Think outside of the box when it comes to gifts. Instead, fill jars to the brim with homemade delights or the ingredients for a favorite recipe.

Simply stock up on glass jars (make sure to thoroughly clean and sanitize them) and set aside an afternoon to assemble several gifts at once.

They’re so pretty you don’t even have to wrap them. Just seal the jars, add a scrap of festive fabric on top, if you want, then secure with string or ribbon and add a gift tag. Most of our “gifts from the kitchen” recipes include a printable gift tag.

Not only are these gifts pretty, convenient and portable, the jars can easily be reused as storage containers, drinking glasses or bud vases later.

Here are some ideas and recipes to get you started:

Spiced nuts, granola or snack mix

Cookie or quickbread mix

Quick jam or preserves

Barbeque sauce or mustard

Flavored oil or marinated olives

Soup or pancake mix

Flavored salt

Food isn’t the only thing that’s good to give in jars. You can fill them with homemade Lavender Bath Salts or Sweet Potato Apple Dog Treats or even make a tiny terrarium.

Can’t get enough giving? We’ve got even more recipes for gifts from the kitchen.

Do you make your own gifts? Tell us about them in the comments below.