Through nourishing food and thoughtful touches, express your care and condolences with sympathy gift baskets.
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31 Sympathy Gift Baskets for Loved Ones Going Through a Hard Time
Updated on Mar. 10, 2025
Grief can feel like a vacuum—swirling and dark. Receiving a care package is a reminder that they’re not alone and that they’re loved and supported, even in the most painful moments.
So that you can offer that support, we rounded up some of the best sympathy gift baskets to send to friends, family and others in your life facing unexpected difficulties.
For Nearly Anyone
Sympathy Gift Box
Send your love with this sympathy gift box, well-stocked with sweet, savory and healthy treats that can help provide comfort during a difficult time. A selection of seasonal apples and pears are nestled alongside Italian dry salami, chocolate-covered cherries and gouda cheese, to name a few of the snacks inside, in a Harry & David gift box wrapped with a ribbon reading, “With Sympathy.”
For the One in Need of a Little Extra
Hearthside Gift Basket
A more deluxe spin on the gift basket before this, this gift basket is a hearty collection of warming foods that can provide delicious snacks and eats for many days to come. They’ll be able to eat everything from smoked salmon to gourmet pears to a spread of baked goods, like baklava and chocolate decadence cake. It arrives in a beautiful basket for a meaningful expression of your sympathy and to show you’re thinking of them.
For the One Feeding a Family
Chicken Pot Pie Meal
No better gift than dinner, ready to eat. This chicken pot pie meal can feed up to six, perfect for bigger families (or smaller ones that can enjoy leftovers the next day). It includes a large, fragrant chicken pot pie brimming with vegetables, along with a side of black truffle and almond green beans. A ready-to-bake blueberry beach crisp provides a sweet way to finish the evening.
For the One Struggling with Loss
Sympathy and Solace Care Package
This care package is the epitome of comfort, from the throw blanket that they can cuddle up with to the package of warming chamomile tea to enjoy while reading a book that provides daily meditations to those healing after loss. Raw honey provides some sweetness to the tea, and they can nibble on six cookies (you can choose from six different flavors). If they’re more of a coffee person, consider a coffee gift basket instead.
For the Dietary Sensitive
Gluten-Free Soup Care Package
From the moment they open up this box, they’ll be steeped in warmth and care. They’ll receive 4-6 servings of soup (along with a ladle) to make preparing meals as simple as heating up the stove. They’ll also receive six vegan and gluten-free rolls and six vegan and gluten-free cookies, so they can enjoy comforting bites no matter their dietary restrictions. You’ll be able to select from a variety of soup flavors to ensure you find something they’ll enjoy.
For the Traveller
Japan Gift Box
Help lift their spirits with snacks from Japan and tastes that evoke past memories or the excitement of future travel. This gift box contains around 20 unique Japanese treats and tea sourced from local businesses to introduce people to a wide variety of sweet and savory offerings. It’s available as a one-time gift or as an ongoing subscription, which introduces the recipient to a themed box each month. It’s a thoughtful gift for those who love to hop on planes and explore new cultures.
“The box I tested was a Valentine’s Day special brimming with cultural information, fun heart-shaped candies and—of course—savory snacks,” says Shopping Editor Emily Way. “Plus, goodies are sourced from family-run businesses, ensuring the highest quality treats paired with a culture guide to learn about the origins and flavors.”
For the One Who Needs Good Dreams
Chocolate Gift Set
When grieving, sleep is much-needed but can be elusive. This gift set from a beloved chocolatier is designed to deliver sweet dreams, with a Mulberry silk sleep mask (we sleep better when light doesn’t reach our eyes), a blended green tea and bathing salts infused with essential oils. Of course, the best part: Matcha petites, mini chocolate bars and 16 truffles. The chocolate gift basket inclusions feature chamomile, tulsi and lavender, which helps relax and usher in a soothing sleep.
