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Get Well Gift Baskets I Assemble for Sick Friends That Actually Help
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items When someone you care about is stuck in bed miserable, sending a generic fruit basket feels lazy and a plain card feels empty. I started putting together my own get well kits with soup, tea, honey, tissues, and cozy extras after my best friend got th...
Sections
6
Warming Soups and Broths That Feel Like a Hug
Teas That Soothe a Scratchy Throat
Honey and Throat Soothers That Do the Real Work
Tissues and Comfort Supplies for the Miserable Days
Cozy Extras That Make Sick Days Less Awful
Putting the Basket Together So It Looks Like You Tried
Warming Soups and Broths That Feel Like a Hug
Nobody wants to cook when they can barely lift their head off the pillow. I always start my basket with soups that take zero effort, just hot water or a microwave, because that's all a sick person can handle.
Toss this in the basket first. My neighbor literally texted me crying happy tears when she opened it because she hadn't eaten anything warm in two days. Perfect for anyone living alone who can't drag themselves to the stove.
Bear Creek Country Kitchens Chicken Noodle Soup Mix
Keep this one for friends who need something ready in three minutes flat. I heated one up for my roommate when she had strep and she said it was the first thing she tasted all week. Grab a couple cans so they don't run out.
Progresso, Chicken Rice Soup, 19 oz
Pair these individual packets with a mug in the basket for a nice touch. My coworker told me these little packets saved her during a brutal cold because she could make one from her desk without getting up. Stock up while they're available.
Lipton Cream of Chicken Instant Soup, 2.4 oz Packets
Switch things up from chicken soup with this one. Brought it to my sister when she was recovering from surgery and she was shocked how good it tasted straight from the carton. Great for anyone who's tired of the same old chicken broth.
Campbell's Well Yes! Butternut Squash Apple Bisque
Snag this for the friend who just wants something salty and simple at 2 AM. I kept these on hand during every college flu season and they never let me down. The warm broth alone does half the healing.
Maruchan, Ramen Noodle Soup, Chicken Flavor, 36 oz
Throw this in for the friend who actually likes to make their own broth when they start feeling better. My dad uses these to stretch soup leftovers into a second meal. Tiny package, big flavor, easy to tuck into any basket.
Knorr, Concentrated Chicken Stock, Gluten Free, 8.45 oz
Teas That Soothe a Scratchy Throat
I used to just grab random tea boxes until a friend with chronic sore throats told me which ones actually helped versus which ones just tasted like hot leaf water. These are the ones that earned repeat requests.
Grab this before anything else in the tea section. I gave it to my friend who lost her voice from coughing and she was talking again the next morning. If your sick person only gets one tea, make it this one.
Traditional Medicinals, Herbal Tea, Throat Coat 16 Tea Bags
Use this for nighttime comfort. My sister drinks it every time she's sick and swears she sleeps two hours longer. For anyone who tosses and turns when they're congested, this is the move.
Celestial Seasonings Honey Vanilla Chamomile Tea Bags
Bring this for the friend dealing with nausea on top of everything else. Ginger settles stomachs and the peach makes it taste like something you'd actually want to drink. I keep a box in my own cabinet year-round now.
Bigelow Benefits Ginger & Peach Herbal Tea Bags, 18 Count
Pair this with honey in the basket and you've basically built a pharmacy in a mug. Handed one to my coworker mid-meeting when she started sniffling and she said it cleared her sinuses within ten minutes.
Twinings, Herbal Tea, Lemon and Ginger, 20 Ct.
Snag this for the friend who wants to feel like they're flushing everything gross out of their system. My college roommate drank three cups a day when she was sick and swore by it. Mild flavor, not bitter at all.
Yogi Detox Tea: A Potential Cause of Acute Liver Failure
Try this for friends who still need a little caffeine kick but can't handle coffee on a sore stomach. Light, minty, and easy to drink even when nothing sounds appealing. I started including it after two friends specifically asked for green tea.
Tazo Zen Green Tea
Honey and Throat Soothers That Do the Real Work
Cough drops get old fast and most of them taste like medicine. I started adding real honey and better throat options after my own bout with bronchitis taught me what actually helps versus what just numbs your mouth.
Squeeze this into any of the teas above and you've got actual relief. I switched to this brand after trying three others that tasted like sugar water. For anyone with a persistent cough, a spoonful before bed works wonders.
Nate's Honey Minis: 100% Pure Raw and Unfiltered Honey
Ditch the generic menthol drops and use these instead. My throat was raw for a week last winter and these were the only ones that didn't make me gag. Tuck a bag into the side of the basket where they're easy to grab.
Ricola Original Herb Soothing Cough Drops for Sore
Keep these for the friend who hates anything that tastes medicinal. They're basically honey candy that happens to coat your throat. I gave some to my kid's teacher during cold season and she bought four more bags herself.
Burts Bees Throat Drops, Natural, Honey, 20 Drops
Try these for anyone who wants drug-free relief, especially pregnant friends or people sensitive to menthol. My sister used them through her entire third trimester and said they were a lifeline during allergy season.
Customer reviews for Zarbee's Honey Cough Syrup
Splurge on this one for the friend who really needs pampering. Manuka honey has a thicker texture that coats a sore throat better than regular honey. I save this for the worst sick days because it's pricier but worth every penny.
