The holiday season is here!!
And for those of you haven’t even started thinking about holiday gifts, I’ve come to your rescue with my all-time favorite clutter-free food gifts that are sure to please even the pickiest person on your list.
source: Simple Organized Living
They always say that food is the way to a man’s heart — but as a women, I LOVE getting food gifts! It means I don’t have to make it myself, and I don’t have to figure out a place to store one more gift that I don’t really need!
So why not skip the busy stores, skip the clutter, skip the over-priced gadgets, and make {or buy} food gifts for everyone on your list this year.
Here are a few of my favorite clutter-free food gifts.
Home Canned Goodies:
I’m a big fan of canning my own jams, jellies, fruits, veggies, pie filling, applesauce, salsa, etc. and I don’t know of anyone who would complain about receiving delicious home canned items. I often package my gifts with gourmet chips, crackers, homemade breads, or other items to create a fun gift basket that is sure to please anyone!
Who to give this to: teachers, grand parents, elderly relatives, young moms, party hosts
Homemade Hot Chocolate Mix
I have a very simple recipe for homemade hot chocolate mix. I make this mix for people every year and it always goes over well. You can include fancy chocolates, homemade marshmallows, or any other non-perishable toppings. But please SKIP the mug — I guarantee they don’t need another one!!
Who to give this to: teachers, co-workers, neighbors, extended family member
Caramel Corn — or any other flavor of popped corn:
You could package up your favorite homemade recipe or just buy some of those giant pop corn tins at the store. You could also give them a kit to make their own gourmet popcorn — simply include un-popped popcorn, a variety of seasonings, and the recipes for how to make each different type.
Who to give this to: college students, football fans, any snack-lover!
Jar Mixes:
I simply LOVE getting cookie, brownie, cake or bread mixes in mason jars. Not only can I reuse the jars for canning purposes, I can also whip up some delicious baked goods in no time at all since all the ingredients are measured out.
Who to give this to: young moms, busy families, budding bakers, anyone who doesn’t love baking
Chocolate Bar:
No, I’m not expecting you to make your own chocolate bars — simply buy a bunch of King Size Hershey bars the next time they go on sale, gently peel off the outer wrapper {not the tinfoil wrapper}, and replace it with your own homemade wrapper that says something like “Wishing you a SWEET holiday season from the _______ family.” Seriously, who is going to turn down chocolate!
Who to give this to: mail person, paper delivery person, co-workers, baby-sitters, teachers, classmates, etc.
Junk Food Basket:
I know that name sounds horrible — but I’ve given these baskets before and they are always VERY well received! I often stock up on a variety of baskets at our local thrift store {usually for $0.10 each} and then fill them with homemade treats, candy, suckers, chocolates, 2-litters of pop, lemon aid drink mixes, popcorn, etc.
Who to give this to: high school and college students, your hubby, favorite uncle, neighbors
Dinner for a Night:
This food gift might be difficult to wrap, but you could always give them a “coupon” or “certificate” for One Night Out of the Kitchen. You list a few different dates and food choices that work for you, they pick the one they want, and then you deliver it just before dinner time. I’ve done this several times and it’s a winner for sure! {One tip — put the food in disposable containers so they don’t have to worry about bringing the dishes back to you.}
Who to give this to: new mom, elderly person, busy family, anyone suffering from illness
Groceries for the Week:
Depending on how well you know the person and how much you’re willing to spend, I know SO many families that would simply love to have someone else do their grocery shopping for one week. Of course you’d need to ask them for a list first!
Who to give this to: young families, elderly people, anyone suffering from illness, financially strapped couple
Fancy Beer and Wine:
I love buying fancy beers and wines for different people on my gift list who I know will appreciate it. Sometimes I give the beer and wine as a gift all by itself. Other times I’ll pair it with my recipe for beer bread, fancy cheeses, crackers, etc.
Who to give this to: anyone {over 21} who would appreciate a more sophisticated alcoholic drink
Gift Certificates to a Favorite Restaurant or Coffee Shop:
I use to feel bad about giving gift cards because I thought they were too impersonal. But now that we’re married with two international students and a new baby on the way, date nights aren’t always a regular thing! So we absolutely LOVE getting restaurant gift cards! They give us a great excuse to get out, do something fun, and not have to worry about how much it costs. Plus it gets me out of the kitchen for the night and gives my husband a night off “dish duty”!
Who to give this to: young family, newly weds, college students
So those are just a few of my FAVORITE clutter-free food gifts to give {and to receive}. They are all relatively low cost and low time commitment, but will be much more useful than a last-minute gadget you found on Christmas Eve. Plus, when they are gone, they won’t leave any needless clutter behind!
What are YOUR favorite clutter-free food gifts?
[...] Head on over to the AboutOne blog to drool over my favorite clutter-free food gifts! [...]
Great ideas!! I’m always looking for unique gifts.
Junk Food Basket…
[...] rs. Not only can I reuse the jars for canning purposes, I can also whip up some [...]…