The Fun of Personalized Homemade Food Gift Baskets
Joyful Giving: Baskets full of homemade goodies make the perfect gifts!
Christmas gifts can be stressful! Especially if you find yourself running out of time. I have been asked several times in the past week what I enjoy doing for Christmas gifts, and I’m here to tell you I love putting together food baskets.
Many people would guess that since I cook for a living, it’s obvious why I enjoy giving food as gifts. That is definitely one of the reasons, but it’s certainly not the only reason.
Here are several reasons I enjoy the gift of food:
GRANDMOTHER ALWAYS GAVE FOOD AND LOVE.
I was blessed to grow up with a grandmother who believed taking care of other people was one of life’s great pleasures. She thrived on being helpful, brightening someone’s day, and putting a smile on a stranger or loved one’s face. It was her mission in life.
My grandmother went to our local nursing homes at least three times a week with her “goodie bags.” She would spend days baking bread, making snack mixes, candies, etc. She loved visiting, and she loved taking her grandkids with her. I’ve often told people that I always connect with older people more than children. Well…I was raised around older people. I can still see her today walking into someone’s room, patting them on their hand, and saying, “How are you today?” She genuinely cared and would worry with them, read with them, laugh with them, and cry with them. Of course, at Christmas time, she went all out and made sure that everyone received special treats for the holidays.
My grandmother was named volunteer of the year for the entire state of Kentucky, and when she passed, she was referred to as the “Mother Teresa” of our hometown. She was a very special lady, and I’m forever proud to be her granddaughter. Watching her spend hours in her kitchen, just to make food to give away, had a profound effect on me. Little did I know that later in life, I would grow up to make a living creating recipes and preparing food. Trust me….it took me a while to get here, but I DID GET HERE! Knowing how much joy her goodies brought to people is definitely a reason that I love to give food for the holidays.
Giving the Gift of Food
So, giving food baskets helps create food memories for other people! How special is that? I just love being able to do that for other people…..IT’S EASY! I’ve done several homemade food gift baskets over the years, so I thought I would share what I added to them.
You can use any basket, tin, plastic container…..anything that will hold your goodies! I used a round plastic container and just put a few sheets of tissue paper on the bottom. Then I sprinkled a few festive Hershey Kisses around. Can’t forget the coffee mugs or, in this case, “hot chocolate mugs.”
HOT CHOCOLATE GIFT BASKETS
I got these cute little treat baggies at the Dollar Store. I filled one with marshmallows and tucked it in the coffee mug. You can also fill one with peppermint sticks. Peppermint is perfect with hot chocolate. As for the hot chocolate, I included our homemade mix and just put the directions for a “cup of hot chocolate” in the basket.
EASY TIPS FOR MAKING MULTIPLE FOOD BASKETS
You want to make a few recipes that make a lot of goodies, so you can easily just divide them up. This is key! You don’t want to spend days creating a food basket. You want to make a few delicious recipes that you can include in all your baskets that your friends and family will enjoy.
A few recipes I always enjoy adding:
These peppermint pretzels are so simple, and I love how festive they look! Are you making food trays this year? They are perfect!
- Rolo Pretzel Turtles (use gluten-free pretzels if you need a GF option)
- Cool Whip Cookies*
- Tea Cakes
- Candied Walnuts/Pecans
- Avalanche Cookies
- Cool Whip Candy
- Crock Pot Candy
*If you chose to include the Cool Whip cookies or any cookie rolled in powdered sugar…I highly recommend getting a little cookie container to place them in. The powdered sugar will get all over the treat bags and is not a good look.
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I added our printed magazine to my homemade food gift baskets because it’s the perfect reading material while enjoying a cup of hot chocolate! I have also given friends and family a digital membership to Front Porch Life and just include a little note in the card. I always like to include something personal in each basket. For example, for one friend, I included a cute small Christmas cactus because I know she loves plants. Now, every time she sees that cactus, she remembers it was a gift! It certainly doesn’t have to be expensive. I included these cute little ornaments in this basket because I gave it to a friend who is starting a Christmas tree farm.
EASY PERSONAL TOUCHES TO INCLUDE IN YOUR GIFT BASKET:
- Cute vintage candy dish from a thrift store. Tie a ribbon around it and use it to hold homemade bourbon balls!
- Frame an old-timey Christmas card to give the basket an old-fashioned look, and then they get to keep the frame and card for their home.
- Include a jar of homemade vanilla for the baker in your life. Lauren from Brownings Homestead recently gave me this gift, and I LOVE IT! She came over, and we made this cake with it…it was fantastic, AND we created a beautiful memory I hope to repeat for many years to come.
- I love giving books I have read. I always write a cute inscription on the inside cover of the book for the new owner. My grandmother always did this, and I love to see the ones from her collection that were given to her.
Well, I hope this gave you some fun ideas for the next time you decide to give a food basket as a gift. Remember, food gifts are not just for the holidays…they are a good idea anytime. Giving the gift of homemade food is creative, and I’ve always found that people love it!
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Merry Christmas!
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