Candy and Cookie Packaging

[Katie Nell]

I was wondering what you guys package your candy and cookie give-aways in? I would like something a little fancier than just waxed paper or parchment, but haven't been able to find anything worth using. I'm not a professional, so I don't want to order 500 cellophane bags or anything like that. I'd also like it to be something pretty readily available... like something I could stop by on the way home from work and grab. Does anyone have any inventive ideas or anything I haven't thought of? Thanks!

Edited October 4, 2005 by Katie Nell (log)

[K8memphis]

You can get smaller quantities of the cellophane bags and you can put stickers on them and tie them up with curling ribbon and umm y'know that wire with either like gold stars or snowflakes for Christmas or hearts for valentines or umm there's probably some out there right now with pumpkins, metallic wirey stuff. I like a pretty tag on the ribbon too so it does not block the view of the goodie.

Anyways Wilton packages those cello bags in more do-able quantities at like Michael's & Hobby Lobby. My little cake deco store here in Elvis-town sells them by the each too, fifteen cents or something. Plus they have all kinds of cute little candy boxes & that gold or silver stretchy bow stuff that wraps around the box.

Cut a nice big size piece of colored or decorated cellophane, set a little paper doilie in the middle, set your goodies on there, pick up the corners of the cellophane and gather it above the goodies, tie it up with ribbon or the wirey stuff and leave the cellophane ends all fluffy, standing straight up.

Actually, lots of options if your local stores cooperate. Walgreen's has lotsa good stuff like that. Walgeen's has great covered containers & plates & stuff for each holiday...then nice sales too. Find a source for tins. Oooh I love tins & little boxes.

Umm, take empty oats boxes, pringle cans & any other little boxes and wrap them in pretty paper and put some tissue paper in there and put your goodies in. You can even cut them down to whatever size you need.

I always am careful to keep the food stuff protected by food safe packaging, like I would wrap it in plastic wrap, then put it on the tissue. That kinda stuff.

Use cupcake wrappers wisely. First of all, even in the grocery stores you can get small medium & large sizes. And you can get decorated ones for the different holidays too. But don't stop there. Cut them down to size too. Also you can put in a new crease if your item is a bit too big to fit in the bottom. Put a new crease on either side in there (to make the bottom bigger) with your thumbs pressing a stack of them against the counter top, then the flutes just snuck up around your petit four or whatever.

I get pretty plates & stuff at yard sales or wherever I see them, TJ Maxx is great for this and use them to put stuff on as give aways.

Hey, they sell decorated plastic wrap now too. I've been using the same Christmas box of plastic wrap for three years

Some packaging ideas for you.

[Malawry]

I buy a lot of that type of stuff at The Container Store. If there's one near you, they have some great and affordable food packaging ideas. I try to go the huge sale the day after Christmas and stock up for future gift-giving. Everything they sell is usually online too.

[gourmande]

I get very reasonably priced 30/50 per pack cello-bags at the party stores (where they sell party favours etc. not the other kind of party store ) I also get great boxes and tins at the dollar store. I bought so many last year that I'm all set this this season for my Christmas cookie exchange, gift giving and then some!

[lesfen]

I don't have a LOT of people that I have to make "yummy gifts" for, so I watch for sales on kitchen towels. I wrap the edible stuff in plastic wrap and then gather the whole thing up in a kitchen towel and secure it with some decorative ribbon, rafia, beads, lace, flowers, sprigs, ornaments, etc. Whatever looks good. That sounds pretty corny when it's written out, but they really do look cute... and who can't use another dish towel?!

God help me... Martha has gotten to me. Forget I said that.

[Marmish]

Ditto the Container Store and the Dollar stores. I also use a brown paper lunch bag. Line it with some tissue paper, fold over the top once about 1 inch, punch two holes and thread some ribbon through them. Tie a pretty bow. Add a tag on the ribbon if you want. Decorate the bags if necessary, or use white ones. Michaels also has all kinds of shopping bag-style bags in all sizes and colors.

[srhcb]

For Christmas cookies and quickbreads, (my specialty), I just use colored plastic wrap with colored ribbons.

