Bad Day Care Package Idea for Girlfriends

We all have bad days. This Bad Day Care Package is an easy way to cheer someone up. Put a smile on her face and let her know you are thinking about her with this simple idea.

*I partnered with Give Bakery Because to bring you a post that shows how you can use store-bought baked goods in simple, delicious ways. Because saving time is awesome.

My love language is giving gifts so when I hear that someone is having a bad day, I immediately want to drop something off. Sometimes a bottle of wine is fine (with my printable "Bad Day Rosé" label).

But sometimes a care package is in order.

This summer seems to have been really stressful for a lot of my friends. So I decided I would create a simple bad day gift kit, with my favorite store-bought treats, that I can drop off at their house to give them a smile.

Here are 10 more gift ideas using store-bought treats.

How to Put Your Care Package Gift Together

You may or may not know what has caused the bad day but try to put yourself in your friends shows to figure out what would make her smile.

For me, I have a crazy sweet tooth so dessert makes sense. I also love wine. But you can include anything!

This also doesn't have to cost a lot. It's truly the thought that counts in this instance and you really just want her to know you are there if she needs you.

Whatever you put in your care basket, be sure to include a little note. She'll appreciate the touch.

Store-Bought Desserts

I bake for myself only on rare occasions. My small kitchen heats up the minute I turn on my oven. That isn't so bad in winter, but in summer...not so good.

And there is no need for me to bake when the store-bought bakery goods at my local grocery store are so tasty!

Related: Store-Bought Sugar Cookie Dessert Bruschetta
Related: Peaches and Cream Angel Food Cake

You guys, these brownies...trouble. I could have eaten this whole container in one sitting. 

Repackage

The key to making this gift idea feel more like a care package and less like a grocery drop-off is repackaging the treats.

Everyone has a different comfort food that they love, but no one can resist a good old-fashioned chocolate chip cookie. 

The clear cello bags you can get from your local craft or Target store and I use those all the time with things for my kids. They store really easily and are so handy!

The white and pink bag that I put the mason jar of ice cream in came from Ikea. I picked up several packages as they were so bright and cheerful. They are also not paper (not totally waterproof) but a plastic-like material that would stand up to the ice well.

If you don't have cute packaging at home, you can easily grab a few grocery store items while you are there.

A plastic pail from the seasonal department would work, as would sandwich bags if you need to portion out the baked goods.

Just keep your eyes open as you browse the store and use your imagination! 

Get Creative

And I wanted the kit to have surprises, things that you wouldn't expect to find on your doorstep.

A brownie ice cream sundae? That is totally smile-inducing! It was logistically hard (next time I would use an ice chest for the ice cream especially if I was unsure if the person was actually home).

I put some brownie bites (the base of the sundae) in a Mason jar. Then I added a few scoops of ice cream on top.

Just pop it in the freezer for a while and it's ready to go. Even if the brownie freezes a little, it will soften up by the time your friends get to that part.

I packed ice around the mason jar to keep it as chilled as possible. And the good thing about ice cream, it can be refrozen (not like if it has turned into ice cream soup - use your best judgment)!

Include Things She Loves

If this doesn't help your friend's day get a little bit better, I don't know what will!!

My pals are cajoled by wine and gossip mags, but if that isn't your friend's cup of tea just substitute with things that you know they would love. 

All of these gift kit items came from my local grocery store which made putting this gift together really fast and easy.

Put it Together

I grabbed my basket and layered in the gifts for someone having a bad day. Easy. Just tuck in a card and it's ready to be dropped off!

I don't like to get fancy and wrap it with cellophane or a bow but you totally could. You could also tuck in some fresh flowers if that is something she might like.

Using store-bought treats lets me be a little more thoughtful with my gift-giving because I can focus on the intention behind it and not the actual baking.

It also means if you don't have these things on hand you can grab them fast at the local grocery store.

You can see more ideas on how to personalize and gift bakery items on this fun Pinterest page.

Tips

Don't leave this care package in direct sunlight.

Text your friend, casually if you can, to see if she's at home to receive it or going to be home very soon before leaving this.

Of course, you can bake your own treats if you prefer, this hack of using store-bought treats is a great time-saver for lazy people (like me).

These gifts to cheer someone up are for a generic bad day. If there is a specific reason your friend needs cheering up, consider using that as a theme. Did she just have a medical procedure? Grab some cute bandaids. Did she have a breakup? Boozy Cupcakes might be the answer.

Related Posts

• Hallmark Gift Ideas
• Gift Tower for Friends
• Bad Day Rosé Printable Label
• Long Distance Best Friend Greeting Card Idea
• Holiday Movie Watching Kit