20 Welcome Baskets Under $20

As often as military families PCS, Welcome Gifts are a much appreciated gesture.  We had a great time coming up with 20 Welcome Baskets ideas under $20.00. Hope you liked watching our video too. If you didn't see it, no worries, watch it here. Also, the recipes and FREE printable are available in this post, just scroll down a bit and enjoy.  

Handy Items:

• Parchment Paper
• Twine or ribbon
• Mason Jars

So, let's recap...

Welcome Gifts under $5.00
Microwaveable Popcorn, Chocolate Chip Cookies, Banana Bread, Homemade Body Scrub, BBQ Sauce, Flavored Butter, and a Pineapple or Pineapple infused water. I'm telling you, check out those after season sales and you can get some great deals like the Pineapple Mason Jar Beverage Dispensers, that we found for $2.00 at Walmart.

​Popping By Welcome Popcorn

• 3 bags of microwaveable popcorn
• 1 package of popcorn bags from the Dollar Tree

Super easy and fun. Wrap 3 microwaveable popcorn packs with a ribbon and a  package of red and white popcorn bags. Since they just PCS'd, chances are they haven't unpacked the kitchen yet. So the bags will come in handy. Cut one bag in half and place the items in it for a cute presentation. I love the patriotic theme too.

​Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Parchment paper
• ribbon or twine

Recipe

• 1 1/2 cups All purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp Baking soda
• 1/4 cup Brown sugar, packed light
• 3/4 cup Chocolate chips
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/2 cup White sugar

Ingredients they will need

• 8 tbsp Butter, salted (1 stick)
• 1 egg

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Microwave the butter for about 40 seconds to just barely melt it. It shouldn't be hot - but it should be almost entirely in liquid form.
2. Using a stand mixer or electric beaters, beat the butter with the sugars until creamy. Add the vanilla and the egg; beat on low speed until just incorporated - 10-15 seconds or so (if you beat the egg for too long, the cookies will be stiff).
3. Add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until crumbles form. Use your hands to press the crumbles together into a dough. It should form one large ball that is easy to handle. Add the chocolate chips and incorporate with your hands.
4. Roll the dough into 12 large balls and place on a cookie sheet. Bake for 9-11 minutes until the cookies look puffy and dry and just barely golden. DO NOT OVERBAKE. This is essential for keeping the cookies soft. Take them out even if they look like they're not done yet. They'll be pale and puffy.
5. Let them cool on the pan for a good 30 minutes and should stay soft for many days if kept in an airtight container. You can freeze them too.

​Banana Bread

• 4 Bananas
• 2 Eggs (refrigerated)
• 1 tsp Baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup Sugar
• 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract   (I like using about 2 inches of a vanilla bean)
• 1/2 cup Butter

Instructions
Cream together the butter and sugar. Crush the bananas then add the eggs and vanilla essence. Mix together well. Combine flour and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the banana's and mix well. Pour into a greased loaf pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 60 minutes.

​Brown Sugar Body Scrub

• 1 Cup of white sugar
• 1 Cup of brown sugar
• 1 cup of olive oil
• 1 Tbsp of Vanilla

Instructions
In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients until combined. Spoon into a mason jar.  Use within 30 days.
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​Black Berry Spicy BBQ Sauce

• 1/2 cup blackberry preserves
• 1 1/2 cups ketchup
• 1/8 cup brown sugar

• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon mustard powder
• 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• Repurposed glass bottle (remember to boil glass bottle to sanitize)

​Instructions
​In a medium bowl, mix together blackberry preserves, ketchup, brown sugar, cayenne pepper, mustard powder, and red wine vinegar. Awesome to baste on pork or beef ribs while grilling.

Whipped Cinnamon Honey Butter

• 1 stick (8 Tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon​

Whipped Cranberry Honey Butter

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/3 cup finely chopped dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup honey
• 2 teaspoons grated orange peel
• 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt​

Whipped Garlic Parmesan Butter

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 5 garlic cloves
• ½ c. parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 tbsp. fresh oregano
• 1 tbsp. basil
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. pepper

Instructions
For each butter combine all ingredients in a bowl and whip with electric hand mixer for 1 minute. Store in airtight jar in the frig for about 2 weeks or freeze for about 3 months.

Pineapple Hospitality

• Fresh Pineapple
• Mason Jar Beverage Dispenser 

The pineapple is the symbol of hospitality.

The first encounter between a European and a pineapple occurred in November, 1493, when Christopher Columbus, on his second voyage to the Caribbean region discovered piles of freshly gathered vegetables and fruits, including pineapples. The European sailors ate, enjoyed and recorded the curious new fruit which had an abrasive, segmented exterior like a pine cone and a firm interior pulp like an apple. It didn’t take very long for the pineapple’s natural sweetness to find favor in the royal court and circles in Europe. Even today, in many hotels and inns, you will see a pineapple carved on a sign outside the establishments. A carved pineapple or a facsimile of one can be found carved in head-boards, on bed posters, or armoires. In dining rooms, pineapples can be found on the backs of chairs, on wallpaper, cupboard doors, and woven dining linen.

