Homemade Gift Ideas

The holidays are wonderful time to give homemade food gifts and food gift baskets to your friends and family. Homemade food gifts are practical as well as unique. Try out a few of these homemade food gift ideas this holiday season.

Spiced Chai in a Jar

Winter is the perfect time for a cup of hot spiced chai while sitting by the fire. This is an economical homemade gift that will put a smile on your friend or family member’s face. Mix the dried ingredients and pour into a quart jar. Cover the lid with colorful material and ribbon with serving directions attached.

Ingredients

• 1 cup non-fat dry powered milk                   
• 2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 cup non-dairy creamer                            
• 2 tsp. ginger
• 2 ½ cups white sugar                               
• 1 tsp. cardamon
• 1 ½ cups unsweetened instant tea           
• 1 tsp. allspice

Preparation

Add 2 tablespoons to a coffee mug. Add hot water and stir.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Mix in a Jar

Homemade cookies are always a welcome gift for friends and family. Give them everything they need to make their own cookies at home. Layer each ingredient into a quart jar; press down firmly. Screw on lid. Add colorful material and a ribbon. Attach a card to the ribbon with the baking instructions.

Ingredients

• 1 ¾ cups flour                                          
• ¾ cup brown sugar
• ¾ tsp. baking soda                                   
• ½ cup white sugar
• ¾ tsp. salt
• 9 ounces chocolate chips

Preparation

Preheat oven to 375. Mix ¾ cup softened butter in a bowl. Then, add 1 egg and ¾ tsp. vanilla. Next, pour the cookie mix from the jar into the bowl.  Blend completely. Drop a teaspoon of cookie dough onto ungreased cookies sheet. Bake 10 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes. Makes 2 dozen cookies.

Italian Dinner in a Basket

Another favorite homemade gift idea is to create a meal placing all the necessary ingredients for that meal into a basket. Here is an example for an Italian Dinner in A Basket:

Purchase a decorative basket big enough to hold all the items.  Place a box of spaghetti, a small bottle of olive oil, a jar of spaghetti sauce and a package of breadsticks into the basket. Add colorful napkins and a candle or anything else that would add to the meal.  Your family and friends will enjoy receiving this creative and practical gift. Other specialty meal food gift baskets suggestions: a Mexican dinner, Indian dinner or Pizza fixings placed in a basket.