I wanted to share with you one of the gifts I am making this year. I love to make homemade gifts for my family and friends. Every year I come up with many ideas and this is just one of them that I have planned to gift to two people. This Patchwork Soup in a Jar will accompany a set of five bamboo utensils that I hand painted.

I will show you how you can make up your jars to give as gifts and have made a FREE printable so you can attach a label that has already been made up for you. This can also be a very economical gift, as a small bag of each of the dried foods cost about $1 each and a small bag will have about 2 cups in it which will allow you to make 4 gifts of Patchwork Soup in a Jar. Most of the seasonings you may already have in your cupboard and perhaps, you even have some pint jars around your home to use as well.

Layered Patchwork Soup In a Jar Mix

Ingredients:

• 1/2 C barley
• 1/2 C split peas
• 1/2 C long grain rice
• 1/2 C lentils

Seasoning packet:

• 1 T dried parsley
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 2 tsp. dried onion flakes
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. pepper
• 1 tsp. sage
• 1 tsp salt-free seasoning (like Mrs. Dash)

Directions:

• Layer first four ingredients in a pint jar in the order given
• Mix seasoning in a small bowl and place in a snack size baggie
• Decorate jar lid, attach seasoning packet and label (Just click on the image below and then print it)

If you are looking for other “Mixes” in a Jar ideas, I do have a couple over on my blog, Save Green Being Green:

• Curly Soup in a Jar
• Candy Cookies in a Jar

Gifts in a jar are wonderful and budget-friendly gifts. I especially like to give gifts of food to those who already have everything, but do enjoy cooking or to those people who would appreciate not having to grocery shop for a meal. Presents do not have to be expensive to be meaningful. Your recipients will appreciate the thought and time you took in preparing a homemade gift like gifts in a jar. Gifts in a jar can also make wonderful teacher gifts.

Check out our collection of handmade gift ideas and if you need more ideas on sticking to a budget for your holiday gift giving, then I suggest reading:

• How to Afford the Holidays
• 5 Ways to Have a Less Expensive Christmas
• Five Mistakes That Can Break Your Holiday Budget

Happy Mixing!