With flu and cold season underway, North Carolina State University (NC State) is offering students an option when they’re not feeling well enough to visit a dining hall.
Instead, ill students can order a Get Well Meal Kit, stocked with non-perishable items to keep them full and hydrated while recovering.
The program launched in 2015 with the goal of encouraging students to rest, isolate and stay nourished and hydrated while they are sick, according to Lauren Smith, NC State’s director of nutrition and wellness.
The kit includes two servings of applesauce, a sleeve of saltine crackers, a single serving of Cheerios, two servings of soup, one pack of cracker sandwiches, one Sprite or ginger ale, one Powerade, one juice and a piece of fruit. The kit can also be modified for students with food allergies and dietary restrictions.
Smith said that the team aimed to include food that’s easy to prepare in dorms.
“We wanted to include foods that are comforting and easy on the stomach. We were also mindful of what students have in their dorm rooms and what they’d have the capacity to prepare while they’re sick,” said Smith. “Options such as soups, saltines, cereals, and fruit require minimal preparation and are shelf stable.”
The kit is free to flex meal plan holders if they haven’t used a dining hall meal swipe that day. Otherwise, it’s sold for $15.