13 Breakup Care Package Ideas for College Students

It can be difficult to comfort your teen or young adult when they’re going through a breakup, especially if they’re at college or living away from home. Sending them a surprise breakup care package to look forward to, like a gift basket or self-care kit, can help let them know you’re there for support and also provide some much-needed distraction.

This list has all the breakup care package ideas you need, from well-reviewed Amazon products to publisher recommendations. So if you find yourself putting together a breakup care package for your child, here are some ideas to get you started.

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Our Top Picks: 

1. Best Journal: Incredible Journals The Best Journal Ever – $24.95 at Amazon
2. Best Cozy Gift: Barefoot Dreams Women’s CozyChic Heathered Socks – $18 at Amazon
3. Best Basket: A Gift Inside Chocolate, Caramel, and Crunch Grand Gift Basket – $42.95 at Amazon
4. Best for Her: Benchmark Bouquets Pink Elegance – $40.95 at Amazon
5. Best Sweet Treat: Ferrero Rocher Assorted Hazelnut Chocolate, 48 count – $26.38 at Amazon

The Best Breakup Care Package Ideas

1. Best Journal: Incredible Journals The Best Journal Ever

Journaling can be a reassuring and productive way to process the emotions around a breakup. This journal will guide them through a journaling routine with monthly and daily prompts about gratitude, affirmations, and more. It’s highly reviewed on Amazon with 4.5 stars and over 2,500 ratings, and it’s recommended as one of the best journals by Business Insider and Self.

Whether they’re relaxing with a good movie or curling up with a good book, Barefoot Dreams makes the softest, coziest fuzzy socks around. You may think all fuzzy socks are created equal, but this brand makes some of the best, according to Reviewed, Byrdie, Scary Mommy, and Good Housekeeping. And while they’re treating themselves during this breakup period, these socks will be a luxurious addition to their solo time. 

3. Best Basket: A Gift Inside Chocolate, Caramel, and Crunch Grand Gift Basket

Sweet treats are a must when going through a breakup, and this gift basket contains pretty much everything they’ll need, from chocolate-covered pretzels to caramel corn. If you’re looking for a pre-made breakup care package, this one from A Gift Inside offers the convenience of quick Amazon delivery while still being affordable. Plus, you can even include a gift message for a personal touch.

4. Best for Her: Benchmark Bouquets Pink Elegance

While we’ve got plenty of care package ideas for her, a bouquet of flowers is always a good idea after a breakup. These farm-fresh florals will arrive at her door in mint condition as if you brought them there yourself, thanks to speedy overnight shipping. Recommended as one of the best flower delivery services by The Pioneer Woman, Forbes, Cosmopolitan, and Popsugar, Benchmark Bouquets offers a lot of variety on Amazon, and this Pink Elegance bouquet will bring a bright, summery feel to her apartment or dorm.

5. Best Sweet Treat: Ferrero Rocher Assorted Hazelnut Chocolate, 48 count

Elevate the standard grocery store box of chocolates with this delicious selection from Ferrero Rocher named one of the best chocolate gifts by Food & Wine. The delectable 48-count selection will be great for sharing with friends or suitemates, or they can ration them out as a daily treat for the next few weeks of the semester.

6. Best for the One Who is Athletic: Owala FreeSip Insulated Stainless Steel Water Bottle

Breakup or not, college students and young adults always need a reminder to stay hydrated. This viral water bottle is our pick for the best overall reusable water bottle because it’s super convenient, offering a push-button opening that won’t leak in their backpack, and the option to drink through a straw. Plus, you can choose their favorite color from the brand’s wide selection.

7. Best for the One Who Needs Zen: Chesapeake Bay Candle Reed Diffuser, Peace + Tranquility

While a college student can’t burn candles in their dorm, a reed diffuser offers a flame-free, longer-lasting alternative. The Peace + Tranquility scent from Chesapeake Bay has notes of jasmine, bergamot, and sandalwood meant to produce a calming effect. Your giftee will be able to keep this on their desk or at their bedside as a reminder of your support.

8. Best for the One Who Has a Green Thumb: Costa Farms Easy to Grow Live Houseplants (3-Pack)

For the aspiring green thumb, this small houseplant three-pack will give them the opportunity to grow their collection with relatively beginner-friendly, low-maintenance plants, such as a snake plant, pothos, or peace lily. It will give them something to focus their energy on in the midst of a breakup. The plants come with four-inch pots, making them a great piece of decor, and they’ll last much longer than flowers or a care package of snacks (hopefully).

9. Best for the Homebody: Celestial Seasonings Herbal Tea Sampler

For any care package, but especially a breakup care package, you want the components of the gift to promote wellness, rest, and recovery. This herbal tea sampler pack from Celestial Seasonings will help them relax and unwind, whether they’re warming up for the day or getting ready for bed. The pack comes with five different flavors to try — chamomile, peppermint, lemon zinger, honey vanilla chamomile, and sleepytime.

10. Best for the Anxious One: L’Agraty Weighted Blanket

If you aren’t close enough to give them a hug, a weighted blanket is the next best thing. Not only will it keep them warm, but weighted blankets can actually help them relax. This one from L’Agraty comes in a bunch of colors to match their dorm decor, and it’s quilted to keep the weighted glass beads from shifting around. It’s a bit larger, so it might wind up being a gift rather than included in a basket. The blanket also has positive reviews from over 6,300 Amazon reviews and 4.6-star rating.

11. Best for the One Who Loves Skincare: TONYMOLY I’m Real Sheet Mask

Personal self-care is often the first thing to fall by the wayside when a young adult is dealing with a breakup. Help them out a little with this fun 10-pack of sheet masks, featuring different ingredients meant to brighten, soothe, hydrate, purify, and more. At just a little over $2 per sheet mask, this popular set will be a welcome gift.

12. Best for Relaxing their Mind: Stress Relief: Adult Coloring Book

Whether they’ve always been crafty or could use a little mindfulness right now, this adult coloring book picturing 60 whimsical fantasy and nature scenes will keep them occupied when they need a distraction. Pair the book with a set of new crayons, colored pencils, or markers, and your care package will be ready to send!

13. Best for the Bookworm: Out of the Clear Blue Sky

A lot of times, people can better recover from heartbreak when they know they’re not alone. While you may not be able to provide that comfort, this novel by New York Times-bestselling author Kristan Higgins certainly can. Out of the Clear Blue Sky is a story about a woman going through a breakup who comes out the other side of it better than ever and would be a great inclusion in any breakup care package.

Why You Can Trust Us

As a professional commerce writer, I’ve had lots of experience finding and testing the best products in various fields, specializing in gifts for every occasion, from birthdays to housewarmings. As someone who loves shopping and whose love language is gifts, I pride myself on having an endless supply of well-curated gift ideas, whether shopping for a family member who just moved or a friend going through a breakup.

For this guide, I pulled from items I’ve included in my own care packages that have been a hit and searched for recommendations on Amazon, in lifestyle publications, and on social media. I considered price, ratings, and quality as I sourced a wide variety of items that fell into the categories of self-care and relaxation geared toward college students and young adults.

Prices were accurate at time of publication.