Shed for the Holidays: Food Gifting

Fact: I am a gifter. I enjoy it. I am good at it. I don’t “put off” Christmas shopping; I do it as much as I can until the money runs out!

Whether you love it or hate it though, one way to simplify the gifting process is to start giving the gift of food!

Yes, as a food writer, perhaps I love food a little more than the next person, but most people like to eat good food. And it definitely doesn’t have to be over-the-top — simple and delicious is the winning combination.

There are two routes you can take when planning food gifts: homemade or store-bought.

If you’re a budding, budgeting Betty Crocker, homemade food gifts are great. Baking is relatively inexpensive, and it allows you to really impress your friends and family. I like to choose old-fashioned recipes; super-modern “foodie” gifts can be intimidating to non-foodie friends. If you want to keep it seasonal, a homemade dry hot chocolate mix or trail mix (add dark chocolate, almonds, and cranberries make it Chrimstassy) is a good way to go. Make a huge batch of either and divide into cellophane bags. Tie with a ribbon and tuck into a simple mug emblazoned with the receiver’s first initial. I love these $6 mugs from Anthropologie.

You can also go shabby-chic and truly vintage with a set from Goodwill, ebay, or Etsy. I love this set; the mugs are only $3 each!

Sweets are always appreciated, but because people tend to indulge in so many cookies during the holidays, I tend to gift more savory treats. My standby: bread! Once you’ve bought the supplies – which generally cost less than $15 –  you will be able to prepare enough loaves for everyone on your list. Beer bread is a great way to go because you can make it with any kind of flour, add-ins, and beer to create a truly unique loaf. (Whole wheat, dried cranberries, and Hoegaarden for your sister; Guinness and rye for Grandpa.) If you’d rather not bake the bread, you can put the dry ingredients in a small jar, tie the recipe on with a festive ribbon, and give it with a six-pack of their favorite beer. I usually give a loaf of bread with a nice but inexpensive block of cheese (Cracker Barrel is surprisingly good and costs less than $5). It’s thoughtful, delicious, and won’t leave you in debt.

If you prefer to the mall to the kitchen, there are many ways to give food without settling on a fruitcake. Last year, I actually gave a few people on my list a bacon gift set. My friends were skeptical, but really, very few people dislike bacon, and it saw a huge surge in popularity in 2008. The Applewood bacon from Nueske’s, a family-owned company, does not disappoint. They offer gift baskets; my favorite is the family breakfast special, which comes with bacon, pancake mix, and pure Maple syrup. They ship all over the U.S., but you can also assemble your own breakfast basket with high-quality bacon from a local butcher and farm-fresh eggs. This also makes a very unexpected and stylish hostess gift!

If you’d like to spend a little more, good olive oil and aged balsamic vinegar is a fantastic gift, especially for the amateur chef or foodie. Most people pick up these pantry staples at the supermarket and don’t splurge on high-quality brands. Hit a specialty store or browse the Internet for Spanish olive oil and “real” balsamic. The oil and vinegar from BR Blends is heavenly! They offer mix-and-match gift sets, so you can give vanilla-fig balsamic, blood orange olive oil, and two other bottles to your parents, or you can split them up and give one bottle to each sibling. (Seeing those oils also inspired me to whip up my own dipping oil to give with homemade bread!) I also bought myself a Christmas gift of real Italian Parmesan-Reggiano cheese. It lasts forever, and it can totally spruce up a dish; because it’s tastier (and pricier) than normal cheese/the shit in the green can, it’s totally gift-worthy.

Another way to go is to make homemade liquor. Not like you’re going to start whipping up moonshine in your tub, but an infused vodka is very cool! Check out this super easy recipe for homemade limoncello to get you started!

When you’re spending less on the actual gift, it can be nice to put a little extra into the presentation. Most craft stores have pretty jars and you can find inexpensive but chic mugs and bowls at discount stores. I hit the dollar store hard yesterday for items for my cookie party and was so impressed; they had real glassware and just so many other cute Christmassy things. When all was said and done, it only cost $15! Another way to go is simply wrapping the food in brown craft paper and tying it with brown string. It’s so chic but won’t break the bank.

Giving the gift of food will never go out of style. Giving a gift card is nice, but being able to nourish and satisfy the people you care about is more in the holiday spirit. It may not last all year, but they’ll definitely enjoy it more than a Snuggie.

Tagged as: Christmas, Food, gifting, healthy food, holidays