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Creatively Frugal Edible Gifts
What are some of your favorite
food gifts that are quick, easy and inexpensive to make and give
as gifts?
"This
one is a 'no-brainer'. Take a holiday tin and fill
with the following: mixed nuts, raisins (or
dried cranberries) and holiday M&Ms. Sometimes
I substitute foil-wrapped Hershey's Kisses. This
is so simple, involves no cooking, travels well
and the recipient does NOT have to eat it all
right away. You can use just peanuts if you want
to keep the price lower. I usually buy mixed nuts
right around Halloween as they are often on sale.
For nut-lovers, this is a simple yet festive gift.
Don't forget to place some tissue or Mylar paper
in the tin before putting in the mixture." ~
Janice
"The
easiest holiday edibles that we've made are
chocolate-dipped pretzel rods. Just melt some
chocolate (great way to use up candy that you've
received or bought on clearance from the previous
holiday), take a pretzel rod, dip one end in the
chocolate about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way down, and
then roll the pretzel rod in some holiday
sprinkles! This is a great way to spend an
afternoon with the kids during the busy holiday
season!" ~ Mary
"Last
year I found and made this recipe for everyone.
It is so simple but very easy. It is a
different twist on an old favorite.
Melt
white chocolate almond bark. Dip one end of
a large pretzel rod in the chocolate. Then,
roll the dipped end in Fruity Pebbles cereal (the
bagged kind works fine). Set on waxed paper
to harden. Store in air tight container.
Enjoy!" ~ Cassie
"* Chocolate-covered pretzel rods dipped in
sugars or candies
* Quick
breads like pumpkin, banana, or cranberry.
Wrap these
in colored cellophane and tie with ribbon."
~ Shawn
"I
also enjoy giving and receiving edible gifts.
Here are ideas…
*Through
out the year I save containers that will work
nicely for edible gifts such as pickle and jelly
jars, whipped topping and margarine containers,
Quaker oat containers and tins. I wash each
(except the oat containers of course) and put
away in the back of a cabinet to reduce clutter.
Then around Thanksgiving I pull them out and
cover with Christmas wrap, scrapbooking papers
or adhesive papers (such as Contact brand).
Decorate with holiday stickers, pictures,
recycled Christmas card fronts, etc. You can
glue coordinating paper, fabric or felt, or even
a doily, on some of the lids. Then after
Christmas treats are prepared, fill your
containers and tie on ribbon or raffia to
complete the look.
Hidden
Valley Ranch Snack Crackers
One bag Oyster Crackers (it is worth it to use a
name brand like a Nabisco…buying a cheaper
brand will affect taste and 'crunch')
½ cup oil – vegetable, canola, or olive,
which every you prefer
½ to 1 tsp dill weed
¼ to ½ tsp garlic salt or powder (I use
garlic powder to reduce the salt content)
1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch Salad mix – dry
Mix
all ingredients. You can use the lesser amount
of the dill and garlic to reduce the 'spice' for
folks preferring plainer snacks. It is not
necessary to bake these crackers, but the flavor
will be enhanced by baking for 15-20 minutes at
275 degrees.
This
is an inexpensive, quick gift that is a great
snack alone or excellent with soups.
Gift
idea: place in a large Mason jar, cover with
lid, put a fabric square on top then screw on
the ring to hold lid and fabric in place.
Attach ribbon or raffia and a gift card.
Gift
Idea: Put a can or couple of cans soup in a
basket along with some of these crackers.
Makes a great winter meal.
Gift
Idea: Put a jar or tin of these crackers in with
a jar or tin of Christmas chocolates (such as
Hershey’s Kisses, Peanut Butter Cups,
M&M’s) for a 'Sweet and Salty' gift
basket." ~ Cathy
"Easy,
quick and inexpensive? Can preserves–jams and
jellies. If you don't know how, ask a friend who
does canning if you can come over sometime when
she does it. Offer to help peel and chop and
she'll be delighted to have you over. I didn't
have a friend to learn from, but a TV program on
the Food Network and a cheap copy of the Ball
Blue Book of Canning taught me. Don't be afraid–canning
is a piece of cake next to baking, and the
cleanup is way easier. The best part is that the
work can be done months ahead of time–I'm
already all set for Christmas gifts for
teachers, neighbors and hostess gifts. I can
make 8 ounce jars of jam that never cost more
than $2 each to make. If I buy used jars at yard
sales and get good deals on fruit or fruit for
free (my neighbors never want all the grapes on
their grapevine) and use recipes that don't
require purchased pectin, my per-jar costs are
less than $1 each.
My
husband manages a store with about 22 employees.
I used to spend all my free time for three or
four weeks in November and December baking
cookies to send a huge basket of 30 dozen
cookies (about 8 different varieties) to the
store for everyone to share for a Christmas
gift. Then, when my third child was born, I just
could not make the time to bake. I learned to
can the next summer. Now the employees get each
a homemade jar of preserves–this year they're
getting Apple Ginger Marmalade that I made last
month with apples I got for 59 cents a pound, in
jars I bought at a yard sale. The total cost
with jars, lids, fruit and sugar came to about
85 cents a jar. That is way less than I spent
making all those cookies. I spent less time and
I got it all done 2 months before Christmas.