You can use the colors as a code for those with particular food likes/dislikes. (ie: yellow ribbon = w/o nuts etc)

SB

[jgm]

Last year I made small pizelles for everybody, and needed some fairly rigid packaging to protect them. I used one of the Ziploc holiday-colored containers, and just tied ribbon around it like a package, and put a bow on it. Simple, but pretty.

[Wendy DeBord]

Chop suey boxes from the container store are cute. Martha Stewart has shown tons of examples for this over the years, perhaps theres some info. at her site. Using nice/thick paper stock you can make a cone shaped cup very easily, fold the top inward tie a handle on it.....it's fast, easy and strong.

I give food items in decorative metal tins......which aren't cheap (I've found some elaborate ones over the years). But what's happened consistantly is, everyone really does return them to me (and I didn't want them too, told them not to). But they all come back so I have to store them, I can't get rid of the darn things. Everyone plays the game of bringing it back asking for a refill. So if your goodies are going to close friends and family you might be supprised, they bring back containers.

[CaliPoutine]

I bought some new empty paint cans at home depot for 1 dollar. I just checked out the container store's website and they have a lot of cute things. Check out the 1/4lb kraft coffee bags for 30 cents.

Lots of cute take out boxes too.

[John DePaula]

Michael's Craft store has lots of ideas that should suit your needs.

[gourmande]

I don't have a LOT of people that I have to make "yummy gifts" for, so I watch for sales on kitchen towels...

Hey, a partner in recyclable wrap... I've been doing that for years, not just for foodie gifts either. In fact, most kitchen and dining linens make great wrappers, and can sometimes be part of the gift in themselves

As for actual containers in the dollar store price range, besides the aforementioned bags, tins and boxes ...

for candies : bonbon dishes, drinking glasses, bud vases;

for baked goods: baskets, loaf pans or other bakeware

for prepared mixes: decorative and utilitarian storage jars

for themed food gifts : a wooden salad bowl filled with a selection of oils, vinegars, mustards and dried herbs; a loaf pan with a quick bread mix, recipe and spatula....

... OK, I'm getting a bit OT, but hopefully you're getting inspiration from all this

[Katie Nell]

Thanks for all the ideas! Sometimes you just need someone to look at it from a different angle! I didn't even think of Hobby Lobby or Michaels for some reason... I'm definitely inspired!

[JFLinLA]

Wherever you live, check out the places that supply florists. We have a whole flower mart section. However, in addition to the actual flowers, there are other stores for supplies -- vases, that green foam stuff, ribbons, etc. They have cellophane bags for corsages, boutinierres and the like in all different sizes. I'm able to buy them in quantities of 100 each and they work and look great.

There's a company called Floral Supply Syndicate that seems to have several locations around the US.

[highchef]

Sur la Table has stacks of paper baking pans that look cool and wrap easily and no cleanup. I looked the other day when I was in Houston and they were about 20 for under ten bucks, which is worth it to me because I bake loaf breads for gifts and this really saves on the cleanup. They also had cake and cookie boxes as well as candy wraps etc. So does Williams Sonoma, but they are a bit more there.

Tuesday morning has GREAT holiday tins and such, cheap and cute. Bags etc....unfortunatly mine was taken out by Rita, so I may have to do the higher end thing this year...serves me right for waiting, the stuff was there before the storm , but I didn't want it hanging around for 2 months....live and learn.

[Katie Nell]

Went to Michael's and finally found plain old cellophane bags without smiling turkeys or pumpkins on them! (I can't believe they are so difficult to find!)

I also picked up some really fun cylindrical wine boxes with handles for $1.99 that I thought I would use for cookies this Christmas! They come in really graphic patterns and colors... very fun!

Thanks for all the ideas again!

Edited to add: Is there a thread for candy making? If not, I might need to start one! My caramels failed miserably!

