Best bets for Care Packages?

Parent Cafe
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<p>Binx: When we came back to OR from NJ-NY-CT, we thought about the bakery business. We talked to a few bakers and comfirmed what we experimented with. You can not make NY bagels or NY italian bread, or SF sourdough in Ore, even if you use the exact recipe, ingredients, and technique. The taste is just different. </p>

<p>Spouse is scratch cook and learned baking from her mother and from master baker at Orowheat. Much of the technique is based on the “feel” of the dough. Ovens are important too-gas convection is better than electric. It is an art. </p>

<p>She did a lot of experimenting-happy time for me. But alas, I am now on a spoused enforced, Atkins diet.</p>

42

<p>We thought about using the local bakery(s) (pittsburgh) and have them make a Bcake or other product and the subsequent delivery. Price was reasonable and selection broad. However son’s bday is finals week and he doesn’t want to be disturbed during this time.</p>

43

<p>I’ll send interesting granola/food bars that I find and I don’t think she’s tried, and Trader Joe’s items that I know she can’t get. I also send individual little treat bags with Halloween goodies for all the little “witches” in her suite, but I have to be careful not to go overboard with foodstuffs. Instead I’ll cut out articles of interest, political cartoons from the newspapers at home, and pictures of our family activities.
Cute cards and unusual, small personal items that I can mail in one of those 5x7, padded yellow envelopes have become a staple. They fit in her school mailbox and she doesn’t have to wait until the “package window” is open to get her surprise.</p>

44

<p>I suggest the lemon squares be baked in a foil pan and sent uncut. Just a thought…</p>

<p>I sent a bunch of microwaveable things, tea, a pair of ballerina flat shoes (a smidgen of “told ya so” to that gift) a sheer blouse I found at a second hand store, gum, blow pops, sugar daddies, protein bars & trail mix.</p>

<p>Chocolate chip cookies also send pretty well when baked in a square pan and cut in bars. I pack them in tupperware (and if in layers I put parchment paper between the layers.) Popcorn is a great box filler for packed baked items.</p>

<p>Another great cookie recipe is on back of the white chocolate chips bag. It is basically oatmeal raisin cookies with white choc chips also added. Very cinnimony and delicious.</p>

45

<p>I have found that sending AluD to a school with more boys than girls seems to so far be the best “care package” I could have put together…</p>

<p>However, if her life proceeds as do the lives of most girls, the surfeit of boys will eventually resurface the need for chocolate in one form or another.</p>

46

<p>How true!!</p>

47

<p>You guys are amazing and I am feeling very guilty. I just ordered a surprise package from the school to be sent from their list. My D would love some of these ideas so I will have to get out my creative side I suppose.I’ll let you know what I come up with.</p>

48

<p>I’m not in college yet, but if I were, I’d love to have any of you for parents! :slight_smile:
My mom has already articulated her “care package plans” (rather, lack thereof). </p>

<p>If I were receiving a package, I’d appreciate things to eat while studying–Jolly Ranchers, dry fruit, those little boxes of cereal, trail mix…though, I anticipate having difficulty finding and ample supply of appropriate food, as I am a vegan.
Also, because I don’t like the taste of “foreign” water, I appreciate canisters of powdered drink mix, especially Tang.</p>

49

<p>My son didn’t change the mailing address on his magazines, so I thought I’d send them every month with a few treats. DH was just in the “big city” on business and picked up some things at Trader Joe’s. (Seems a little silly-- we are about 150 miles from TJ’s, DS is <5, but he would never get over there.) I love baking, so will be sending cookies. Also picked up a frame for a picture of the girlfriend; he can keep it in a drawer if he doesn’t want to display it. May ship a few of our incredible local apples when they’re available.</p>

50

<p>Today I bought Silly Putty (hey, it was only 49 cents), a string of Halloween lights (bats) and an extension cord, Fruit Breezers (just in case), a small skeleton flashlight, and a keychain with a metal tape measure (his little brother said it was a geekchain, not a keychain). I have to mail his dress clothes and thought I’d stick in some silliness.</p>

51

<p>my daughter is about 3 blocks from Trader Joes so that is significantly closer than me & a fruit and veggie stand is across the street- so food I probably wont send- I did get her some good cookbooks though The Best Recipe cookbook and vegetarian Epicure</p>

<p>I order things online and have them sent right to her- I just sent her a comforter, and often pick up maybe a book or magazine she might like.
The school bookstore also supplies care packages for finals time- I have done that before also- snacks and a couple rented movies, maybe some teas and vitamins for cold season.</p>

52

<p>I sent a few things already but the school has a problem getting the packages delivered to the package center in a timely fashion. She gets her regular mail quickly but she has been waiting a week for a package that I know has already arrived in her city. It seems it takes them a while to sort at the package center and then get it out to the students. I am hoping if you put perishable on it they move it through a little quicker.</p>

53

<p>Well, I don’t know what ELSE to send but I just bought a box of chocolate cover blueberries for my son. Yummy.</p>

54

<p>Well, this is going to be the weirdest thing sent to any kid at college. I just mailed my son 3 cans of lobster bisque. It is made locally as a fundraiser for a not-for-profit (3 cans for $25! ouch) and it is absolutely to die for. They sell it only one day a year. It’s a big deal around here. He loves seafood - and keeps talking about how hungry he is for fish. This will make him VERY happy.</p>

55

<p>GREAT idea, weenie! (I gather he’s somewhere not on a coast where they fish?)</p>

56

<p>Hey weenie, can I buy some of that Lobster bisque?!</p>

57

<p>When my niece was in college, she told me she wasn’t getting any decent fruit in the cafeteria. A call to a supermarket in her college town revealed they would deliver specified fruit to her once a month. They telephoned her before they delivered the fruit to make sure she was there. I was billed each month. The total price was far cheaper than Harry and Davids. </p>

<p>Someone posted earlier about a complaint regarding stale cookies. The same niece figured out how to thriftily dispose of stale cookies. Put them in a common fridge with a sign, “Grandma baked these. Keep out!” The cookies vanished overnight every time.</p>

58

<p>Here’s the scoop on the lobster bisque! Maybe next year I’ll get in the shipping business! :)</p>

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59

<p>Ohhhh weenie, now you’ve got people salivating, and there’s no way to get any of this? One day only?? (Could you see if they have any leftovers? :slight_smile: )</p>