You feel terrible and you need supplies. This is the list. It covers food, drinks, medicine, and the comfort items that make sick days less miserable. Everything here is available at Safeway, including through Drive Up & Go and delivery if you don't want to leave the house.

The Quick List

If you're standing in Safeway right now and just want to know what to grab, here it is:

• Chicken soup (canned or deli)

• Chicken broth (2-3 cartons)

• Honey

• Herbal tea (peppermint or chamomile)

• Oranges or clementines

• Crackers

• DayQuil/NyQuil or Signature Care cold and flu relief

• Cough drops

• Tissues (lotion kind)

• Pedialyte or electrolyte drink

That covers most situations. The rest of this article explains what else to consider and why.

Food

Chicken Soup

Chicken soup is not just comfort food. A study from the University of Nebraska Medical Center found that chicken soup slows the movement of white blood cells that cause cold symptoms like congestion and coughing. A separate study found that hot chicken soup clears nasal mucus better than plain hot water. The benefit comes from the combination of ingredients: broth, vegetables, and protein working together.

Safeway carries canned options (Campbell's, Progresso, Signature SELECT), deli soups from Signature Cafe, and shelf-stable bone broth from Pacific Foods. The deli soups taste better than canned if you have the option. Canned keeps longer if you're stocking up before cold season.

Broth

Even if you can't eat solid food, broth gives you fluids, sodium, and calories. Chicken broth and bone broth are both good options. Buy 2-3 cartons. You'll go through more than you expect.

Honey

Honey has some of the strongest evidence of any natural remedy for cough. A systematic review of 14 clinical trials found that honey reduces cough frequency and severity, and in some cases shortened symptoms by a day or two. The thick texture coats and soothes the throat.

Add it to tea, stir it into warm water with lemon, or take a spoonful straight. One note: don't give honey to children under 1 year old.

Easy Foods When Your Appetite Is Low

When you can barely eat, keep it simple:

• Saltine crackers

• Plain toast (white bread)

• Bananas

• Applesauce

• Plain rice

• Scrambled eggs

• Yogurt or pudding

These are gentle on the stomach and easy to get down. Yogurt and pudding are fine when you're sick. Dairy does not increase mucus production. That's a myth. A study of 60 people with colds found no connection between dairy intake and nasal secretions. The creamy texture feels like mucus in your throat, but it isn't.

Fresh Produce

• Oranges and clementines. Vitamin C won't cure a cold once you have it, but citrus fruits provide hydration and nutrients when you need them.

• Fresh ginger. Slice a one-inch piece into hot water for ginger tea. Ginger has anti-inflammatory properties and helps with nausea and sore throat.

• Lemons. Add to tea or warm water with honey. A classic for a reason.

Drinks

Staying hydrated matters more than usual when you're sick. Fever, a runny nose, and sweating all drain fluids.

• Water. Drink more than usual.

• Hot tea with honey. Peppermint and chamomile are the go-to choices. Safeway carries Celestial Seasonings, Traditional Medicinals, and Yogi. Peppermint helps with congestion. Chamomile helps with sleep.

• Broth. Warm, salty, and soothing. Counts toward fluid intake.

• Electrolyte drinks. Pedialyte or Safeway's Signature Care Electrolyte Solution replace the sodium and potassium you lose when sick. They have the right balance of electrolytes and sugar for absorption during illness.

• Popsicles. Soothing for sore throats and a way to get fluids into kids who refuse to drink.

Medicine and Pharmacy Items

The cold and flu aisle is overwhelming. Here's what treats what.

Cold and Flu Relief

Vicks DayQuil & NyQuil SEVERE Cold & Flu LiquiCap Medicine

Multi-symptom products like DayQuil and NyQuil combine a pain/fever reducer, cough suppressant, and decongestant. Safeway's Signature Care line carries store-brand equivalents with the same active ingredients at a lower price.

DayQuil keeps you functional during the day. NyQuil includes an antihistamine that dries up a runny nose and helps you sleep. A combo pack covers both.

Congestion

If you're stuffed up, you have two options at Safeway:

Nasal spray. Saline spray is non-medicated and safe to use as often as you need. It moisturizes and helps clear your nasal passages. Medicated sprays like Afrin work faster but should not be used for more than 3 days.

Oral decongestant. Ask the pharmacist for pseudoephedrine (the original Sudafed formula). It's kept behind the pharmacy counter. You don't need a prescription, just an ID. This is the effective oral decongestant.

Cough

Two types of cough, two types of medicine:

• Wet, productive cough (you're coughing stuff up): Guaifenesin (Mucinex) thins mucus so it's easier to clear.

• Dry, hacking cough (nothing coming up, keeps you awake): Dextromethorphan (Delsym) suppresses the cough reflex.

Cough drops help for both. Safeway carries Halls, Ricola, and Vicks VapoCool. Menthol cough drops soothe the throat and cool nasal passages.