Edited October 13, 2005 by Katie Nell (log)

[RuthWells]

I was wondering what you guys package your candy and cookie give-aways in?  I would like something a little fancier than just waxed paper or parchment, but haven't been able to find anything worth using.  I'm not a professional, so I don't want to order 500 cellophane bags or anything like that.  I'd also like it to be something pretty readily available... like something I could stop by on the way home from work and grab.  Does anyone have any inventive ideas or anything I haven't thought of?  Thanks!

←

I just found really fun source for this sort of thing -- orientaltrading.com. They have lots of cute, themed (and not) boxes and bags. Pretty cheap, also! When you see the prices on the internet, most often they're priced for a dozen or more pieces (click on the merchandise detail to confirm).

Edited October 17, 2005 by RuthWells (log)

[Jeni Hicks]

I plan on selling my range of cookies at the local farmers' market this summer, and I'm wondering what kind of packaging I should plan on. My thoughts were to individually seal each cookie and stick a label on top, and sell them for "x" amount per cookie, as well as offer a deal if buying 6 or more (mix and matching flavors is fine).

I started to wonder, though, if this kind of packaging would be off-putting for people buying at a market. Would the individual packaging be a detriment, do you think? Would it look too "factory-produced", or mass-created? I would like to do it for the sake of both freshness and hygiene, but I don't want to appear to much like big business. Yet I also want to appear professional - and I'm afraid that unwrapped cookies in a case or something that I bag as they buy might be a bad choice, too.

Unfortunately, I didn't get an opportunity to spend much time at the market last summer, and so don't really know how other baked goods were being packaged. If any of you have either sold at, or spent time at a market where cookies were being sold, I'd really be grateful for any input or suggestions.

I also make a few recipes for savory-type cookies, suitable for serving with cocktails, as part of an antipasto platter, etc....would it be appropriate to offer these items alongside the sweet cookies, or would it seem that I was all over the place with what I'm trying to sell?

And lastly....would you buy cookies from a market? In addition to the homestyle cookies I bake, I also LOVE to make decorated cookies (my first love, actually!). I'm wondering if there would likely be any interest in a limited assortment of decorated cookies, appropriate for the season. Any and all feedback is more than welcome!

Thanks so much!

Jeni

[alanamoana]

the only farmers' market i've been to lately is the "greenmarket" in union square in manhattan. quite a few vendors sell baked goods packaged in many different ways.

there are ones who package everything individually. usually these are gargantuan cookies equal to about six regular sized cookies. they also package mini pies individually. the packaging is usually just plastic wrap...nothing fancy. *edited here to say: i don't think i would buy these cookies, because i really don't like the way they are packaged. but you should check the rules/regulations/laws regarding selling baked goods because there might be something you can't control telling you how to package these items. i think in the case of the new york greenmarket, it has something to do with competing with the real farmers, but i could be full of sh%t. but health department-wise, you should know what's going on.

there are a couple of bread bakeries who sell rustic "artisan" breads and they have a case behind which they have piles of bread. when you point to what you want they then grab them and put them into a bag for you.

i think it would be cool if you had clear bins which were away from the customers' hands (and relatively airtight without being difficult to get in and out of). they could tell you what they wanted and you could either bag them or box them depending upon what they wanted. the advantage to doing this is you aren't wasting packaging at the end of the day when you don't sell all of your wares and you have to either give them away or discount them or whatever you do with what you don't sell.

i think the decorated cookies look better when individually packaged in cello bags. if decorated cookies are your true love, then i think you should always have some there to show off, appropriate to the season or holiday, and when people ask you about them, you have a supply of business cards to give them for special orders. have a price list or something handy so you're prepared and professional sounding when people ask questions. take the time to cost everything out (especially your labor).

definitely always have some sort of promotional material/flyer to give away with your cookies when you sell them. you are trying to make a name for yourself and you need to be recognized. i would buy some sort of identifying sticker to put on the individually wrapped cookies and on your bags, etc. that way you won't have to invest in custom printed packaging right off the bat. the stickers can be put on everything (i guess you'd have to do a cost comparison, though).

i personally love glassine bags. i think that if someone wants to buy an individual cookie (not a decorated one) you should use glassine bags with your custom sticker. they are so cute and reminiscent of "back in the day" bakeries. i know it is pretty martha-esque, but she does know what sells!

i don't see why you couldn't sell your savory cookies as well. it isn't as if you're selling chocolate chip cookies next to ground beef. it's all in the same family, right?

finally, i think people will buy cookies from the market. an attractive display, a smiling friendly face, and a delicious looking and tasting product will always sell!

good luck.

