A Care Package for New Parents

I'm one of those people who really likes to do little unexpected things for my friends, whether it's to celebrate happy times or help through tough ones.  I sincerely love it.  So when S and R were expecting their baby and the due date was approaching, I started to search around for fun ideas.

I considered making dinner for them, but these days, I'm a little short on time.  And in reading some blogs, I found out that many moms craved good, healthy food and yummy snacks after days of hospital meals.  They wanted food they could grab at any time of day or night to keep up their energy and spirits.

I loved the idea—it was easy to put together and helpful too.  S and I lived together for a year in college and for two years in Chicago, so I found it wasn't too hard to identify some of her favorites.  I tried to go for variety—a mix of healthy and indulgent, savory and sweet, things that both she and R would enjoy.

Since the blogosphere inspired me, I thought I'd pass this idea along.  And I'd love to hear if you all have other creative ideas and ways to help out new parents!  Here's what I came up with:

Snacks:

Popcorn

Kashi bars

Goat cheese

Boursin cheese

Small loaf of bread

Crackers

Greek yogurt

Mini loaves of banana bread

Fruit:

Strawberries

Blueberries

Pears

Treats:

Ghirardelli dark chocolate squares

Mint Milano cookies

Bailey's-flavored coffee creamer

Beverages:

San Pellegrino Limonata

Mini bottle of sparkling wine

Bailey's-flavored creamer, Ghirardelli dark chocolate, mint Milano cookies

Greek yogurt, cheeses, a small loaf of bread, crackers, San Pellegrino Limonata

Blueberries, strawberries, and pears

A mini bottle of bubbly to celebrate the occasion

First layer...

And a second layer...