Fever and Pain

TYLENOL Pain Reliever/Fever Reducer Tablets Regular Strength 325 mg

Acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen (Advil) for fever, headache, body aches, and sore throat. Both work. Ibuprofen also reduces inflammation, which can help with body aches.

One important note: many cold and flu combination products already contain acetaminophen. Check the ingredients before taking Tylenol alongside DayQuil or NyQuil to avoid a double dose.

Test Kits

Not sure if it's a cold, the flu, or COVID? Safeway carries the Flowflex Plus home test, which checks for COVID and Flu A/B in one test. Results in 15 minutes. Knowing what you have helps you decide whether to call your doctor. Flu and COVID both have prescription treatments that work best when started early.

Comfort Items

These don't treat anything, but they make a real difference when you're miserable.

Tissues with lotion. Puffs Plus Lotion or Kleenex with lotion. When you're blowing your nose dozens of times a day, regular tissues leave your skin raw and red. Lotion tissues cost a little more and are worth it.

Vicks VapoRub Topical Chest Rub & Analgesic Ointment

Vicks VapoRub. The menthol and camphor don't actually clear your congestion, but they trigger cold receptors that make your nose feel more open. Clinical trials show it improves sleep quality when you're sick. Apply to your chest before bed.

Lip balm. Mouth-breathing while congested dries out your lips fast.

Hand sanitizer and soap. Keep from spreading it to everyone else in the house.

Shopping for Someone Else

If someone texts you "can you stop at Safeway on the way home," here's the grab-and-go list:

1. Soup (canned chicken noodle or a deli container)

2. Tissues (lotion kind)

3. DayQuil/NyQuil combo or Signature Care equivalent

4. Honey and a box of herbal tea

5. Pedialyte or Gatorade

6. Cough drops

7. Crackers

8. Oranges or clementines

That covers it. If you want to go the extra mile, add popsicles, a container of bone broth, and some fresh ginger and lemons.

Stock Up Before Cold Season

The best time to buy sick-day supplies is when you feel fine. You can compare products, watch for sales, and avoid standing in the pharmacy aisle with a fever trying to read labels.

Pantry (long shelf life):

• Canned chicken soup (3-4 cans)

• Shelf-stable broth (2-3 cartons)

• Crackers

• Honey

• Herbal tea

• Applesauce

Medicine cabinet:

• Acetaminophen and ibuprofen

• DayQuil/NyQuil or Signature Care equivalent

• Cough drops

• Saline nasal spray

• Thermometer

Nice to have:

• Vicks VapoRub

• Lotion tissues

• Frozen popsicles

Don't Leave the House: Order Online

If you're already sick, Safeway's Drive Up & Go lets you order online, drive to the store, and have groceries loaded into your car without getting out. Delivery brings everything to your door. All the items in this article are available online, including pharmacy products.

FAQ

Does chicken soup actually help with a cold?

Yes. Research shows it reduces inflammation that causes congestion and coughing, and clears nasal mucus better than hot water alone. It's not a cure, but it helps with symptoms while providing fluids and nutrition.

Should I avoid dairy when I'm sick?

No. Studies show dairy does not increase mucus production. Milk, yogurt, and ice cream are fine. They provide calories and protein when you have no appetite. The creamy texture can feel like mucus in your throat, but it's not.

Is honey good for a cough?

Yes. A review of 14 clinical trials found that honey reduces cough frequency and severity. Add it to tea or warm water, or take a spoonful. Don't give honey to children under 1.

What's the difference between DayQuil and NyQuil?

Both contain a pain reliever and cough suppressant. NyQuil adds an antihistamine that dries up a runny nose and causes drowsiness, making it better for nighttime. DayQuil skips the antihistamine so you can function during the day.

How do I know if it's a cold, the flu, or COVID?

Symptoms overlap significantly. The Flowflex Plus home test at Safeway checks for COVID and Flu A/B in one test, with results in 15 minutes. A cold is usually milder (runny nose, sore throat, no fever). The flu hits harder and faster (high fever, severe body aches). COVID varies widely. If you test positive for flu or COVID, call your doctor. Both have prescription treatments that work best when started early.

Are Safeway's Signature Care cold medicines as good as the name brands?

They contain the same active ingredients at the same doses. The difference is price. Check the Drug Facts label on the back and compare. The active ingredients are what treat your symptoms.

Should I feed a cold or starve a cold?

Eat if you can. Your body needs fuel and nutrients to fight the infection. If you have no appetite, focus on fluids (broth, tea, electrolyte drinks) and small bites of easy food (crackers, toast, bananas). Don't force a full meal, but don't skip eating entirely.

When should I see a doctor instead of just buying cold medicine?

Call your doctor if you have a fever over 103F, symptoms that improve then suddenly worsen, difficulty breathing, chest pain, confusion, or symptoms that last more than 10 days. For flu and COVID, early treatment with prescription antivirals works best within the first 48 hours (flu) or 5 days (COVID) of symptoms.