I love edible homemade gifts! Most of us have all the stuff we need, so edible gifts are a great option that we can enjoy. Making a batch of your favorite treats and sharing them is always welcome.
What better way to elevate your homemade foods than by using local Maryland foods? Your local food gifts are tastier, healthier, and better for your community as well. This year, use local foods to make gifts for the holidays!
1 – Give Home Canned Local Maryland Foods
This year, if you have extra home canned jams or sauces, the holidays are a great time to share them! Something fun like Peach Bourbon jam could be a great option.
You could make salsa or hot sauces in summer, and share them now. This recipe for Roasted Tomato Chipotle Salsa sounds amazing.
2 – Make Drinks Using Local Maryland Foods
Homemade infused vodkas can use local ingredients for lots of flavor combinations to share. Try different fruits or herbs!
Those who make their own wines and beers can definitely make them with local ingredients. A fruit wine or a flavored beer could be a great gift.
If alcohol isn’t your thing, you can always take local fruits or herbs and make syrups with them! Those syrups can be mixed with seltzer for a homemade soda, or poured over pancakes, depending on the flavor. Try making them with local honey instead of sugar!
3 – Infuse Oils, Vinegars, or Honey with Local Maryland Foods
You can infuse more than alcohol. Try making flavored oils, infused vinegars, or herbal honeys for a flavorful and unique gift.
You can add many flavors, from sweet to savory, to oil, vinegar or honey. Make sure to add a note to your gift to tell them the best way to use it.
4 – Herb Blends or Teas Using Local Maryland Foods
Flavored salts and herbal teas can be made in your dehydrator and mixed up in small jars for gifting. You can also dry your own herbs like rosemary, oregano, whatever is growing in your herb garden, and give them too.
5 – Gifting Local Maryland Foods in Baked Goods
Try making fruit muffins or breads for your gifts. Apples, pumpkin, carrot, zucchini, there are lots of local options to try. Sweeten with honey and use some local whole grain flour too!
You can also make up muffin mixes to share, along with some home dried fruit to mix in. Don’t forget to add the recipe!
6 – Local Maryland Meats as Jerky
Homemade beef jerky is a treat, and can be lots of fun to make. It is perishable, so be sure to let the recipient know how best to store it!
7 – Spice up Some Local Maryland Nuts
If you find local nuts, you can make candied or spiced nuts to make as gifts. This Sweet and Spicy Roasted Party Nuts recipe looks delicious.
8 – Make Some Granola with Local Maryland Foods
Dried fruit, local honey, and local grains means you can make some homemade granola! This could be spiced for a holiday flavor, or you could add some homemade yogurt with it.
9 – Dip Dried Local Maryland Fruits in Chocolate
For a sweet treat, make chocolate dipped dried fruits! If all you have is frozen local fruit, turn it into fruit leather instead.
10 – Make Soup Mixes with Local Maryland Foods
Have a lot of dried veggies? Make some homemade soup mixes. Use dried local vegetables, beans, canned tomatoes, salsa. Pair it with some homemade bread or a homemade cornbread mix.
11 – Give the Gift of MORE Local Maryland Foods
If you aren’t up to baking or cooking, but want to give a welcome local food gift, try gifting a CSA subscription! If you have a friend who is interested in trying local food, giving them a CSA membership can be a great start for them!
