Making Gift Baskets from Trader Joe's..what should I include?

[bop28]

I want to save $$ by putting together gift baskets myself. I will be going to Trader Joe's or similar places to buy items to include, and need ideas. What should be in a basket? Cheese, chocolate, crackers?? Any thoughts?

 

[Jenniww]

YUM-O chocolate covered banana chips!

 

[bop28]

I've never heard of chocolate covered banana chips. Sounds great! Do they sell them at Trader Joe's?

 

[Jenniww]

Yes- I love them..... they also have very good chocolate covered espresso beans.

 

[bop28]

That's perfect! Many of the people are true coffee lovers! Thank you!!

 

[RNMOM]

I love their truffle brownie mix and the corn bread mix. They have good wines, some natural skin products and their nuts are fab. I love the candied pecans and the less salt cashews. Both have been on special lately.

They have great honey too.

 

[Califgirl]

I often put gift baskets together, and usually like to go to Cost Plus World Market. I usually go with a theme .. a breakfast theme, a cheese and cracker theme, a wine theme, a chocolate theme, a coffee or tea theme... the possibilities are endless. Have fun!!

 

[bop28]

Any ideas on what to use for the "basket"? I thought I would go to the dollar store and get actual baskets,or bowls maybe.

 

[luckey-lasvegas]

In the past my Trader Joes had someone who would put together a basket for you for free. You bought the stuff and the basket and they assembled it for you.

One year I did a breakfast themed basket with a tin of coffee, Pancake mix, real maple syrup, doggie biscuits (for their baby yorkie), and some choclates.

I LOVE the clouds and peanut clusters !!!

 

[princesspwrhr]

Our Trader Joe's hasn't had any chocolate covered banana chips since the summer - they are sorely missed, they were SOOO good! So for now we're addicted to the Candy Cane Joey Joe's (think oreo with a peperminty candy cane filling - no HFCS either)

I have to agree with going for a theme. For the cousins we'll see this year that we don't usually see we're putting together Sundae 'baskets', but we're using those cheap paper paint buckets from the hardware store and the girls are decorating a new cover to wrap around it and glue on. We're putting in chocoalte syrup, butterscotch or caramel depending on the family, some nuts, cherries and an ice cream scoop.

I recently saw a similar can in Target after I started putting ours together, and they also had a s'mores themed one.

There's lots of fabulous and inexpensive breakfast items at TJs, also cheeses, crackers and mustards/spreads, they have some really good parmesan bread and jarred brushetta (sp) pair that with some olive oil, jar of crushed herbs and a wine.

 

[It's A Happy Day]

Any ideas on what to use for the "basket"? I thought I would go to the dollar store and get actual baskets,or bowls maybe.

Get your products first and then buy your baskets. This way you can pick you "theme" and get a suitable size basket/bag/whatnot. If you did coffees/teas type you could add mugs, non dairy creamer, sugar. If you did breakfast - pancake mixes, syrups, etc. you could add a flipper, etc.

Trader joes does not have many "bad" products so have fun! I love the nut selections there - tasty and less expensive than other stores!

 

[iggbees]

there are these raspberry jelly chocolate things that are amazing!

 

[virginiamama]

We love the pita chips. They go great with a glass of wine. Um, also the candied pecans. You've gotten me thinking about those hard-to-buy-for folks on my list.... I feel a Trader Joe's trip coming on!

 

[Imzadi]

Trader Joe's has fabulous bags of truffles at this time of year. The pear flavor are exquisite. (They really don't taste like pear, just pure chocolate heaven.)

Oh, do look for gift baskets from the dollar store. If they are flimsy, just double the basket. You can't go wrong for a couple of dollars! Once you layer tissue paper on top & wrap it in cellophane, no one will notice the basket.

I've even had items tipping out of a too small basket. As long as they are clear taped together to a central base item in the center, and supported with wadded up tissue paper for support, it looks wonderfully abundant spilling out of the basket. Cover the whole thing with cellophane.

 

[Aristomommy]

Any ideas on what to use for the "basket"? I thought I would go to the dollar store and get actual baskets,or bowls maybe.

I bought some of Trader Joe's canvas grocery bags. That way the person can re-use the "basket" and make the earth a little greener.

 

[Imzadi]

Here is a different thread on Gift Basket themes.

It has a super long list of non-food items & basket themes to combine together with all the TJ goodies.

 

[LanaJae]

From Trader Joes, I would include a pkg. of their cooked wild rice in a gift basket.

 

[bop28]

I am so glad I posted this question, because you all have given me fantastic ideas! I really love Trader Joe's and just looking at everything. Too bad we have to drive 3 hours to get to one!!

 

[ccdoster]

Nobody mentioned the "two-buck Chuck" I must be the only "wine-o" on the site. Of course, it's not really upscale looking but the Shiraz is decent.

 

[bop28]

Nobody mentioned the "two-buck Chuck" I must be the only "wine-o" on the site. Of course, it's not really upscale looking but the Shiraz is decent.

No, you're not the ONLY "win-o", and your "two buck Chuck" is "3 buck Chuck" in St. Louis!! We love it!