cooker pumpkin bread

2. Slow Cooker Pumpkin Bread (works in the oven, too)

Flourless peanut butter cookies

3. Four-Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies

(Tip: be sure to pad well around these cookies, since they can be delicate if battered around too much)

Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

4. Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins or Bread

Coconut Granola Bark

5. Coconut Granola Bark

healthier blondies

6. Whole Lotta Love Bars

Make your own trail mix

7. Homemade Trail Mix

gluten-free bread made without yeast or xantham gum

8. Adventure BreadPumpkin spice blueberry muffins

9. Pumpkin Spice Blueberry Muffins

homemade granola bars

10. Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Granola Bars

11. Ginger Molasses Rye Cookies

Chocolate Hemp Bars

12. Chocolate Hemp Amaze Bars

(Tip: these will travel best if you don’t cut them before you send  AND advise your college student to refrigerate when they arrive, since they hold up together better in the fridge).

For non-food care-package ideas, you’ll find some good ones in this article from Real Simple  and a bunch more ideas here. 

Comments

11.01.2018 at8:36 PM #

Meg Hart

Great tips all around. Hadn’t thought of extra layer of plastic wrap. Will add that to my care packages for max freshness.

11.01.2018 at8:36 PM #

Katie Morford

Hope it comes in handy!

11.04.2018 at4:03 PM #

Catherine Brown

This would be me with every single one of these… one for you, three for me… one for you, four for me!! Too much YUMMINESS!!

11.04.2018 at4:03 PM #

Katie Morford

The privilege of making a care package is sampling the wares!

11.05.2018 at9:45 AM #

Kathryn Pfeffer

Such a tasty roundup! I wish I was back in college!

11.05.2018 at9:45 AM #

Katie Morford

Thanks Kathryn. Maybe you need to send a care package to yourself 🙂

11.05.2018 at10:27 AM #

Brynn at The Domestic Dietitian

I love these ideas and am sure any kid in college would love to receive this. What a great post.

11.06.2018 at12:44 PM #

Kate

Wow these would have been great during my time in university!

11.06.2018 at1:11 PM #

Whitney E. RD

Your kids are very lucky 😉 Those pumpkin blueberry muffins look delicious!

11.06.2018 at1:11 PM #

Katie Morford

Thanks Whitney. Those muffins might be good for little ones too 🙂

11.07.2018 at5:15 AM #

Stacey Mattinson

I LOVED when my mom would send me care packages – the absolute best!!

11.07.2018 at6:53 PM #

Amanda Stelter

As a college girl myself, I would be overjoyed if my mama sent me a care package of these goodies! Any college student would be thrilled to receive these treats. These look too good to be true!

11.07.2018 at6:53 PM #

Katie Morford

Ah. That’s so sweet to hear.

11.07.2018 at10:10 PM #

Erica Julson

What a great idea for a blog post! I think my favorite would be the homemade trail mix. It looks so good!

07.25.2021 at7:14 AM #

Beverly

Your meals and goodies look so yummy! Thanks, I plan on sending to my grandsons..

04.27.2022 at8:37 AM #

4waystoyummy

Yum-O. My kid lives down the street…I bet he’ll come over when he hears I baking some of these! These sound like “brain food” for the older folks too!

04.27.2022 at8:37 AM #

Katie Morford

Lucky you!

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