Making a fruit bouquet is a great way to show you care, offer sympathy, or give a last-minute gift. However, it’s not as easy as other care baskets. Because fruit is delicate, and it also ripens and goes bad, you’ll want to make sure you’re following the right steps.
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What You’ll Need Before You Start
- Wicker Gift Basket ($31.00)
- Heart-Shaped Bowl ($25.99)
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- Crinkle=Cut Paper Filler ($15.45)
- Iridescent Easter Grass ($6.68)
- Raffia Paper ($9.99)
- Fresh Flowers with Vase ($49.95)
- Tempera Art Paints ($19.73)
Steps for Making the Fruit Bouquet
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However, if you know the basics, making an inexpensive fresh fruit bouquet is a simple task. Not only is this an affordable gift idea, but it’s a kind gesture for any occasion. Whether you’re creating one for a baby or toddler’s memorial or for a grandmother’s memorial service, this is sure to be appreciated as the useful gift it is.
You don’t need any crafting, gardening, or food experience to get started. Here is a step-by-step guide to making an inexpensive fresh fruit bouquet or basket. No expensive materials or steps required!
What You’ll Need Before You Start
A fruit basket or bouquet looks as good as it tastes, but what do you need to get started? You’ll want a wide arrangement of colors, shapes, and sizes represented. In addition, because you might not know what fruits someone prefers, it’s good to have a variety chosen for your basket.
Aside from fruits, you’ll also need practical elements to not only help support the basket but also keep it looking nice. Here’s exactly what you need before you start:
- Container: First, you need to select some kind of container. This could be a basket, a bowl, flower pot, pail, box, or a gift bag.
- Filler: You’ll need some kind of filler to support the fruit within your container. Otherwise, you risk your fruit bruising or aging prematurely. This could be shredded paper, plastic basket grass, or raffia.
- Fruit: Of course, no fruit basket would be complete without fruit. Choose staples like apples, oranges, and some fun selections like local seasonal fruit.
- Extras: You might also want extras like flowers, candy, nuts, tea, cheese, wine, etc.
- Decoration: Finally, you can also use paper, plastic wrap, paint, sticker, flowers, and so on to decorate your basket once you’ve arranged your fruit.
Once you have your supplies, it’s time to get started. Consider the occasion when shopping for the above. Your fruit bouquet should be ready to eat, whether it’ll be used at a memorial service or birthday party.
Steps for Making the Fruit Bouquet
When you have all of your supplies, it’s time to assemble your fruit bouquet. You’ll want to do so carefully to ensure everything stays edible and safe, especially if you’re mailing it or transporting it any distance.
Fruit spoils and damages easily, so follow these step-by-step tips.
1. Choose your fruits wisely
First, make sure you choose your fruits wisely. Not only should you keep in mind your recipients’ preferences, but you should also choose fruits that are just about to reach ripeness. This ensures they’re ready to eat upon arrival, and your recipient won’t need to wait for them to be ready to eat.
In addition, you’ll want some fruits that can act as a base. These should be sturdy enough to hold other fruits on top. Base fruits include:
- Apples
- Oranges
- Pineapples
- Grapefruit
- Mangos
You’ll want to add less strong fruit on top. These are choices that add additional color, texture, and sizing, but they’re not necessarily strong enough to support anything. Fruit to put on top and in between other fruits include:
- Berries
- Strawberries
- Bananas
- Grapes
- Kiwi
Pay close attention to what’s in season when making your choice. You might also want to create a theme, like summer fruits or citrus. It’s a good idea to be creative for this step, especially if you’re trying to save money.
2. Arrange your basket
It’s time to arrange your fruit within the bouquet or the basket. As mentioned above, you’ll want to start with your base selection. This should be the largest, most durable fruit. Place this on the bottom and in the middle of the basket.
Next, place the smaller and more fragile fruit around the edges. Use the smallest of the fruit (like strawberries, grapes, etc.) to fill in the gaps. Make sure it’s secure and that nothing is putting too much weight on anything else.
3. Add extra items
Don’t limit your fruit bouquet to just fruit. There are so many other inexpensive additions that make wonderful sympathy gifts and holiday gifts, depending on the occasion. Consider things that complement your chosen fruits. Some great ideas are:
- Tea
- Coffee
- Wine or beer
- Crackers
- Wrapped cheese
- Candies
- Chocolate
- Nuts
- Candle
- Serving tray
Since these things are often eaten at funerals, memorials, parties, and other occasions, consider extras that match this venue. Anything that can be grabbed to eat or consume easily is a good idea.
When adding these to your bouquet, you might need to reposition your fruit. Again, all larger items should go in the middle of the basket for stability. Anything smaller can be scattered in gaps and around the edges.
4. Finishing touches
Last but not least, add your finishing touches. You might add plastic wrap, wrapping paper, a bow, or any other decorations to make this appear like a gift. Don’t feel any pressure to go over the top. The fruit and extras look beautiful themselves, so don’t take away from their appearance.
Consider finishing touches that help keep everything together, like a strong bow, filler, or plastic wrap. This is the biggest challenge of creating a fruit bouquet on your own.
When to Send a Fruit Bouquet
There are many occasions when it’s appropriate and welcome to send a fruit bouquet or a fruit basket. Just like how there are many types of funeral flowers, there are many gifts for all types of moments in life. A fruit bouquet is the most versatile since most everyone appreciates fresh fruit.
However, it’s important to recognize when you shouldn’t send a fruit bouquet. Because it’s hard to sum your sympathy into words sometimes, a fruit basket can be a welcome condolence gift. For example, you might not know what to say when someone loses a baby. A gift often sums up this grief without having to rely too much on words.
Still, if the family specifically requests flowers or another gift, it’s best to go with their wishes. Popular funeral flower etiquette emphasizes the importance of following the family’s wishes. However, if gifts are welcome in lieu of flowers, feel open to sending a fruit bouquet as an alternative.
When in doubt, send a fruit bouquet when you’re not sure what gift is appropriate. It’s almost always welcome, and it’s an inexpensive alternative to a traditional gift.
The Art of Gift Giving
Gift-giving truly is an art form. If you’re not sure what to get, you might not know what step to take. In addition, some gifts are too expensive for your budget or don’t seem like they send the right message. One gift idea that’s almost always a good idea is a fresh fruit bouquet or basket. A fruit bouquet is a medley of in-season fruit that’s arranged beautifully, often with other goodies.
No matter your budget, it’s easy to put together a fruit basket that makes the perfect gift. Whether you’re saying ‘I’m sorry for your loss’ or ‘happy birthday,’ you can’t go wrong with fresh fruit. Just make sure you follow these simple steps above to keep everything neat and clean.
If you're looking for more ideas, read our guides on the best relaxing gifts and the best small gifts for friends.