Top care packages to send to locked down Melburnian friends

It's better to give than to receive, so in the interest of your own self care, give yourself a dopamine hit by sending a care package to locked-down friends and family.

Killer cakes

You might be momentarily resented for sending the gift of kilojoules, but it's a pandemic. Let us eat cake. It's a good time for it, given Cumulus Inc. has released a ludicrous, large-format version of a rum baba, piped with spiced chantilly cream ($34; serves 4-6). cumulusinc.com.au

From Andrew McConnell's Trader House stable comes Good Pudd, a cake delivery service from Gimlet Melbourne's currently underemployed pastry chef. A weekly selection posted on Instagram might include baked Basque cheesecakes and chocolate and date tarts with tahini custard to order by the quarter, half or whole ($15, $30, $50) for a weekend pick-up.

Or there's Attica's wild new creation: half lamington, half pavlova, all controversy. It's $65 and serves eight. attica.com.au

Soothing soups

If you know parents deprived of daycare, or someone who has caught the plague, send a nutritious meal to take the pressure off. Hit up the Moroccan Soup Bar Two Go for Hana Assafiri's life-giving vegetarian banquet packs, or buy the lemony spinach and lentil soup and chickpea bake in bulk to make for easy meals. moroccansoupbar.com.au

Or hit up Fair Feed, a collective of out-of-work chefs who make nutritious home-style meals (green curries, pastas, roast dinners with vegan options) for an affordable $5-$8 a head. Delivery is $10 flat and covers a huge area. fairfeed.com.au.

Send a round

The Everleigh has pulled together a cocktail collection from a dream team of Melbourne bars, who each receive the proceeds. Each pack contains cocktails from seven bars including Bar Americano, Above Board, Byrdi, Black Pearl, the Everleigh, Capitano and Mjolner ($130). everleighbottling.com

Or there's Dilly Delly, a bottled cocktail company shaking and bottling cocktails fresh on the day of delivery, meaning they can do fruit-based drinks like cosmos and margaritas. dillydelly.com.au

Bring a hotel home

Hotels have had to pivot and hustle as hard as any other hospitality business. The Marriott's stable have wrapped up the hotel experience in a box. The Westin is sending their high tea service (replete with cardboard stands) to your house, and if you miss the fresh robe feel, The Sheraton is offering spa hampers including champagne, bath products and vitally, a dressing gown and slippers that you won't get in trouble for keeping. marriottgifts.com.au/vic.