Spoonful of Comfort allows you to send homemade chicken soup to loved ones who are under the weather.

Recently, a friend battling a cold several states away jokingly asked us to send soup from our favorite New York soup place. Then we heard about Spoonful of Comfort, a Florida-based company that allows well-wishers to send old-fashioned homemade chicken soup to those in need of TLC. Simply place the order online and within several days the recipient will be surprised with a 64-ounce jar ($32) of chicken noodle soup, complete with a shiny ladle and a personal message from you. For an additional $6, you can order a half-dozen fresh rolls or six homemade oatmeal raisin cookies.

The chicken soup is made to order, with chicken stock, chicken, pasta noodles, carrots, celery, onion, parsley, salt and pepper — and without additives or preservatives. The idea came to Spoonful of Comfort founder Marti Bowes Wymer, when only a day after returning to Florida from a visit with her mother in Canada, she learned her mom had been diagnosed with lung cancer. Feeling helplessly far away and wanting to send some comfort immediately, her thoughts turned to chicken soup.

In January 2009, Wymer launched Spoonful of Comfort so that others could send comforting soup to loved ones. In memory of Wymer’s mother, Mona Bowes, who died six months after her diagnosis, $1 from every jar of soup is donated to the American Cancer Society. Chicken soup might do more than just put a smile on someone’s face — pulmonary specialist Stephen Rennard, M.D., of the University of Nebraska Medical Center, has conducted research showing that it may inhibit inflammation in nasal passages and reduce cold symptoms. Our congested friend happens to be a vegetarian, and while there are no veggie options yet, Spoonful of Comfort is working on creating vegetarian, gluten-free, organic and free-range chicken soup options.

During cold and flu season, this sounds like a great way to cheer up and surprise someone who needs some comfort and nourishment. What are some of your favorite cold remedies?

Tags: American Cancer Society, Canada, Chicken soup, Florida, Food and drink, Hospitality/Recreation, Marti Bowes Wymer, Mona Bowes, Nebraska Medical Center, New York City, Noodle soup, Person Travel, pulmonary specialist, Soups, Stephen Rennard, the University of Nebraska, University of Nebraska Medical Center, USD