Making Food Gifts

By Sheila Gains, Family and Consumer Science Agent, Arapahoe County

As the holiday season rolls around, many family gift-giving budgets become strained. In addition, a long winter break from school is coming up. This is exciting at first, and then boredom often creeps in. Experienced parents know that it is best to have more than a couple of child-centered activities ready during extended school breaks. A solution to both challenges could be to have kids join you in the kitchen while you make gifts of food mixes. The person receiving your gift will appreciate the attractive and thoughtful gift and value the convenience of the tasty treat.

Bringing parents and children together to prepare nutritious food is one of the most effective ways of promoting healthy eating.

The Family Matters monthly topics are selected to encourage habits of healthy eating and physical activity so they become part of your family’s life-style. Continue to keep your child involved in food decisions and activities, such as how much they choose to eat for snack and meals. As well as, helping with food purchasing, meal planning and preparation.

Let’s Talk

Creating food gifts with your children is an opportunity to bond with them over a shared experience around food and the act of giving to others. Teach them how to measure and mix ingredients. Expect a few spills. Role model how you can laugh about it, clean up and move on with the experience.

Get children excited about helping you in the kitchen by letting them make some of the decisions. Involve them in choosing who will receive the gift and how to decorate the jar. They will take pride in giving this yummy gift.

Recipe For Health

Pancake/Waffle Mix

Carefully measure and thoroughly mix the following ingredients and fill the size jar you want to gift. A pint jar will hold 2 cups of mix, and a quart jar will hold 4 cups of mix.

Ingridients:

4 cups (480 grams) all-purpose flour or a combination of all-purpose and whole-wheat flour
2 Tablespoons baking powder, make sure it is fresh
1/2 teaspoon salt
¼ cup granulated sugar

Directions:

1. Wash hands and food contact surfaces with soap and water.
2. Wash and thoroughly dry jars and lids.
3. The most accurate way to measure flour is to weigh it. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, stir the flour with a whisk or fork to fluff it up, before measuring. Spoon the fluffed flour into a measuring cup and level it off, with the straight edge of a knife or spatula.
4. For best distribution of ingredients, first mix dry ingredients with a spoon or whisk in a large bowl. Then sift them together into another large bowl.
5. Fill gift jars using a funnel (a canning funnel is the best). Large mouth canning jars work great.
6. Add a label, instructions for use and decorations.

*Include the instructions for use below with each jar of mix. You might want to punch a hole in the instructions, thread a piece of ribbon through it. Then tie the ribbon around the jar to attach.

Homemade Pancake/Waffle Mix

*By altering your choice of milk, these pancakes or waffles can be vegetarian.

Pancakes: Each cup of mix makes 6 pancakes.

For Each 1 cup of mix used:

1. Combine 1 cup of milk, 2 teaspoons vinegar and 1 Tablespoon vegetable oil in a large bowl. Let mix-ture set for 5 minutes.
2. Preheat griddle or pan over medium heat and brush it with vegetable oil.
3. Gently combine liquid mixture with 1 cup of mix, until just combined. A few lumps are fine.
4. Pour ¼ cup of batter onto the preheated pan for each pancake. Wait until most of the bubbles pop and stay open. Then flip the pancake and cook for 2 minutes on the second side.
5. Serve with fresh fruit, yogurt or syrup.

Waffles: Each cup of mix makes 3 waffles

For each cup of mix used:

1. Combine ¾ cup of milk, 1 teaspoon vinegar and 2 Tablespoons vegetable oil in a large bowl. Let mixture set for 5 minutes.
2. Preheat waffle iron on a medium setting and brush it with a small amount of vegetable oil.
3. Gently combine liquid mixture with 1 cup of mix, until just combined. A few lumps are fine.
4. Pour ½ cup of batter into the middle of the preheated waffle iron. Close the iron and follow the manufacture instructions for cooking and removing from the waffle iron.
5. Serve with fresh fruit, yogurt or syrup.