For the One Who Loves the Country
Taste of the Farm Gift Box
A touch rustic and every bit delicious, this gift box delivers the flavors of the Smoky Mountains to their doorstep. The treats are curated by the proprietors of a small inn, evoking the beautiful simplicity of country life. They’ll receive seasonal cheese, a selection of spreads, like sweet hot mustard, blackberry jam and smoked onion jam, alongside a flight of other goodies. It comes with a branded cap and a cookbook to inspire them in the kitchen when they’re feeling better.
For the Green Juice Drinker
Veggie Gift Basket
If they could use help restocking their produce drawer without a trip to the grocery store, this veggie gift basket includes over seven pounds of seasonal vegetables that they can chop up and roast for quick, healthy meals. While contents vary, they can include classics like carrots, potatoes and beets to less-expected, but equally tasty, veggies like romanesco cauliflower (a personal favorite) and kohlrabi.
Note that some states have different agriculture and produce delivery laws, so be sure to double-check restrictions before ordering.
For the One Obsessed with Pizza Night
Italian Night At Home
Is there anything more comforting than a warm pizza or steaming garlic bread at the end of the day? This care package lets them dine on a hefty selection of food from an acclaimed Los Angeles restaurant without doing more than turning on the oven. It provides a pizza kit to make two, nine-inch tomato and Sicilian oregano pizzas, 12 meatballs, six garlic knots and two logs of chocolate chip cookie dough (it makes a total of 24 cookies).
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For the One Who Could Use a Hug
Sending Healing Vibes Care Package
This care package feels as close to a hug as a care package can be. There are a variety of comforting options available from the store, and your recipient will open it up to find gifts like plush knitted blankets, tea selections, soy candles and artisanal chocolate. The care package also comes with a card, so you can include a personalized note to send words of condolences and support.
For the Sundae Aficionado
Chocolate Sauce Gift Pack
If they take their ice cream sundaes seriously, add some extra joy to their favorite comfort food with this pack of gourmet chocolate sauces. It includes a classic Sweet + Rich Sauce which tastes like brownies, a Dark + Decadent sauce for true chocolate lovers and a Dark Chocolate + Sea Salt that adds a savory twist. It’s a simple and touching way for them to upgrade their nightly ice cream.
For the One Who Loves an Afternoon Treat
Cookie and Coffee Bundle
Cookies from New York City’s beloved Levain Bakery meet a special coffee blend in this care package. It’s indulgent and gourmet, with famously giant cookies that should be warmed up in the oven for a few minutes to get gooey and delicious. You’ll be able to choose from a wide variety of assortments, even a vegan and gluten-free option, to ensure your giftee receives what they’ll love. The coffee blend is from Brazil and bold, with appropriately cookie-esque notes of cocoa and brown sugar. Spoiler: Levain Bakery is one of our favorite cookie-of-the-month clubs, too!
For the One Who Always Buys Fresh Flowers
Garden in a Box
Flowers always brighten spirits, and this garden in a box provides a more interactive (and longer) way to add beautiful blooms to their home. The gift includes 36 different collections of seeds (about 1,200 seeds in total), all selected to be unique and eye-catching. They can be planted almost anywhere in the US, giving the recipient a relaxing task and colorful flowers to look forward to. It’s a gift that far outlasts the initial joy of receiving it.
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For the Child Dealing with Loss
Personalized Memory Bear
Explaining loss to children can be difficult, but this stuffed animal care package was designed by a therapist to help them through the grieving process. This gift comes with a polyester teddy bear and a t-shirt that includes a poem as well as a customizable image and name. The teddy bear is offered in three different sizes, the t-shirt’s heart details come in 15 color options and the entire thing comes at a slim price point.
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For the One Who Could Use a Brighter Day
Sending You Sunshine Gift Basket
A little beauty can help in difficult times, and this care package offers an entrancing selection of gifts they’ll be able to enjoy for a long time. They can put the live succulent in their bedroom or living room, and a scented candle, bar of soap, lip balm and bath bomb will infuse their space with a little more tranquility. You can select the soap and bath bomb scents based on the recipient’s preference.
