Gifts in a jar are popular among frugal gift givers. They are easy and inexpensive to put together. Here are some quick tips to help you convert your favorite recipes to gifts in a jar.

I also offer some suggestions for non-food gifts as well as ways to make these gifts even more special.

The concept of gift jars is simple. You put the dry ingredients of a recipe in a jar, dress it up with frills and a recipe card, and your recipient provides the wet ingredients (milk, butter, etc.). But there is a right way and wrong way to layer the dry ingredients in the jar depending on the recipe, whether it be for cookies or bean soup. Here are the basics to get you started:

Baked Goods

• Mix flour and baking soda, baking powder according to recipe.
• Place sugars in a plastic sandwich bag as these usually go into recipes later.
• If spices such as cinnamon, cloves, ginger, etc., are meant to go in last, then place those in a separate plastic sandwich bag.
• Layer the bottom of the jar with the flour mixture.
• Place baggies on top of this.

Bean Soup

• Layer beans in the jar. If your recipe calls for beans that have different soaking times, you will need to place one or more of them in bags so your recipient doesn't have to separate the beans.
• Place herbs and spices in plastic sandwich bag.
• Some recipes call for meat or vegetable broth. You can skip this and have your friend use their own broth or place broth cubes or granules that equal the amount called for in the recipe into the bag with the spices.

Make sure to give your recipient a recipe card or they'll be guessing what to do with the jar of stuff you just gave them.

Most anything can go in a jar. In fact, at Christmas time, you'll see decorative jars for sale. My father's family was large and they would give each other baked goods or homemade and store-bought candy in these jars. Sometimes they would be part of a gift basket of goodies. M&M's, miniature candy bars, nuts as well as healthy snacks like granola are fun gifts to give and receive.

But food isn't the only gift in a jar you can give. Bath salts, powders and other beauty products are just as easy and frugal to make. To make a bath salt you will need:

• Epsom or other mineral salt
• Essential or fragrance oil (cosmetic grade) and/or dried herbs

To 1 cup salt blend 5-10 drops essential oil or 1/2 teaspoon fragrance oil. You can add herbs such as lavender or rosemary, but you might want to grind this mixture up in a blender or with a mortar and pestle. Your recipient can use 1/2 to 1 cup in a bath, so you might want to make a larger batch or give a decorative soap with this as well.

You can dress up your gift jar as simply or elaborately as you like.  Here are some ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

• Print the recipe on card stock, punch a hole in the corner and hang around the jar with decorative ribbon.
• Go for a rustic look with country fabric.  Cut a square of fabric and tie around the jar top with twine, ribbon or a thin fabric piece.
• Use wrapping or tissue paper for the top.  Just place a square under the jar rim.  This will have to be thin paper to work.

A gift jar can be part of a larger gift set placed in baskets whether the theme if food or beauty products.  You can place a minestrone soup gift jar in a basket with an Italian theme complete with garlic sticks, wine and pasta dinner fixings.

Beauty gift jars can be placed in a basket with soap, perfume, bath mitts and brushes.  Gift jars are not only thoughtful gifts to receive but fun and creative to put together, so let your imagination guide you.

*Jar image from bali1969's page at sxc.