Un-Gift Guide 2007: Bottles for Food Gifts

When giving homemade food gifts, much of the fun (and frustration) is in the packaging - especially when it comes to liquids. How do you find affordable, pretty bottles and packaging for things like liqueurs, cordials, homemade vinegars and wine?

Ideally bottles will be reusable so your gift recipients can use them long after the treat is used up. The Un-Gift Guide is all about reducing and reusing, so we love the idea of multi-use gifts: delicious treat and practical packaging.

We'll be rounding up packaging ideas for other treats soon. For now, here are a few favorite sources for glass bottles.

Many of these shops are cheaper because they sell in bulk. They cost far less than retailers like The Container Store or Bed, Bath, and Beyond, but you have to be prepared to buy a whole case of bottles. This could be as few as 12, or as many as 144. Make sure you read the details carefully before buying.

• 8-ounce Boston Round Bottles from eBottles are great for flavored oils and vinegars. They're $1.29-$2.14 apiece, depending on the quanitity you order.

• Swingtop Bottles make a great, old-fashioned presentation. $1.56-$1.95 apiece. Be sure to check out the rest of Specialty Bottle's big selection, too - we love the cobalt and amber bottles.

• Star-shaped Bottle - $3.60 apiece at Kalyx. Check out the good selection at Kalyx, although their prices are a little higher than wholesale.

• Weck Jars - We've blogged about Weck canning jars before; their beautiful shape makes them a favorite. The photo above is from Chez Pim and her tomato confit. Weck jars are available through their website.