Ideas for Giving a Meal As a Holiday Gift

Give the gift of food.

Meals make fabulous gifts for all occasions. Families and others will be delighted to receive a prepared or planned meal as a gift. Making meals in bulk is an economical way to take care of everyone on your gift list. Including instructions and ingredients will help the recipient make the most of their gift. Fancy packaging makes the gift more attractive, so don't forget the frills when wrapping the meal.

Meal Basket

Gather ingredients for a simple dish that is easy to prepare and put them in a large basket with instructions about how to prepare or assemble. Give the gift of a gourmet spaghetti dinner. Bottle homemaded spaghetti sauce to give as a gift with other essential items for the perfect spaghetti meal. Include pasta or spaghetti noodles, the jar of gourmet sauce, a bag of salad, salad dressing and a loaf of french bread. All that should need to be done is to warm up the spaghetti sauce, cook the noodles and cut the bread. Type up directions to finish the meal and print them on patterned paper to include in the gift basket.

Frozen Meals

Homemade frozen meals are becoming a popular choice for busy families on a budget. These ready-made meals make a perfect gift for holidays. Prepare a popular dish like lasagna, beef stroganoff or enchiladas, couple it with a side dish and wrap it up to give as a gift. Put the meal in a disposable aluminum baking pan so that it can be stored and cooked in the same dish. Type the cooking instructions on a computer label and stick them on the top of the wrapping so that the recipient will know how to bake the dish.

Soup in Jar

Layer contents of a popular soup such as chili or another favorite and give a warm meal idea to a deserving family. Tortilla soup mix in a jar makes a perfect holiday gift; most ingredients are included and cooking instructions are simple and easy to follow. In the a quart size jar, layer 1 cup converted long grain rice, and a zip lock bag with these contents: 2 tbsp. chicken bouillon granules, 2 tsp. sweetened lemonade powder, 1 tsp. lemon pepper, 1 tsp. dried cilantro leaves, 1/2 tsp. garlic powder, 1/2 tsp. ground cumin, 1/2 tsp. salt and 1/4 cup dried minced onion. Then pour 2 to 2 1/2 cups crushed tortilla chips on top and seal the jar. Tape a can of chicken to the top of the jar and cover it with a circular piece of fabric for presentation. Attach instructions printed on a recipe card. They should read

Tortilla Soup:

Carefully empty tortilla chips from jar into a dish and set aside. Remove seasoning packet from jar and save for later. Place rice in large pan. Add 10 cups water and one 10-oz. can diced tomatoes with green chilies and seasonings from packet. Bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes. Add tortilla chips. Cover and simmer 5 more minutes. Serve immediately. Makes 12 cups of soup. Store leftovers in fridge for three to five days.

Restraurant Gift Certificate

A restaurant gift card can make a fabulous holiday meal gift for anyone. Give the recipient a gift card from their favorite restaurant so that they can dine at their leisure. Make sure that you give them enough credit on the card to pay for their meal and a drink. Put the gift card in a greeting card or purchase an attractive gift card holder to house the gift.

References

• Recipe Link
• Budget 101