Edited January 20, 2006 by alanamoana (log)

[Trishiad]

I don't know where you live, Jeni, but in my neck of the woods plastic packaging might be a deterent. I would think a simple plexiglass display would sell many individual cookies handed over in a napkin for immediate consumption. For larger sales you may want to explore re-usable or double duty packaging. Wooden crates? Baskets? Something recycled? We have a local bakery at our market. They wheel out a rack with a plastic cover filled with sheets of warm sticky buns and the like. Just on a paper plate or in a wax paper bag, they sell tons.

Do the shoppers at your market bring baskets and put their produce directly in without one of those plastic produce bags or do they accept a grocery bag from each vendor? Depends on your location.

Tap plastics will build you a little case.

oh and I love the idea of savory cookies as well. I like to pick up bread for dinner at the market, why not savory cookies too. Come to think of it, why not an entire meal of cookies.......

[sparrowgrass]

I work for University of Missouri Extension, and we are working on getting our farmer's market started again. I just called our health department about selling baked goods.

Here, the rule is that each package must have a label with ingredients, weight, and name and address of maker. If the baked goods are made in a kitchen that is not certified, that must be on the label and also posted on the booth.

Your mileage may vary, but you might want to call the HD and see what you *have* to do.

Personally, the little cello bags with a cute label would appeal to me, decorated cookies sound wonderful and a real kid magnet. Put them down where the kids can see them.

[moosnsqrl]

Aesthetically, glassine tied with jute or raffia...something 'natural' would probably appeal to the market crowd.

As sparrowgrass says, check the health requirements before you do anything since they could totally up-end your best-laid plans.

I informally have "farmer appreciation day" late in the fall and take treats to the growers who have worked so hard and risen so early to feed me all year. One year I took decorated cookies from a nearby bakery and they were such a hit, I could have sold a million of them. Since I was buying them for farmers, I selected cookies that depicted produce (ears of corn, pumpkins, strawberries); this bakery does such a good job that they're very visually appealing. They were sitting around on the tables of my favorite farmers as they sold their produce throughout the morning and everyone kept asking them where they came from.

[filipe]

If you sell them individually you'll get the risk of just selling one-by-one. If you sell packs of 6/10/12 (i don't know what cookies you bake neither their sizes, so it's hard to imagine) you'll have more chances to make some profit...

Why don't you get some industrial packages - for example those aluminium foil boxes with plastic or card covers, used by take-away food suppliers - and then add a personal/design touch with a logo/brand, by using a coloured ribbon around it, to close it and to make it look nicier? Check my blog for some chocolate boxes I've made using that method. I guess the result it's not that bad, even with the industrial look added by aluminium foil packs.

[Jeni Hicks]

Thanks for all the replies. You've all given me some great ideas and a lot to think about. I'll definitely do some digging into the local market health regulations, and see if that winds up making the decision for me!

I really appreciate all the feedback.

Jeni

[etalanian]

Before I sold my bakery I distributed to some farmmarket stands. The packaging was different for each one, depending on the feel of the market (upscale, laid back, ecologically aware, etc). Large cookies were always sold individually. Small cookies were always sold by the pound. Sometimes the small ones were prepackaged in clamshells (clear plastic containers with a hinged top) while at other stands they were weighed to customer specifications, and placed in recyclable bags or small bakery boxes. It's important that you meld with the overall feel of the market you will be selling in.

I agree with the previous posters that you need to find out the health department regulations forpackaging. But keep in mind that maintaining the freshness of the product is most important when deciding how to display the product.

The sweet and savory offerings sold side-by-side is a great idea. There aren't a lot of freshly made savory cookies/crackers out there (at least not in the Philadelphia area).

Good luck to you! Please let us know how things work out!

Eileen