For the Morning Person
Breakfast Bliss Basket
Help make mornings brighter with this breakfast bliss basket, where baked breakfast goods come delivered and ready to eat, so they don’t have to worry about keeping their kitchen stocked. They’ll receive two packages of English muffins (with peach preserves to slather over them), two Belgian waffles, a chocolate swirl cake, a double chocolate chunk cookie and two white buttercream-frosted vanilla cookies. They’ll also receive a small decorative felt basket and strawberry preserves for those with a sweet tooth.
For the One with Distinct Tastes
Thinking of You Gift Basket
This is unique from other gift basket providers in that while this package has specific categories—including candy, cookies, coffee and tea, spa, candles and succulents—your recipient will choose their favorites from each. For example, there are more than 40 spa options and over 75 varieties of candy. You’ll select the size of the gift and can include a personal card to send your sympathy and care. Want to learn more? Read our full Sugarwish review.
For the One Who Loves Beautiful Things
Chocolate Strawberries & Flowers
Fill their house with color and their kitchen with sweetness with this care package, which includes chocolate-covered strawberries and flowers. The bouquet is full of relaxing lavender carnations, white roses, lavender daisy poms and Peruvian lilies popping with vibrancy. One-third of the strawberries are dipped in white chocolate, and the rest are dipped in milk chocolate. It’s a nice gift basket for women that fits nearly any occasion.
For the One Who Shops at Farmers Markets
Fruit Basket
Ensure they have plenty of delicious, healthy food on hand with this fruit gift basket, which adds a bit of additional joy with exotic fruits that they wouldn’t find on a typical shopping trip. Eight pounds of fresh fruit could include everything from crisp Asian pears to strawberry papayas to coconuts, an opportunity to taste the tropics and also discover new flavors.
For the One Craving Comfort Food
Chicken Dinner
This fried chicken dinner gift set is what the phrase “comfort food” was invented to describe. Shipping from an award-winning restaurant, this gift includes two fried chicken breasts, fried chicken thighs, fried chicken drums and fried chicken wings. Of course, it comes with honey hot sauce and reaper rub, along with four biscuits, mac and cheese and more for an opportunity to experience good, gourmet food without heading to a restaurant. The set can feed up to four people.
For the Reader
Book Lovers Box
During a tough time, a book can be a welcome trip into a different world. This book box will allow them to snuggle up and find a respite with a large blanket scarf, a literary-themed candle and a stoneware mug with a tea sachet. The included book walks the giftee through different aspects of literature, sparking their imagination and letting them learn more about one of their favorite things.
For the Tea Drinker
Tea Sampler
Drinking a cup of hot tea is synonymous with relaxation, especially when some of the blends are intended to help you unwind before bed, relieve stress or provide an immune boost. This gift box includes eight types of tea to ensure they always have something warming to sip on. I’ve been a long-time David’s Tea drinker because of its wide variety of blends and the intensity of flavor. It makes an excellent accompaniment to a soup gift basket.
For the One Mourning a Pet
Loss of Pet Care Package
Dogs (and cats) are our best friends, and having a pet pass on can be a very challenging time. Show them that you’re thinking of them with a gift box honoring the human-animal relationship. It contains tributes including a candle, a live air plant, terrarium supplies, a wildflower seed heart, a personalized card and a gift box. All of which provide a vibrant way to help honor a pet’s memory.
For the Gardener
Mixed Berries Growing Kit
Help them remember a loved one they’ve lost by planting a tree in their memory. This “living urn” kit includes a container for a maple, oak or magnolia tree (the selection is location-dependent). They’ll receive instructions on how to plant the tree, so they can create a living memorial to someone who’s passed.
