Preparing a Snack Basket For Your Guest Room

One of the easiest ways to make guests feel welcome in your home is by preparing a snack basket for your guest room. With a few simple, store-bought ingredients, and some creative imagination, your guests will be surprised, as well as overjoyed by the simple fact that you went to the trouble to make them feel like one of the family.

After a long day's travel, they will want to kick back, relax and enjoy their surroundings, so why not spoil them with some delicious snacks and cool refreshments.

All items below can be purchased at a local grocery store, gourmet food shop and a craft store.

Tools and Materials Needed:

• Scissors
• Bottle of sparkling water, wine, cider or soda
• Box of gourmet crackers, Melba toasts, rye crisps pita chips, or popcorn
• Imported cheeses such as Swiss Gruyere, British Stilton, or Black Diamond Cheddar
• A container of soft, spreadable cheeses such as Brie, or Camembert, Manchego or goat cheese
• Almonds, walnuts, pecans, a variety of nuts, or pretzels
• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Small bottles or jars of imported caviar, Foie Gras, or a smoked fish like salmon or lox
• A wicker basket, fancy box, or container to arrange all of the items
• A piece of colorful fabric or tissue paper in various colors and prints to place in the bottom of the basket, box or container
• Paper plates, napkins, plastic wineglasses, bottle opener, wine screw

Step 1- Line the Snack Box

Begin by lining the basket, container or box with cut pieces of fabric or tissue paper. By placing a decorative liner of some sort adds a festive appearance to the basket rather than leaving it plain. Colored tissue paper in solids or even patterns relative to the time of year can also give off a personal touch.

Step 2 - Arranging the Items

Next, arrange all of the ingredients to look festive and appealing. Place taller items in the back of the container; smaller items can be propped against the taller items. For example, place wine bottles or other spirits in the back, then arrange small boxes of crackers, popcorn, etc. in front. Cheese wedges and other treats can fall down in the bottom of the container, so propping them up against larger items makes them more viewable to the guest.

Step 3- Placing Unrelated Food Items

Place all paper plates, eating utensils and napkins also in the basket, container or box. Since these may be the least attractive of the contents, placing them at the bottom or underneath food items makes the snacks stand out better. If you choose more elaborate dishes, cloth napkins or fine China and wine glasses, surely place them where they can be seen.

Step 4- Final Sprucing Up

Place the entire contents on a table or near a lamp where guests can see the guest basket when they enter the guest room. Add final touches such as a greeting card, flowers, small plant or decorative ribbon tied on the handle of the basket or container.

 Step 5- Wishing Your Guests Bon Appetit!

Lastly, wishing your guests well by telling them how happy you are that they have come to visit with the snack bassket you have prepared by hand should make them feel more than welcome. In fact, you might even sit down and share the snack basket with them!