Michigan Themed Gift Basket Ideas

Gift giving can be a challenge, especially when you can’t think of the right gift to give. You could easily purchase a prepackaged gift basket to give your in-laws or colleagues, but that can be a bit impersonal and expensive. Here in Michigan we have so many great local products. So why not send your out of state friends and relatives a taste of Michigan? This is great for people who used to live in Michigan and have moved away as well as people who may be trying Michigan foods like Better Made potato chips or Vernor’s ginger ale for the first time.

Here are the food, beverages, and other things that will make your Gift Basket a hit:

Win Schuler’s Bar Cheese and Rye Chips
Famous for it’s bar cheese, the Win Schuler’s restaurant in Marshall, Michigan has been around for over 100 years. Their famous horseradish and cheese spread (bar cheese) is delicious with Win Schuler’s rye chips. Visit the Win Schuler’s website for the interesting story behind this favorite cheese spread.

Sander’s Hot Fudge and Caramel Sauce
According to the Sander’s website, Sander’s has been supplying Michiganders with sweets since it opened it’s doors in 1875. The store quickly became a Detroit favorite and now it is enjoyed statewide. Dessert Toppings are what Sander’s is most famous for but they have a variety of other sweets that would be great for your basket like boxed chocolate, or dark chocolate cover cranberries. They even have coffee.

Pinconning Cheese
Based in Michigan’s cheese capital, Pinconning, the Pinconning Cheese Company has become quite popular locally since it first opened it’s doors in 1948. According to the Pinconning Cheese Company website, Pinconning cheese is a “variation formula of Colby” which “ages quite well from mild to sharp.”

Mackinac Island Fudge
One of Michigan’s most famous confections, Mackinac Island Fudge is a available from a number of shops on Mackinac Island. Lucky for the rest of us, we can order it online from Ryba’s. Chocolate, maple pecan, vanilla pecan, chocolate pecan, peanut butter and my personal favorite chocolate peanut butter are all available on Ryba’s online. There are a lot of other great places to get fudge if you search for “Mackinac Island Fudge” on Google, but Ryba’s is known as “Mackinaw Island’s Favorite.”

Cherries
According to the Traverse City Visitor’s Bureau , Traverse City, Michigan produces 70-75 percent of the cherries in the United States. These cherries are used in countless delectable products that would be great to add to your Michigan themed gift basket. Cherry Republic has a great catalog and website with goodies like cherry soda pop, chocolate covered dried cherries, trail mixes, chocolates, jams, salsas, and wines. This is just the beginning when it comes to food and drink made with Michigan cherries.

Better Made Chips and Snacks
Better Made is celebrating their 80th year of supplying Detroit with potato chips and other snack foods. Better Made is known for their delicious chips, popcorn, and cheese curls as well as their dirt cheap prices. A couple of individual sized rainbow chips or cheese puffs would be a great addition to your basket, just make sure to pack your basket carefully so the chips don’t get crushed.

Vernor’s
When a Michigander asks for a ginger ale they mean Vernor’s. According to Vernor’s current owners, the creator–James Vernor–stumbled upon the secret to Vernor’s signature strong flavor on accident. He made a batch of ginger ale and then left Detroit to fight in the Civil War. When he returned to Detroit four years later he had Vernor’s. Make sure to let your basket recipients know how great Vernor’s is in a float with vanilla ice cream.

Faygo
Most Americans call it “soda”, Most Michiganders call it “pop.” The favorite pop of most Michiganders is Faygo. Cheap, Delicious and available in 50 flavors, you are sure to find the right Faygo for your friends and family. Rock N Rye, Moon Mist, Red Pop and Black Cherry are a few of the local favorites. Another idea is to purchase the Faygo 100th Anniversary Cook Book and either include something you make yourself or just include the cookbook for them to have fun with.

Beer and Wine
Michigan finally has a lot of microbreweries and wineries, take advantage and add a bottle of wine or a couple of beers to your Michigan themed gift basket. The most popular local breweries are Bell’s,Michigan Brewing Company, Short’s, and Dark Horse. Many stores will allow you to purchase singles.
Wine is also a good option. According to the Absolute Michigan website, Black Star Farms, Bower’s Harbor Vineyards, and the Lawton Ridge Winery have all won best of their category awards in the 2010 Michigan Wine Competition.

Extras
It is always nice to add a few non-edible items to your gifts basket. If the basket is for a sports fan, you could include a University of Michigan, Michigan state, or Detroit Pistons or Tigers Mug. Other fun and practical items include a state map, Michigan oven mitts, or even mittens. Get creative, personalizing the gift in whatever way you can think of will definitely enhance it’s value to whomever you choose to give it to.

These are just a few ideas of what could go into your Michigan themed gift basket. You could personalize your basket even more by adding foods or crafts that were made in your hometown. Top the basket with a card by a local artist or make your own. Then share the basket with friends, family, neighbor, or coworkers, even people from Michigan would love to get a gift basket with these local goodies!