A food hamper is a gift treasured much by recipients. There are several options available for buying a fully assembled, food hamper, but it is better if you make one on your own. You can design the basket according to the taste of the recipient or following a well liked theme, which makes it more special.
A food hamper can be of any type: small or large, simple or elaborate, containing luxury gourmet foods or ordinary everyday fare. It may follow a particular theme or contain general items. You can assemble food basket with any type of budget but will usually cost less than buying readymade ones from stores.
Here are some tips to make a great food hamper:
- Basket: The first concern you have while assembling a food hamper is to find an appropriate container or basket to fill up with goodies. Cheap and easy available are wicker baskets which can be obtained in different sizes. Make sure the basket is big enough to hold all goodies and small enough that it doesn’t look empty. You can also use colanders/ serving dishes/ baking pans.
If you have received a basket on some occasions, after using its contents, save them for future use. A sturdy cardboard box covered with wrapping paper will do well for heavy or large gifts.
You can fill the container with shredded paper. You can make shredded paper from colors like pastels to metallic. For a luxurious look, silver or gold will look nice.
Wrap the whole basket with cellophane and tie on top with a ribbon.
- Contents: The next decision is on the contents of the hamper. An elderly recipient will love to get items like beverages, preserves, cookies and fruit cake. Arrange a mix of commonly used items and luxuries that recipients cannot usually afford to have often.
General items include shop bought products like wine, brandy, smoked salmon, gourmet cheese, mince pies, pralines, gourmet candy, meringues, chocolates, dried fruits, biscuits, marmalades and preserves, cakes, crisps, crackers, capers, pickled olives and roasted nuts
- Themed content: For recipients who love to cook, themed food items are a good present. For example, those who like Italian food, gift items can include Parma ham, pasta, and parmesan cheese, etc. will do well. For those who love Thai food, one can gift Kaffir lime leaves, fish sauce, jasmine rice and lemon grass. One can assemble an organic hamper for an environmentally sensitive recipients and vegetarians. Most grocery shops features excellent items of organic and vegetarian food items.
- Gourmet food items: A gourmet food hamper is ideal for food connoisseurs and those who love the finer things in life. Single estate tea or coffee, champagne truffles, pate or smoked salmon, infused olive oil, etc. are all ideal for a gourmet food basket. Another simple idea s is a wine and food hamper with inclusions like bottles of red wine, sherry or port.
- Special Dietary Needs: Consider whether the recipient has some special need for diet. Do they observe halal or kosher? Are they vegan or vegetarian? Do they have special health conditions like diabetes? Keep this in mind while designing hampers.
- Check a few details: Check whether the food items are perishable. Check the expiry dates of food items. Go shopping for specialty food bargains.
These are some of the tips for making a food hamper. If you cannot deliver in person, use the service of a reliable courier for hamper delivery. Most people will appreciate the time and energy you spent in assembling personalized food hamper.