Wedderspoon Raw Monofloral Kfactor 16 Manuka Honey
Grab a big bag of these as the workhorse cough drop in the basket. Everyone recognizes Halls, and the honey lemon flavor is the least offensive one in the lineup. I've never met a sick person who turned these down.
Throat Relief Honey Lemon Sugar Free Cough Drops, 180 ct
Tissues and Comfort Supplies for the Miserable Days
Running out of tissues at 11 PM when your nose won't stop is a special kind of awful. I always overpack this section because nobody ever complains about having too many soft tissues when they're sick.
Use these instead of regular tissues unless you want your friend's nose to look like Rudolph. I switched to Puffs Plus after my nose literally cracked and bled from cheap tissues during a sinus infection. Pack at least two boxes.
FACE
Rub this on your chest before bed and breathe again for the first time in days. My mom has been doing this since I was five and honestly nothing else clears congestion the same way. A little jar goes a long way in a care package.
Customer reviews for Vicks Vaporub Cough Suppressant
Toss in extra boxes because sick people burn through tissues faster than you think. Three days into my last cold I'd gone through two boxes and was using paper towels. Save your friend from that fate.
Kleenex Soothing Lotion Facial Tissue, 3-ply
Snag one of these because mouth-breathing all night absolutely destroys your lips. I forgot about lip balm during my last flu and woke up with lips so cracked they bled. Tiny addition that makes a huge difference.
ChapStick Classic Original Lip Balm Stick, 3ct
Bring these for friends with little ones who are also sick. Wiping a toddler's nose with regular tissues is basically sandpaper. My friend with twins called these a miracle during RSV season last year.
Boogie Wipes Saline Nose Wipes
Dab this around a raw, chapped nose and the relief is instant. I started adding it to baskets after a friend told me it was the only thing that stopped the burning around her nostrils. Works better than any lotion tissue alone.
Aquaphor Healing Ointment, Multipurpose Ointment for Dry
Cozy Extras That Make Sick Days Less Awful
Being sick is boring and uncomfortable on top of everything else. These are the things people never think to buy for themselves but always appreciate when someone else hands them over.
Wrap these around the outside of the basket for a nice visual. Cold feet make everything worse when you're already shivering with chills. My friend wore the pair I gave her for three straight days and then bought two more.
Fuzzy Babba, Women's Faux Fur Cat Slipper Socks
Toss a few packets in because even if the science is debatable, the placebo effect is real and the orange flavor is comforting. I chug these at the first sign of a sniffle and at minimum they keep me hydrated.
Emergen-C 1000mg Vitamin C Powder
Throw a tube in because constant hand washing and sanitizer during a cold absolutely wrecks your skin. My hands looked ninety years old after a week of being sick until I slathered this on. Small tube fits perfectly in a basket.
O'Keeffe's Working Hands Hand Cream 3oz
Slip one face mask in for when they're finally starting to feel human again. My roommate put one on day five of her cold and said it was the first time she felt like herself. A little self-care goes a long way during recovery.
Yes To Coconut Paper Mask, 0.67 Oz
Drop a roll in for when everything tastes weird and metallic from being congested. These cut through that gross mouth feeling better than gum. I always crave mints when I'm sick and can never find any in my apartment.
LIFE SAVERS, Wint O Green Candy Mints, Bag, 150g
Pair this with the ChapStick for double coverage on destroyed lips. This one's more medicated and works overnight. I alternate between the two when I'm sick and my lips actually survive the whole ordeal intact.
Blistex Medicated Lip Ointment 24 Hr 0.21oz
Putting the Basket Together So It Looks Like You Tried
The container and presentation matter more than you'd think. I learned this after handing a friend a plastic bag full of soup and cough drops, which felt about as caring as tossing her a napkin. These make assembly easy.
Start with this as your base. It's big enough to fit everything without looking crammed and the handles make it easy for a weak, sick person to carry from the door to the couch. I reuse mine for storage after.
Mainstays Round Black Cotton Rope Storage Basket, Large
Use this to line the bottom so products don't rattle around. Looks way more put-together than crumpled newspaper. Takes thirty seconds and suddenly your basket looks like something from a gift shop instead of a grocery run.
DefiDgd 7oz Crinkle Cut Paper Shredded Filler Paper,Gift
Write something real on a card. Not just ‘feel better’ but an actual sentence about why you care. My friend saved the card I wrote her during her surgery recovery and still has it on her fridge two years later.
Hallmark Blank Cards Assortment, (Colorful Notes)
Keep a roll handy if you're shipping the basket instead of delivering it. I learned the hard way that packing tape from the junk drawer does not hold up during transit. Seal it tight so nothing shifts.
Scotch, Heavy Duty Packaging Tape, Clear, 1.88 in. x 25.6
Wrap smaller items like tea bags and cough drops in these so they don't get lost at the bottom of the basket. Keeps everything organized and gives it that ‘someone actually thought about this’ look without much effort.
Wilton, Clear Treat Bags, 150-Count, Food Grade, 4 x 9.5 in.
Tie a ribbon around the handle or wrap it around the whole basket to finish it off. Takes ten seconds and suddenly it looks intentional. I grab neutral colors so it works for anyone regardless of their taste in decor.
Offray Ribbon, Antique White 1 1/2 inch Grosgrain