Food: Give the Gift of Food

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Give the Gift of Food
Thursday, August 17, 2006

When it comes time to give someone a gift, consider giving the gift of food.

Gift Baskets
Gift baskets are one way to use foot to your advantage in crafting the perfect gift. Around the holidays, you can find gift baskets at just about any grocery store. These pre-made assortments usually include a variety of fruits and nuts. Some even offer a bottle of wine. A sausage, cracker, and cheese assortment is another popular prepackaged basket option. If you're looking for a little more variety or something nicer, you can check out gourmet food stores and specialty gift basket sellers. You can even order some gift baskets online. Just search for "gift baskets" and all you have to do is choose your favorite from the dozens that are sure to fit your needs.

If it's not the holiday season, your options are going to be more limited. Gift baskets can also be pricey, and the selections can be impersonal if you're giving one to a good friend or close family member. Whether you're looking to save money or craft the perfect gift suited to a friend's interests, you may want to make your own gift basket. Gift baskets work best if they're organized around a theme. You may want to create a basket centered around a meal. You could include everything you would need to make pizza or barbecue steaks on the grill except for the perishable items. You can also make entertainment or hobby-themed gift baskets. The gardener would enjoy a basket full of seeds and some new gardening gloves while the music enthusiast might like a selection of CDs. The possibilities are endless and can be perfectly tailored to any recipient.

Food Clubs
Food clubs are the gift that keeps on giving. They are typically called "(Insert Food Name Here) of the Month" clubs. The idea is that you buy a friend a subscription in the club, and every month they receive a new product to try, shipped right to their door. There are clubs for every taste, from the health-food nut to the gourmet. You can find Fruit of the Month clubs, Bacon of the Month clubs, Wine of the Month clubs, Potato Chip of the Month clubs and many more. While full-year plans are the most popular, you can also choose three-month and six-month options for some clubs depending on how much you want to spend on your gift. However, the longer the membership, the longer the recipient has to enjoy the full selection the club has to offer.

Gift Certificates
By giving gift certificates to restaurants, you can let others have a meal on you without having to be there. You can either give gift certificates to a restaurant they always visit, a new restaurant you think they would enjoy, or a fancier place you know they wouldn't pay for on their own. Kids and teens will likely prefer certificates from fast food restaurants. The younger kids will see the visit as a special treat, and the teens will enjoy the chance for free food when they're hanging out with their friends. Before sending gift certificates to a friend or relative who lives in a different area, check the restaurant's website to make sure they have a location in that area. There's nothing more disappointing than a gift certificate you can't use.

Baked Goods
Who doesn't love a plate of cookies or a cake? Giving the gift of baked goods requires an investment of your time rather than money, and the gift means that much more because of it. Be careful of diets, medical conditions, and food allergies, though, if you're going to drop off a pan of brownies at your neighbor's house.

If giving someone baked goods isn't practical, or you just don't have time for the actual baking, consider creating jar mixes as a gift. The idea is that you assemble all the dry ingredients for brownies or cookies in a glass jar, layered attractively and tied off with a ribbon and a recipe. All the recipient has to do is add some water, and perhaps an egg or oil, and they're ready to go. While baked goods are the most, it's also possible to do a similar thing with pasta dishes. Look online for jar mix recipe ideas to please any palate.

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