The best things to get for a sick person fall into a few categories: items that keep them hydrated, foods that are easy on the stomach, and comfort supplies that help them rest. What someone needs most depends on their symptoms, but a thoughtful combination of fluids, easy nutrition, and a few practical supplies covers nearly every common illness.
Hydration Supplies
Dehydration is the most common complication of everyday illnesses like colds, flu, and stomach bugs, especially when fever, vomiting, or diarrhea are involved. Plain water works, but electrolyte drinks do more. The body absorbs fluid faster when sodium and glucose are present together, which is why oral rehydration solutions outperform water alone during illness. Look for drinks with lower sugar content rather than standard sports drinks, which tend to be heavy on sugar and light on sodium. Pedialyte, Liquid IV, and similar products are formulated closer to what the body actually needs.
Beyond rehydration drinks, consider bringing a variety of fluids: herbal tea (especially ginger for nausea), clear broth, coconut water, or even popsicles. Popsicles are surprisingly useful for someone with a sore throat or someone who can’t keep much down, since they deliver small amounts of fluid slowly. A reusable water bottle with a straw is a practical gift too, since it lets someone drink without sitting up.
Easy-to-Eat Foods
A sick person rarely has much appetite, and rich or spicy food can make nausea worse. The National Institutes of Health recommends bland foods that are soft, low in fiber, and not heavily seasoned. Good options to bring include:
- Bananas, applesauce, and melon: gentle on the stomach and easy to eat without preparation
- Saltine crackers or plain toast: made with refined white flour, these settle nausea and provide a small amount of energy
- Broth-based soup: chicken soup combines fluid, sodium, and a small amount of protein in one package
- Plain rice or pasta: filling without irritating the digestive system
- Eggs: soft-scrambled or boiled, they’re one of the easiest proteins to tolerate
- Gelatin and pudding: require no chewing and go down easily when appetite is low
If you’re cooking for someone, keep seasoning minimal. Avoid anything fried, acidic (like tomato-based sauces or citrus), or high in fat until they’re clearly on the mend. Creamy peanut butter on plain crackers is a good calorie-dense option for someone who can only eat a few bites at a time.
Honey for Coughs
If the person you’re caring for has a persistent cough, a jar of honey is one of the most useful things you can bring. A single dose of honey before bedtime reduces cough frequency and improves sleep quality. In clinical trials, honey performed as well as the most common over-the-counter cough suppressants and significantly better than no treatment at all. This applies to both children (over age one) and adults. A spoonful straight, or stirred into warm tea with a little lemon, is the simplest delivery method. About 10 grams, roughly two teaspoons, is the dose used in most studies.
Do not give honey to babies under 12 months old due to the risk of botulism.
Zinc Lozenges
For someone in the first day of cold symptoms, zinc acetate lozenges can shorten how long the cold lasts. The key is timing: they need to be started within 24 hours of the first symptoms to be effective, at a dose of roughly 80 mg of zinc per day spread across multiple lozenges. A meta-analysis of randomized trials found that at this dose, zinc reduced the duration of nasal discharge, congestion, and sore throat. Side effects were minor, mostly a metallic taste. Look for lozenges that list zinc acetate or zinc gluconate as the active ingredient, and check the elemental zinc content on the label to get close to 80 mg daily.
Fever and Pain Relief
A fever is the body’s natural response to infection, and it doesn’t always need to be treated. A temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher qualifies as a fever. Most adults feel noticeably unwell once they hit 103°F (39.4°C), which is a reasonable point to use medication for comfort.
Acetaminophen (Tylenol) reduces fever and relieves pain. Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) does both of those things and also reduces inflammation, making it a better choice when sore throat swelling or body aches are the main complaint. Both are safe for most adults when used as directed. The maximum safe dose of acetaminophen is 4,000 mg in 24 hours, but many people overshoot this without realizing it because acetaminophen is hidden in combination cold medicines, so check labels carefully.
Bringing both medications gives the sick person flexibility. They can alternate between the two if one alone isn’t controlling discomfort, since they work through different mechanisms.
Comfort and Environment Supplies
A cool-mist humidifier is one of the most underrated things you can bring someone with a cold or respiratory infection. Dry air irritates the nose and throat, and adding moisture to the room eases congestion and reduces coughing. Cool-mist models are preferred over warm-mist ones, especially around children, because there’s no burn risk. If a humidifier isn’t in the budget, even a box of soft-lotion tissues makes a real difference for someone blowing their nose dozens of times a day.
Other practical comfort items include:
- A cozy blanket or warm socks: chills are common with fever, and extra layers help
- Lip balm: mouth breathing during congestion dries out lips fast
- Cough drops or throat lozenges: for sore throat relief between doses of honey or tea
- A heating pad: helpful for body aches and muscle soreness that come with flu
- Entertainment: a book, magazine, puzzle, or streaming subscription card goes a long way when someone is stuck in bed for days
Cleaning Supplies to Prevent Spread
This one is less glamorous but genuinely helpful: bring disinfectant wipes or spray for shared surfaces. Doorknobs, light switches, remote controls, faucet handles, and phone screens are the highest-risk surfaces in a household with a sick person. The CDC recommends leaving disinfectant wet on a surface for the full contact time listed on the label, which is typically anywhere from 30 seconds to 10 minutes depending on the product. A quick wipe that dries immediately won’t kill most viruses. Hand sanitizer (at least 60% alcohol) and a fresh box of disposable gloves are also practical if the sick person is sharing a bathroom.
What to Bring a Sick Child
Children get dehydrated faster than adults, so fluids are the top priority. For infants, fewer than six wet diapers per day is an early sign of dehydration. Fewer tears when crying is another signal. Pedialyte popsicles work well for toddlers who refuse to drink. For older kids, diluted juice or broth are good alternatives when they reject plain water.
Skip over-the-counter cough and cold medications for young children. A Cochrane review of eight pediatric trials found no evidence that these products work better than a placebo for children’s coughs. Honey (for kids over one year) is a safer and equally effective option. A new coloring book, stuffed animal, or small toy can do as much for a sick child’s mood as any medicine.
Putting Together a Care Package
If you want to assemble everything into a single delivery, a solid all-purpose sick-day care package includes: an electrolyte drink mix, a container of soup or broth, saltine crackers, honey, a box of soft tissues, a pack of throat lozenges, acetaminophen or ibuprofen, and one comfort item like a cozy blanket or a magazine. Toss it in a bag or basket, and you’ve covered hydration, nutrition, symptom relief, and morale in one visit. The gesture itself matters as much as what’s inside. Being sick is isolating, and showing up with something thoughtful reminds the person they’re not dealing with it alone.