Edible Gifts You Can Make with Your Family

This holiday season, many of us are feeling a bit isolated, and craving social connection. It may sound counterintuitive, but giving to others can help ease loneliness. Edible homemade holiday gifts are an especially meaningful (and delicious!) way to show your friends, extended family, neighbors, or teachers that you are thinking of them.

Making homemade gifts is a great family activity. Not only is it a nice way to spend family time together without staring at a screen, but it also involves kids in the giving process. It is easy for kids to focus on material things during the holiday season. Inviting them to be part of making and giving the edible gifts gives them a tangible experience to relate to when they hear someone say, “giving is better than receiving.”

Put on your favorite holiday music, gather up the family, and start making some homemade gifts that your friends are sure to enjoy.

Friendship Soup Mix in a Jar

(adapted from allrecipes.com)

• 1 1/2 pint glass mason jar with lid
• Card for writing additional ingredients and cooking directions
• 1/2 cup dry split peas
• 1/4 cup beef bouillon granules (substitute with chicken or veggie bouillon granules)
• 1/4 cup pearl barley
• 1/2 cup dry lentils
• 1/4 cup dried onion flakes
• 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
• 1/2 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup uncooked alphabet pasta

In the mason jar layer the ingredients in the following order: split peas, bouillon, barley, lentils, onion flakes, Italian seasoning, rice, and bay leaves. Wrap the pasta in plastic wrap, and place on top of layered ingredients in the jar. Seal tightly. Attach a card to the jar with the following instructions:

Friendship Soup

Additional Ingredients:

• 1 pound ground beef (omit for veggie option),
• Black pepper and garlic powder to taste
• 28 ounces diced tomatoes – undrained
• 6 ounces tomato paste
• 3 quarts water

To prepare soup: Remove pasta from the top of the jar, and set aside. In a large pot over medium heat, brown beef with pepper and garlic; drain excess fat. Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, water, and soup mix. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover, and simmer for 45 minutes. Stir in the pasta, cover, and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the pasta, peas, lentils, and barley are tender.

Clementine Wreaths

(adapted from omiyageblogs.ca)

• Clementines (you can also use mandarins or navel oranges)
• Cellophane wrap
• Red and white baker’s twine
• Clear tape
• Gift tags

Cut a piece of cellophane. Line up 8 clementines along the length of your cellophane. Leave a little space between each clementine. Wrap the cellophane into a tube around the clementines. Secure the cellophane with a few small pieces of clear tape. Tie a piece of twine into a bow between each clementine. Join the two end pieces of cellophane together and voila! Your clementine tube becomes a festive holiday wreath. Secure with a piece of baker’s twine, add your gift tag and tie baker’s twine into a bow.

Herbal Vinegar

(adapted from thespruceeats.com)

There are two methods. One is done at room temperature and is ready in about two weeks, while the other method uses heat and is ready in one week. Directions below are for the heat method.

• Heat-proof glass jar with lid
• White wine vinegar
• Dried herb(s) of your choice- rosemary, oregano, tarragon

Fill a clean, heat-proof glass jar 1/3 full of dried herbs (you do not need to sterilize the jar). Heat vinegar just to a simmer (don’t let it get to a full boil). Pour the hot vinegar over the dried herbs. Cover tightly and label the jar with the name of the herb(s) you used and the date. Store at room temperature away from direct light or heat for one week. Strain the vinegar into an attractive, clean glass bottle. Discard the spent herbs. Add a few new sprigs of dried herbs for decoration. Tightly cover or cork the bottle.

Traditional Holiday Cookies

Good old-fashioned homemade holiday cookies are a hit with everyone. The whole family can help with the baking, decorating, and sampling, (for quality control, of course, wink, wink!) Here are four traditional favorites.

• Decorated Holiday Sugar Cookies – Sally’s Baking Addiction
• Classic Spritz Cookies – Betty Crocker
• Old Fashioned Gingersnaps – Joy of Baking
• M&M Cookies in a Jar – I Heart Naptime