For the One Seeking Solace
Wind Chime Gift Set
With this wind chime gift set, whenever a breeze sweeps through their yard, they’ll be greeted by beautiful sounds. A fitting tribute to whoever they’ve lost, this set includes a wind chime, a pair of angel wings from the bottom to provide comfort and a loving memory card. Unlike other gifts, this one will remain a key feature in their space for years to come.
For the One Who Bakes
Baked Goods Tower
For those who always love a trip to the bakery or have a well-worn cookbook, this baked goods tower lets them enjoy one of their love languages without any effort. Packaged in pastel boxes, the treats range from whoopie pies to chocolate-heavy cookies and decadent brownies. They’ll also receive a selection of mini bundt cakes: Cinnamon coffee cake and funfetti. It’s a joyful celebration of sugar and a kind gesture of your care.
For the One Who Doesn't Need Frills
Here For You Box
The simple things can go a long way—this gift package includes a package of mint and licorice herbal tea and a super-sized chocolate chunk cookie, baked fresh the day it’s shipped. It also comes with some honey to add a little extra sweetness. However, if those items aren’t the best fit for your recipient, you can swap them out with a wide range of other options.
For the Breadhead
Artisanal Loafs
Keep their pantry stocked with this selection of four artisanal bread loaves from a popular California bakery. At the minimum, they’ll have what they need for a slice of (very delicious) toast, but they can also repurpose slices into plenty of other meals. If they live alone, the bread can be frozen and enjoyed over several months. Flavors range from classic sourdough to the likes of rosemary French sea salt and golden raisin challah.
For the One Handling the Arrangements
Luxurious Spa Gift Box
One of the strange parts of loss is that it’s often followed by a flurry of responsibilities to get everything in order. This care package will encourage them to take a morning for themselves and appreciate a slower moment. It comes with coconut honey and grapefruit calendula soap, a rose bath bomb, glowing face serum, lavender lip balm, a satin eye mask, a soap coaster and a sandalwood patchouli candle they can burn throughout the day.
For the Trail Mix Eater
Dried Fruit and Nut Gift Basket
Ensure they have healthy snacks readily at hand with a dried fruit and nut gift box. When they open the wooden box, they’ll find an assortment of fresh fruit and sweet and savory nuts. Depending on which of the two sizes you select, their gift could include coconut almonds, cinnamon pecans, pistachios, cashews and more. This protein-rich, healthier selection could help keep up their energy levels and provide delicious sources of nutrients.
Why You Should Send a Sympathy Gift
When going through grief, loss or other difficult times, tending to the basics can be one of the most challenging things, including preparing breakfast or dinner. Food is both a practical present, providing much-needed nourishment, as well as offering a touching way to show support and let them know they’re not alone.
For that reason, those looking to buy a sympathy gift should primarily focus on food-related gifts, ranging from plentiful assortments of snacks to full meals that could last over several days. We also love the occasional spa- or self-care-related basket.
As with all gifts, what’s most meaningful is what best reflects the recipient and what they need most. Perhaps it is a hot, multi-course dinner for the whole family or a tea and blanket to cuddle up with.
Don’t forget a personal note. It doesn’t have to be the most poetic or elegant—what matters is that you’re thinking of them and are there to offer support and friendship throughout this period.
FAQs
Is it appropriate to send a gift basket for sympathy?
Absolutely! A sympathy gift basket is a thoughtful way to offer comfort and show you care. It provides practical support with comforting foods or meaningful keepsakes during a difficult time.
What do you put in a sympathy gift basket?
Comforting and easy-to-enjoy items like gourmet snacks, tea, coffee or soup are always great choices. You can also include candles, a heartfelt note or a small keepsake to offer extra support.
What is a good sympathy gift?
A good sympathy gift is one that brings comfort, whether it’s a cozy blanket, a personalized memory book or a care package with treats. Anything that helps your loved one feel supported is a great choice.
What is a good gift to give when someone passes away?
A heartfelt gift like a sympathy basket, a bouquet of flowers or a donation in their loved one’s name can be meaningful. A handwritten note sharing your condolences is always a thoughtful touch.
