It’s back-to-schooltime, and many parents are sending kids to college to live alone for the firsttime. According to a survey conducted byThe UPS Store®, once the excitement of independence wears off, 67 percentof college students find what they want most is a taste of home delivered to their mailbox.

While care packagesare a college tradition, few parents may realize how much their kids miss homecooking—or at least free food. According to the survey, 40 percent of students say finding money for food is the worst part about eating at college, with dorm food a close second at 33 percent. The survey also revealed that 47 percent ofstudents would welcome home-cooked meals, such as meatloaf and macaroni and cheese, if shipping the hot meals weren’t an issue.

The survey alsoconfirmed that food is still the best way to a man’s heart, with 40 percent ofmale students choosing home cooking as the thing they missed most. On the otherhand, 42 percent of female students missed family, and only 24 percent cited home cooking as what they missed most. Surprisingly, the survey also revealed men miss sweets the most, while women prefer comfort food, such as chicken soup.

We offer these tips to create the perfect care package:
1.      Mixit up – Send home-baked sweets such as cookies alongside hearty snacks like trail mix. Pack items securely in airtight decorative tins or disposable plastic wear. You can even send a birthday cake by placing the cake in a tin and packing the frosting separately. (Include candles, a card, presents and decorations for an instant birthday party.)
2.      Packfor success – Ensure baked goods are cool before packing. When shipping multiple items, pack the heaviest ones on the bottom and ensure all items are tightly sealed. Never leave air pockets in containers; fill gaps with air-filled wrap, so the goodies look as good on arrival as they did when they left the oven. Hint: an empty Pringles makes a good cookie cutter and storage container.
3.      Be the dorm favorite ­– More than 70 percent ofstudents surveyed wanted to share their care packages with friends and roommates, so pack enough to go around. Consider sending treats for special occasions, like Halloween, or to celebrate milestones like the end of mid-terms.

Even though your kids may be miles away, it’s easy to share a little taste of home.