We love sharing homemade foods, and there is no better time to do it than the holidays.
All year long, there are so many reasons to share homemade foods. Not only do they always taste better than their packaged, boxed and plastic-wrapped counterparts, homemade foods are infinitely more healthy, and sharing healthy foods with people you love is a great gesture. Skip the processed foods, notoriously laden with sugar, salt, fats, oils, preservatives, chemicals and fillers. When you make your own goodies, you know where everything comes from, what the ingredients are, and you can infuse all your foods with love and positive energy.
I’ve already decided that my friends and family will be receiving either homemade granola, cookie mix or homemade sauerkraut for this year. Everyone is always asking after my recipes, so what better way to share my foods and hopefully inspire people to find their path to healthier living?! Here are some of the best ideas I found for homemade food gifts to share this holiday season (there are a few bonus homemade non-food items too!).
What’s your favorite homemade gift for the holidays?
Cookies in a Jar: Everyone loves cookies, but not everyone feels like they are qualified as bakers. Take the guesswork out of homemade cookies with cookie mixes in a jar. Choose your favorite cookie recipe, make a cute recipe card, and give away goodness! Here’s a recipe and tutorial from Vegan Richa, one of my favorite vegan cooking blogs.
Here are four vegan holiday cookie recipes to get you started.
Homemade Ferments
Give the gift of digestive health with homemade ferments like homemade sauerkraut or homemade kim chi. Everyone is always asking after my ferment recipes, so what better way to share good foods and hopefully inspire people to find their path to healthier living?!
Homemade ferments are rich in digestive enzymes, probiotics and crazy high on flavor. Both kraut and kimchi are easy to make, super affordable, and yet so warmly welcomed.
Homemade Jams, Jellies and Sauces:
If you are feeling even more crafty and ambitious, making your own canned foods can be a super awesome green gift. Though it’s not berry or tomato season right now, there are still plenty of good foods to gift. Here are some recipes!
– Raw Cranberry Relish from Down to Earth Hawaii
– Blueberry Vanilla Chia Jam from Oh She Glows
– Blood Orange Curd from Local Kitchen
– Carrot and Orange Marmalade from Hip Girls Guide to Homemaking
Homemade Granola
This is the homemade granola recipe that I will be sharing with my friends and family. It’s so easy, wholesome and deliciously more flavorful than the stuff in boxes. Best of all, oats are pretty cheap, so this gift is a pretty affordable option for those of us on a tight holiday budget. Find unique jars at thrift stores to make it extra special, or use little fancy baggies with handwritten notes.
Homemade tea mixes
Show off your flair for spices and herbs with homemade tea gifts. Choose your favorite tea (red, green, black or white), mix in your favorite herbs (lavender, chamomile, vanilla, spices) and place in a cute jar for months of happy holiday memories. Find small, cute jars lying around your kitchen or at the thrift store and get packing! Here’s a great recipe for homemade red chai tea, perfect at the holidays and all year long.
{Here are six other quick and easy homemade food gifts from Eat Drink Better!}
Homemade Body Care
Give the gift of natural beauty! Homemade body butter is made with awesome ingredients like shea butter, coconut oil and more for a luxurious treat for someone special.
We’re got recipes for homemade lip balm, homemade face scrub, and here’s a Mint Chocolate Body Butter from Mommypotamus.
And of a whole mess of other great ideas, check out this great post from 100 Days of Real food for instructions for making homemade vanilla extract, homemade breads, and homemade spice mixes.
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