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​Welcome Gifts Under $10.00
Tea and Cups Basket, Infused Olive Oil, Smitten Mitten, Soda-Lighted Ice Bucket, Natural Cleaning Products

​Tea and Cups Baskets

• Wire Basket  (Walmart)
• 2 cups (Dollar Tree)
• Tea Pot (IKEA)
• Loose leave tea 
• Honey (Dollar Tree)

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​Infused Olive Oil

• 5 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 3 cups of olive oil 
• Large glass bottle (pictured is a repurposed Italian lemonade bottle)
• Welcome Printable and twine

Instructions
In a small saucepan, combine oil & rosemary. Cook over low heat until a thermometer reaches 180 F, about 5 minutes. Remove and let cool to room temp. Transfer the sprigs to a bottle, then add the oil. Seal and refrigerate up to 1 month.

​Smitten Mitten

• Oven mitten (Walmart)
• Wooden spoons (IKEA)
• Whisk (IKEA)
• Flour Sack Cloth (Walmart)
• We are Smitten printable and twine

OK, so I think this mitten idea is so adorable and I am in love with the printable. Go ahead and download it. It's awesome!

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​Soda-Lighted Ice Bucket and Sodas

• Farmhouse Ice Bucket - (Walmart)
• Your favorite sodas (try orange cream soda)
• Soda-Lighted printable and twine

When I saw this ice-bucket on sale at Walmart I knew it would make a perfect Welcome Gift for those hot PCS days in the middle of summer. Well, in Texas it's always hot so anytime would be great.

​Natural Cleaning Products

• ECOS Natural Cleaner
• Flour Sack Cloth
• Twine or ribbon

Natural cleaning product maybe a bit more expensive but they are better for the environment, ourselves and I think clean and smell better. 
​
You can also make your own natural cleaning products. Here is a recipe for natural bathroom cleaner.  

• 1 cup borax
• 1 cup baking soda
• ½ cup sea salt (If using scrub on fiberglass tubs, omit salt to prevent scratching.)
• 6 drops essential oils for fragrance, optional

for more natural cleaning product recipes click here.

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Welcome Gifts Under $15
A Galvanized Water Can, Blueberry and strawberry infused water on farmhouse tray with blueberry muffins and stainless steel water bottles, Pasta gift in Colander, Candle, Mini Grinder Herb Basket.

​Spring Garden Water Can

• Galvanized watering can from IKEA
• Herb plant
• 2 packets of herb or mixed wildflower seeds
• Gardening gloves

This gift just makes me smile. Perfect for Spring. It's a great gift to give to start the new season off right and get those flowerbeds off to a good start. If you’re unsure of their favorite bloom, a wildflower mix is always sure to please. Add a bottle of your favorite hand cream to help protect their hands after they're done gardening.

​Blueberry Bliss

• Farmhouse tray  (Walmart)
• Mason Jar Beverage Dispenser with blueberry and strawberry infused water (Walmart)
• Dish towel (Walmart)
• Stainless Water Bottle (Walmart)
• Blueberry muffins (HEB)

​Pasta Fixing in a Colander

• Pasta (Dollar Tree)
• Organic Marinara Sauce (or you could make your own homemade sauce)
• Fresh bread
• Wooden Spoon
• Colander  (IKEA)

​Want to try your hand at making your own sauce? Click here.

​Herb Basket

• Wire Basket (Walmart)
• Flour Sack Cloth
• Disposable mini salt and herb grinders (Walmart)

When you get to the next duty station you end up having to restock your pantry with all the things you threw away. This Herb Basket is a unique Welcome Gift to give with items they may have never tried before like Pink Himalayan Salt or Habanero Lime already in grinders.

​Candle 

• Tri-wick candle (Bath and Body Works) Get them when they are on sale buy one get one free.

Try making your own scented candles. Try this DIY Tutorial.

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Welcome Gifts under $20.00
Baking Basket in 8 cup mixing bowl, Local honey, soaps and market basket, Ice Cream Fixings and don't for the ice cream. Blue bell is my favorite.

Baking Basket

• 8 cup measuring cup
• Wooden rolling pin
• Whisk
• Dish Towel
• Mason jar with dry ingredients for chocolate chip cookies

Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

• 1 1/2 cups All purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp Baking soda
• 1/4 cup Brown sugar, packed light
• 3/4 cup Chocolate chips
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/2 cup White sugar

Ingredients they will need

• 8 tbsp Butter, salted (1 stick)
• 1 egg

Baking Instructions

​Local Honey and Soaps​

• Local honey
• Handmade soaps (Salado)
• Market Basket (IKEA)
• Tea
• Brochures of local stops (MWR)

​Handmade Soap Sleeve Printable

DIY Soap Making Tutorial

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Ice Cream and Fixings

• Hot Fudge
• Sprinkles
• Cherries
• Ice Cream Scoop
• Waffle Cones
• 1/2 gallon of vanilla ice cream
• Glass Jar

On that hot summer, PCS moving day an ice cream cone or Sundae would be a welcomed treat. Here is a great recipe to make your own Carmel sauce.

Ingredients

• ½ cup unsalted butter
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream
• pinch of salt
• 1 tsp of vanilla

​Instructions
Melt butter and sugar together in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar is dissolved.

Stir in cream, salt, and vanilla and heat until gently bubbling making sure to continually stir so mixture does not burn.

Remove from heat.

​Caramel sauce will thicken upon cooling.

Hope you were inspired to welcome a military family to your neighborhood. PCSing is not always easy and you might just brightened someone's day and blessed them. This is a great way to make a new friend too.

Thanks for stopping by.
Maria