chicken soup for the flu!

Because I’m so dedicated to only touting products I’ve actually tried and liked, I spent four days in bed with the flu recently just so I could test out Spoonful of Comfort.

Ha! Those sick days were, for sure, not by choice, and they were definitely not the same as spending four days in bed, reading, watching TV and eating ice cream. I could barely lift my head, never mind catch up on the shows on my DVR.

The silver lining, though, was the big box that I found when I staggered downstairs for some Gatorade to make sure I didn’t pass out from dehydration. My husband had forgotten to tell me a package came for me – but at least he took heed of the “perishable” warning and stuck it in the fridge.

I was so excited to see the Spoonful of Comfort logo and the lovely words, “Wherever there is a human being, there is an opportunity for a kindness.” In my delirious state of mind, this was enough to make me teary. But then I opened the box and discovered, beautifully packed with pretty paper and a cheery yellow ribbon, a huge jar of homemade chicken soup, a package of fat and delicious-looking dinner rolls and a bag of oatmeal raisin cookies. It was like my mom had put it together just for me.

I am always skeptical of food that comes in the mail but I have to tell you this meal was so delicious and felt so full of love, I swear it made me feel better. The soup – a rich broth – was laden with chicken, noodles and veggies, and the rolls … oh, the rolls! I can’t figure out how they keep them so soft, but they were the perfect complement to the soup.

The cookies were gone that day but there was enough soup and rolls left to feed my husband’s cold when he inevitably starting coughing and sneezing two days later.

I went on the website for Spoonful of Comfort to learn more about the people behind the company. It was started by a woman in Florida when her own mother was sick. Not surprisingly, a portion of proceeds are donated to charities, including the American Cancer Society. I say “not surprisingly” because, seriously, the care that goes into this package is apparent in every detail.

With flu season in full swing, this is the perfect gift to send someone stuck in bed. It’s what I’ll be ordering for my kids 3000 miles away next time I hear one muffled sniffle over the phone. As they nourish their bodies and souls, they will feel warm inside, thinking about how loved they must be for their mother to send them these treats, lovingly made by hand – by someone else.