It's a
great skill to have! Don't be afraid–go ahead
and learn!" ~ Catherine from Minnesota
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"I have searched and searched for gifts for my
soon-to-be daughter in law, (I hope) Anyway, her
birthday is in December as well which makes it more
difficult. I don't see her much so I don't know her
tastes, or so I thought. I remembered how much she
loves cake. She is a very petite little lady but she
does love her desserts so I made a small booklet, kind
of like the entertainer book that is popular. On the
front it says, 'Ludecke (our last name) Bakery,
Dessert of the Month Club.' Inside I typed a cute
little congratulations on being in the Dessert of the
Month Club and then on each page I typed a different
month with a different dessert. I went on Google
Images and found a picture similar to what I would be
making and put it on the page too. It turned out
beautifully. My husband was so impressed. You know we
really don't need 'things.' We need to be able to
enjoy family and friends this time of year and always.
I miss the times when my boys were small but I'm
finding the joy of helping others and learning how to
be a 'grown-up Mommy' of three fine young men.
Hope this helps others. Just think, each month your
loved one will remember this gift that keeps giving
all year, literally!" ~ Brenda
"When I
saw your discussion question on edible gifts, my heart
sank. Please don't encourage people to
"cook up" gifts this holiday season! You have
no idea what problems it can cause!
I have a
continuing problem with my weight and health and I
have numerous food allergies. I also teach school.
Please tell your
readers to NOT assume their children's teacher (or
anyone else) is going to want the goodies from
their kitchen this Christmas.
I feel terrible
when a student brings me something from the kitchen. I
know the mom, and maybe the student also, has put a lot
of time and effort into their concoction. When I
tell them, "Oh, you shouldn't have!" -- I mean
exactly that!
I cannot eat it!
If I don't know all the ingredients used, I cannot
assume that it doesn't contain an ingredient that would
land me in the emergency room. I once had a mom
tell me all the ingredients -- or so she thought. But
she left one out and I got sick from eating just a
bite. My doctor said its dangerous to assume the person
knows everything that's in there; like the well-meaning
mom, she or he may forget one crucial ingredient.
Also, I have
no idea how clean or how dirty your kitchen may be.
Therefore, eating anything that is homemade concerns
me, regardless if it's on my restricted diet or not.
I don't want
desserts or things made with sugar that will elevete
my blood sugar. I can't eat cheese, Chexmix,
breads, sweetrolls, fruitcake, candy, jams/
jellies/preserves or cakes. I can't drink
anything with caffeine, so even flavored coffees and
spiced teas are forbidden to me. And I don't
want a can of stale, already-popped popcorn that
you bought at the mall. ( I may use the can but
I'll feed the contents to the birds.)
I try to eat
only organic fresh fruits and vegetables, so you
can see how most "edible gifts" don't fit this
category. That includes gifts from students, and also
from my friends and relatives.
I don't have
a spouse, dog, friend, roommate or neighbor who wants
any more calorie-laden goodies, so it all goes to waste.
(Although I'm frugal, I don't believe in regifting. I
think it's rude. Plus, if you regift a food gift, or buy
one from a closeout store, no telling how old the food
may be!) During the busy holiday season, it's really
hard for me to drive all the way across town to the
Salvation Army or battered woman's shelter to drop off a
food gift.
Even if I take it
to the teacher's lounge, everyone is overwhelmed by the
people who think a box of chocolates or cookies is going
to be appreciated. You should see the stuff piled up on
the table, untouched. Many teachers have heart
conditions, diabetes, etc. and they really couldn't use
any more yummies, especially at the holidays. We can't
eat 'em up before we begin our New Year's diets.
(One fellow
teacher told me she has observed that
the people who give candy and food gifts are usually
extremely obese, and the food gifts are the kinds of goodies
that are really bad for you! She wondered if those
people are trying to recruit more of us into the ranks
of the morbidly obese. Believe me, this gesture is NOT
appreciated!)
What I would
suggest in lieu of food is a gift certificate to a
bookstore or teacher supply store -- or even to Walmart
or the local grocery chain. A box of facial tissues or
supplies (even pencils) for the classroom is
another overlooked but inexpensive gift idea. Most
teachers keep pencils, pens, erasers, colored map
pencils, notebook paper, Kleenex and a sewing kit (with
safety pins) in their classrooms for students' use, and
if you could contribute to their cache of these needed
supplies, they would appreciate it much, much more than
trinkets and edibles.
But, the
best-loved gift just may be a Christmas card with a note
thanking the teacher for her efforts....that doesn't
cost you much and believe me, it's priceless." ~
Mrs. Anonymous
Editor's Note: Thanks to these readers for taking time to share
their ideas!
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