Edible Gifts Nobody Actually Wants

There are a lot of great edible gifts that come in mason jars — homemade caramels, jam, preserved lemons — but a half a cookie mix, isn't one of them.

(Credit: Flickr/Helen T)

While we're talking about edible gifts that require you to add lots of additional ingredients and do all the work of cooking or baking yourself, let's not give out our secret recipe for bean soup (and a jar of dried beans and seasonings), either.

(Credit: Flickr/Ruth Hartnup)

Please, no gift baskets full of Christmas cookies; we'll be eating plenty of those on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and don't need to watch several dozen go stale on the counter while we wonder why the heck we ate so many of them the past two days.

(Credit: Flickr/poppet with a camera)

Nothing in a mug either. Every avid tea or coffee-drinker has plenty of beverage-making supplies on hand. Except swizzle sticks. Maybe swizzle sticks.

(Credit: Flickr/Jenny Cestnik)

Unless you're really, really talented, resist the urge to thoughtfully give a healthier edible gift of skewered fruit. Leave the fruit arrangements to the professionals, please.

(Credit: Flickr/mj*laflaca)

And, I shouldn't even have to say this, but no fruitcake. Ever.

(Credit: Flickr/Matthew Bietz)

Kristie Collado is The Daily Meal's Cook Editor. Follow her on Twitter @KColladoCook.