Top 50 Gifts from the Kitchen You CAN Make

Giving gifts from the kitchen is a fun way to share a little of yourself with others this holiday season. Your friends and family will appreciate a tasty treat and be touched by the sentiment and creativity you put into their gift. Here are 50 gifts from the kitchen that you can run across the street or send across the country.

gifts and stars with title 50 gifts

Subscribe 👇🏼 and get the (ad-free) GIFT GUIDE in your INBOX

Soups in a Jar

Unwrapping a jar of lentil quinoa veggie soup mix may seem odd on Christmas morning, but from my experience, it’s much appreciated weeks later when it’s served for supper on a cold, busy winter night.

two soup mixes in jar
A trip to a bulk food store is all you need for these tasty Soup Mixes in a Jar.

Cookie & Pancake Mixes in a Jar

When you can’t give the finished baked version, send a mix in a jar or baggy. Here are out favourites.

cookie recipe in a jar and baked cookies (and m&m's) lay scattered next to the jar
Pretty and tasty Cookie Mixes in a Jar are always a hit.

HOMEMADE SEASONING MIXES

Homemade seasoning mixes are one of my favorite homemade convenience foods. They’re fun to make, add superb flavor to food, are less expensive than store bought alternatives and allow you to avoid high levels of salt, sugar, preservatives and fillers often used in commercial seasoning blends. Bulk buy individual herbs and spices or add in any of your own dried herbs. Have fun!

3 white spoons with different dried/ground spices set among various raw whole spices (ginger root, cinnamon sticks, peppercorns, star anise, bay leaves, cloves and rosemary)
Buy herbs and spices and make your own seasoning blends.
rosemary focaccia ingredient gift basket: oil, rosemary salt and dry mix in a gift bag
Rosemary Focaccia ingredients with instructions in a baggy with homemade rosemary finishing salt and a bottle of locally bottled oil wrapped with a cutting board.

Beverages

Hot or cold, boozy or not, homemade beverages or mixes make excellent gifts for young and old.

cocoa snowman and reindeer
Hot Cocoa mix delivered in these cute reindeer bags or snowman jars.
variety of herb infused simple syrup on table
Herb and fruit infused simple syrups are great for mocktails or cocktails. Wrap it up with a locally made spirit or a six pack of fancy sparkling water.

Preserves & Infusions

Jam, jelly, salsa, chutney or pickled vegetables make ideal gifts for close friends and family who know and trust your commitment to safe canning practices. If you prefer not to do any hot water bath canning, try the infused vinegar or honey as a pretty, delicious gift in a jar.

SAFETY NOTE: If you take short cuts on your home canned goods or do not follow all proper canning procedures – don’t give your canned goods as gifts. I’m sorry if that sounds harsh, but seriously, you do not want to be responsible for anyone getting sick from your gifts. You or your family may have not gotten sick (yet) but what if the people your gifting your products to have a more delicate constitution or are more vulnerable. For the latest and most reliable guidelines follow the National Centre of Home Food Preservation.

6 stacked hot pepper jelly jars
Hot pepper jelly is always a hit – be sure to make two batches cause you’ll want some for yourself!

Nuts, Seeds & Salty Snacks

Looking for something more nutty or savoury? Try some of these ideas.

oven roasted chickpeas close
Oven roasted chickpeas can be seasoned any way you our your gift recipient prefers. We like cajun seasoning with just a little bit of heat.

Other Homemade Goodies

You simply cannot go wrong with wrapping up some of your best baked treats. Consider cookies, cakes, pies, barks, chocolates, breads, loaves or bars – anything that represents something special about you or the item your making. Worried your favourite baked item isn’t “seasonal”, don’t be. With the right wrapping and sentiment, anything can become the perfect gift.

sliced German stollen
Traditional favourites like this German Christmas Stollen or everyday favourites like brownies or chocolate chip cookies – it doesn’t matter, just bake from the heart.
homemade instant oatmeal shown in 3 ways: in sealed packages, in a jar and prepared in a cup with a spoon
Instant oatmeal might not suit everyone on your list, but for anyone who enjoys camping, backcountry adventures or travels a lot, these tasty little packages will be a big hit.

Labeling Gifts from the Kitchen

Once you prepared your favourite recipe, package it in cute jars, boxes or tins with plenty of ribbons and colorful embellishments. For an extra thoughtful touch, attach a personal note saying why the gift recipient is special to you. And of course, always include an ingredient list, storage instructions, best before dates and further cooking instructions to eliminate any concerns about allergies or how to best enjoy the food.

For some sample labels and tags check out the Free Resources Section in the Store. You’ll find blank gift tags and recipe specific instructions like the samples below.

Random Christmas tags
MM cookie label sample

Is Giving Giving Gifts From the Kitchen Safe?

At any given time, this is a legitimate question. Food safety should always be at the forefront of your mind – especially when making food to give to others. Here are my tips any time you’re preparing food:

  • Keep Everything Clean – you and your kitchen
  • Don’t Double Dip – use a new spoon when taste testing
  • Cook Thoroughly – use an internal thermometer to ensure you get it right
  • Keep raw food and cooked food separate
  • Choose low risk foods to give, like the ones below or that are listed in Farmers’ Market Guidelines.
  • Include ingredient list and cooking instructions with food gifts

I’d love to hear if your going to give any gifts from the kitchen this year. What are you making, how are you wrapping it and who’s the lucky recipient. Leave a comment below or tag me on Instagram @getgettys and Facebook @GettyStewart.HomeEconomist.

Want this info, ad-free in your inbox?

Grab your FREE copy

Download this printable Guide and learn to make beautiful, delicious Gifts from your Kitchen.

Includes tips & links to 50+ ideas for homemade, shelf stable gift giving.

  • Cookies in a Jar
  • Soup in a Jar
  • Flavoured Infusions + Preserves

BONUS printable gift tags

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.