Recipes for Healthy, Mailable Treats for Care Packages? Good Questions

Recipes for Healthy, Mailable Treats for Care Packages?
Good Questions

Q: A lot of my friends have gone off to college and I would love to make care packages to send to them.

Do you have any suggestions for semi-healthy mailable treats?

Sent by Libby

Editor: Libby, we like mailing granola and other breakfast treats. Granola isn't too heavy, and it keeps for a long time if stored properly. It's also a welcome treat for college students dashing off to class at the last minute without breakfast! What about a collection of homemade granola, granola bars, and similar things? Here are a few recipes:

• Recipe: Crunchy Granola Bars
• Watch Out! Dangerously Addictive Olive Oil Granola
• Dried Fig and Nut Bars
• Copycat Recipe: DIY Nutri-Grain Fruit and Nut Bars

Whatever you send, cushion your package with fresh popped popcorn, inside loose plastic bags, for an extra treat.

Readers, any other ideas for Libby?

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(Image: Emma Christensen for The Kitchn)

Comments (9)

Now I want some UNHEALTHY recipes too. I'd love to send my boyfriend some baked treats and I wonder what other people have sent and how its shelf life worked out.

posted by Kitalita on September 28th 2009 at 9:44am
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I love to send cakes in jars to people. I have my own follow-my-nose method, but for a better idea, here's the Kitchn entry on the matter:
http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/sweet-idea-cake-in-a-jar-ungift-guide-2008-072631
Healthy? Not usually. But breads like zucchini or banana bread work very well, so you can play around with your favorite recipes.

posted by zephyrluna on September 28th 2009 at 10:13am
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Being a college student, I enjoy cranberries, cookies, and coupons. Cranberries are a delicious silent treat we students can eat anywhere. Cookies are good motivation for homework. Coupons help out tremendously in our low income and time.

posted by chryseas27 on September 28th 2009 at 11:28am
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I was the last of my friends to go off to college, and I remember mailing off a lot of cookies in the month I was still home. I have to say, I always figured that sending unhealthy treats was okay, since it encouraged sharing! Here are the blondies I sometimes send to my sister, who's still at college. I also do send her quickbreads, such as carrot, zucchini, or apple, but I bake them in muffin tins.

posted by smallkitchcara on September 28th 2009 at 11:56am
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The granola bars Smitten Kitchen made recently look divine, and no added fat! You could even throw some chocolate chips in part of them to make them a bit more decadent but still healthy!

http://smittenkitchen.com/2009/09/granola-bars/

posted by ncsuemme on September 28th 2009 at 12:19pm
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Here's a "raw food Snickers bar recipe" that is tasty even if you like cooked junk http://bit.ly/19NVZg and Alton Brown offers a series of tasty somewhat healthy treats here http://bit.ly/3JfB5m

posted by lindalucille on September 28th 2009 at 2:15pm
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I've mailed jam to friends across the country without misshap, so I would definitely vote for that if you jam and can. Oatmeal cookies made with whole wheat flour and reduced sugar still taste great and also are reasonably sturdy, too.

posted by Tiamat_the_Red on September 28th 2009 at 2:51pm
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101 Cookbooks blog has a yummy recipe for Big Sur Powerbars.

Another idea is you could make your own trailmix combinations. That's something easy to toss in your bookbag and sneak into the library or eat between back to back classes when you can't squeaze in a meal.

posted by jndhome on September 28th 2009 at 3:25pm
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Biscotti ship pretty well, and are delicious.

posted by emcguire on October 1st 2009 at 4:01pm
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