Best care package gifts for students leaving home
Whether your student is moving into a dorm, their first apartment, or heading abroad, a thoughtful care package can ease the transition. The key? Blending comfort, convenience, and a little indulgence. Think snacks from home, cozy bedding, subscriptions that actually help, and small luxuries that make independence a little less intimidating. From Grace & Stella eye masks to a Factor meal subscription and beyond–whether you're packing your kid for move-in day or sending a surprise mid-semester boost, here's your A+ guide to care package essentials they'll actually use–and love.
Bare Home Bed-in-A-Bag
A soft place to land. This all-in-one bedding bundle includes a comforter, flat sheet, fitted sheet and pillowcases—all sized perfectly for a twin XL dorm bed. It comes in a variety of neutral tones to suit their vibe. $100.99 on Amazon (was $116.99)
Story continues below advertisement
Grace & Stella Award Winning Under Eye Mask
Late-night study sessions and 8 a.m. lectures don't exactly scream 'rested.' These cult-favourite eye masks visibly reduce puffiness, hydrate, and feel like a mini spa break between classes. $27.95 on Amazon (was $40)
Well.ca Gourmet Foodie Gift Bundle
Cure homesickness with comfort foods. This curated Canadian bundle includes premium snacks, teas, sauces, and sweet treats—perfect for late-night cravings or a little taste of luxury. $69.99 at Well.ca
Vitruvi Essentials Oil Kit
Smells like grown-up energy. This beautifully boxed set includes four of Vitruvi's bestselling essential oils—each perfect for creating a chill study space, sleep sanctuary, or energizing morning boost. Whether they're new to oils or already obsessed, this kit is pure plant-based perfection. $61.99 at Vitruvi
Story continues below advertisement
You may also like:
Portable Charger with Built-In Cables – $29.99
Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 Instant Camera – $89
Sony Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones – $398
Ready First Aid 107 Piece First Aid Kit
From paper cuts to minor sprains, this compact kit covers it all. Packed with emergency essentials—bandages, antiseptic wipes, tweezers, scissors—it's water-resistant, lightweight, and built for dorm drawers, backpacks, or glove compartments. $29.99 on Amazon
STACKTV Subscription
For breaks between classes—or just procrastinating midterms—STACKTV offers live and on-demand access to HGTV, Food Network, Global, and more. No cable box required. Pair it with a cozy blanket and snacks from home. $12.99/month on Amazon Prime Channels
Story continues below advertisement
Factor Meal Subscription
Skip the instant noodles. Factor's ready-to-eat meals are dietitian-approved, microwave-ready, and actually taste like real food (because they are). With options like Protein+ and Keto, this is your best bet for ensuring they eat something green more than once a month. Starting at $13.49/meal at Factormeals.ca
TokyoTreat Monthly Snack Box
Want to make their dorm room the most popular on the floor? Send them a TokyoTreat box packed with rare Japanese snacks, limited-edition KitKats, ramen, and seasonal treats they won't find at the campus vending machine. It's a guaranteed conversation starter and snack-time saviour. $37.50/month at TokyoTreat.com
You may also like:
Burt's Bees Essential Kit – $15.18
Story continues below advertisement
Lavender Linen and Room Spray – $17.99
Amazon Kindle Paperwhite – $154.99
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
National Post
30 minutes ago
- National Post
Why food recalls have increased so drastically in the last decade in Canada
Last year, it was plant-based refrigerated beverages. This summer, it's Dubai chocolate, which went from viral fame to plain old virulent, with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) recalling several brands due to Salmonella contamination. Article content It's not your imagination — there are more food recalls today than a decade ago, though the number has stayed relatively stable over the past five years. Experts say the reason why comes down to a couple of key factors: improved detection methods and regulations that modernized Canada's food safety system. Article content When Sylvain Charlebois, senior director of Dalhousie University's Agri-Food Analytics Lab (AAL), posted a graph of the number of food recalls in Canada since 2011 on social media last week, some of his followers expressed surprise and concern. The graph showed a dramatic jump from 45 recalls in 2018 to 259 in 2019, remaining well above 100 ever since (with two years surpassing 250). Article content Number of food recalls in Canada, since 2011 (Class, 1, 2 and 3). — The Food Professor (@FoodProfessor) August 15, 2025 Article content Our food safety culture is 'very strong,' says Charlebois, pointing to Canadians' reluctance to eat perfectly edible products past their best-before dates. Food recalls don't necessarily mean that our food system is unsafe — he sees them as a sign that it's maturing in a positive way. Article content 'People tend to become quite nervous as soon as they see a metric that would suggest, perhaps, that things aren't going in the right direction, but they are in terms of food recalls.' Article content Some recalls, such as the recent outbreak of Salmonella infections linked to various brands of pistachios and pistachio-containing products, such as Dubai chocolate, cause illnesses and hospitalizations, but many others are preventative. Though recalls due to microbiological hazards were the most prevalent from April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2025, they can also result from allergens, extraneous material, chemicals and other reasons. Article content 'Even in a modern, effective food safety system such as Canada's, risks cannot be completely eliminated. When unsafe food enters the marketplace, the CFIA works with the company to ensure that the public is informed and that the recall was effective at removing products from the market,' the CFIA said in an email to National Post. Article content 'Consumers can help protect themselves and their families by following safe food handling practices at home and staying informed about food recalls by signing up for food recall notifications.' Article content Article content Keith Warriner, a professor at the University of Guelph's Department of Food Science, highlights that the means of detecting outbreaks are much better than they were 10 years ago, 'if not five years ago.' Sophisticated surveillance systems and advanced techniques, such as whole genome sequencing, have made it easier to identify risks. Article content Companies are also doing more testing, which increases the likelihood of finding something warranting a recall, says Warriner. 'Even though no outbreaks are involved, they'll do it as a precaution. And you'll see microgreen producers, for example, they've had quite a few recalls of Listeria. Even though there's been no real outbreaks of Listeria with microgreens, they preempt it because they do a lot of testing.'
