While December and January bring lots of holiday cheer, parties and New Year’s resolutions, these months can also bring an increase in sickness. Cold and flu season is officially upon us, which means it’s time to start stocking up on household essentials that’ll make you feel better and help relieve symptoms. Because who wants to be sneezing and dry-coughing for days on end? Not me.
To help you out, I’ve compiled a list of my top items that I use every year to help me get through colds, the flu and even RSV. From humidifiers to vitamins to over-the-counter medicines and more, here’s what you need to stock up on this season.
17 Essentials for Cold and Flu Season
- First Sign of Symptoms: Take this Boiron Oscillococcinum at the first sign of cold and flu-like symptoms. It’s said to help reduce the duration of your symptoms and relieve body aches, headache, fever, the chills and fatigue — $25
- Clear Congestion: This Mucinex 12-Hour Maximum Strength medicine relieves congestion, thins mucus and lessens coughs for up to 12 hours — $25
- Control Coughs: While the previous Mucinex medicine controls congestion, this one is best for controlling and suppressing bad coughs, and it also lasts for up to 12 hours — $34
- Hot, Hot, Hot: Check your temperature with this no-touch thermometer. The large display shows your temperature after holding it up to your forehead, and there are three colors on the display to match your temperature — $15
- Surface Level Clean: If you or other people in the house are sick, keep your surfaces disinfected with these Amazon Basics Disinfecting Wipes, which come in four packs of 85 with lemon and fresh scents — $12
- Cool Mist: If you’re struggling to get some sleep due to congestion or a dry throat, grab this Levoit Top Fill Humidifier. It produces a light mist that helps relieve congestion and dry throat, and it has a 25-hour runtime — $28
- Breathe Easy: To go along with your humidifier, consider grabbing this air purifier, too. It filters the air of dust, toxins, smoke and impurities, which can help you breathe and feel better — $85
- Achoo!: There’s nothing worse than a stuffy nose, complete with constant sneezing. But these Puffs Plus Lotion Facial Tissues are soothing, moisturizing and can easily be placed on your bedside table — $30
- Vitamin Boost: Add these Clean Nutraceuticals Vitamins to your daily regimen. These little capsules have quercetin, sea moss, zinc, vitamins C and D, black pepper and elderberry, which are said to support and balance the immune system and promote daily wellness and cellular functions and response — $23
- For the Kids: If the kiddos are sick, grab this combo pack of DayQuil and NyQuil for kids. It’s berry-flavored, so it won’t taste horrible to them, and it’ll help relieve congestion, cough and sneezing — $17
- Sneeze-Free Sinuses: Clear your sinuses and reduce inflammation in your nose with this Xlear Natural Nasal Spray, which has xylitol and grapefruit seed extract — $27
- Customer Favorite: An Amazon’s Choice product, this box of NeilMed Sinus Rinse Packets helps soothe and clear your nasal passages to reduce stuffiness and drip. Reviewers say it’s a “must-have for quick relief” — $11
- Hot Tea: Tea is basically a sick day essential, and this Traditional Medicinals Organic Immune Zoom Tea is infused with elderberry, cinnamon and licorice root — $32
- Sweet Lemons: If you prefer something fruity, you can’t go wrong with Yogi’s Sweet Lemon Everyday Immune Tea, which is blended with lemongrass, lemon peel, tulsi leaf and licorice root — $27
- Everyday Gummies: If you haven’t been taking elderberry vitamins every day, you need to start, as elderberries are rich in antioxidants. These berry-flavored Nature’s Way Sambucus Elderberry Immune Support Gummies are for kids and adults, and they include zinc and vitamins C and D — $13
- Immune Boost: Drop one of these Airborne tablets in water, let it dissolve and drink it. The sugar-free formula contains vitamins C, D and E and zinc — $19
- Kid-Friendly Crystals: And for the kids, give them these Emergen-C Kidz Crystals. These strawberry-flavored on-the-go packs have vitamins B and C, zinc and antioxidants — $24