Winnipeg Free Press
5 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Vigil to honour Manitobans lost to overdoses on Aug. 31
Devin Ramdoyal had a gift for connecting with people, devoting close to 500 hours as a volunteer at St. Amant. But while Devin brought joy to others' lives, he struggled with mental illness since childhood and turned to drugs to self-medicate. Devin's life ended on Feb. 7, 2021, when he overdosed at the age of 22. Supplied photo A vigil honouring loved ones lost to overdoses will be held at 8 p.m. on Aug. 31 at Pembina Fisher Park. Sandra Ingram, Devin's mother, described him as 'the light of her life.' 'He was my beautiful boy and my only child,' she said. 'This could happen to anyone. Nobody sets out to be an addict.' As she navigated her grief, Ingram connected with parents who also lost children to overdoses and became involved with Moms Stop the Harm (MSTH), an advocacy group of Canadian families affected by substance use-related harms and deaths. A retired communications professor, Ingram channelled her pain into action. She became the first facilitator in Winnipeg for Healing Hearts, an MSTH bereavement support group that meets once a month at Riverview Community Centre. She now chairs the local planning committee for International Overdose Awareness Day. For the second year, a vigil will be held on Aug. 31 at Pembina Fisher Park. Purple flag markers will memorialize the Manitobans who fatally overdosed in 2024. Manitoba Justice's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner reported 570 suspected substance-related deaths in 2024. The event starts at 8 p.m. with a speaker introducing the sponsor, MSTH. The candlelight vigil will begin as the sun goes down. Some attendees will share stories, while others may simply state the name of a loved one who passed. Mondays A weekly look at news and events that matter in your communities. The vigil is open to anyone who wants to show support. 'Overdoses are happening in every community — in your own backyard. The more stigma is broken down, the better chance we have to help those in need,' said Ingram. Ingram's message to parents is clear. 'Be aware that any child who is different — whether that's a learning disability, mental illness or non-heterosexual orientation — is more at risk. With all the pressures of daily life and social media, it's sometimes too much. Get your kids the help and support they need.' For those using drugs alone, the National Overdose Response Service ( is a confidential, anonymous phone-based service that acts as a virtual safe consumption site. For more information, visit Candice G. BallLord Roberts community correspondent Candice G. Ball is a community correspondent for Lord Roberts. Email her at candicegball@ Read full biography Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
Cision Canada
16 hours ago
- Cision Canada
MetricAid Announces Appointment of Board of Directors to Support Accelerated Growth and Global Expansion
NORTH BAY, ON, Aug. 19, 2025 /CNW/ - MetricAid is proud to announce the formal appointment of its new Board of Directors. This exceptional group of industry leaders brings unparalleled expertise across healthcare, technology, operations, and corporate governance - a significant milestone as the company enters its next phase of accelerated growth and international expansion. The newly appointed Board comprises: Paul Tsaparis, former Board Chair of York University, former CEO and President of Hewlett-Packard Canada and currently a board member of Teranet, Metrolinx and Indspire. Mr. Tsaparis is a recognized leader in Canadian technology and innovation with extensive board experience in both public and private sectors. His deep understanding of growth-stage companies is a tremendous asset to MetricAid's long-term success. Eugene Roman, former Chief Technology Officer of Canadian Tire and OpenText, current Executive-in-Residence at the Schulich School of Business for AI and a renowned figure in enterprise digital transformation. Mr. Roman brings decades of experience in IT strategy, cybersecurity, and large-scale systems architecture. Dr. Mark Schweitzer, internationally respected radiologist and current Special Associate for Public Health, is planning the New School of Public Health at Wayne State University. Dr. Schweitzer offers deep clinical insight and a global healthcare perspective that aligns with MetricAid's commitment to physician-centred scheduling. Dr. Schweitzer has published more than 400 peer-reviewed papers with more than 27000 citations. Mark Fam, President & CEO of Oak Valley Health, one of Canada's leading healthcare institutions. With extensive leadership in hospital operations, Mr. Fam strengthens MetricAid's strategic alignment with public health systems and complex care environments. Warren Urquhart, currently Governance Counsel for Toronto Hydro, is licensed to practice Law in Ontario and New York. Warren sits as a current member of the Publications Advisory Board of the International Association of Privacy Professionals, directing content and coverage of global privacy law and AI Governance developments. In addition, Warren is an executive of both the Canadian Bar Association and the Ontario Bar Association's Privacy and Access to Information Bar Executive. "The calibre of leadership now guiding MetricAid is a testament to both our past performance and our future ambitions," said Lora Webb, CEO of MetricAid. "We are thrilled to welcome directors whose influence spans global healthcare, world-class technology, and high-growth operations. We are more prepared than ever to shape the future of physician scheduling." MetricAid's mission: Revolutionize Emergency Medicine Scheduling For more information or to request interviews, please contact: About MetricAid
