Holiday garlands made from food

Hi all--
The paper mentioned yesterday making holiday garlands made with more than just popcorn. It mentioned pretzels, pasta, LifeSavers, and bay leaves. It even mentioned Swedish fish. I kind of like that idea and am thinking of doing it, but am wondering if I need to put some kind of preservative on it. I mean pretzels and candy--wouldn't they draw ants?

Anyway--just wondering if anybody else ever did this and how it turned out. Thanks!

Meowzart

i have put food items in the tree for yrs and never had aan ant problem---never thought of it before you asked though

Depending on where you live, ants are dormant right now. As far as I know (and it's entirely possible I'm wrong) ants don't typically hang out in snow.

Snow???? It reached 60 degrees here yesterday!!

Unless you have noticed ants in your house recently, I don't think you would have a problem. I recycle empty soda cans, and even in the summer, a couple of shots of Hot Shot Kitchen Bug Killer (when I spot an ant) keeps them away.

Swedish fish? That wouldn't be lutefisk, would it?

I used to hang candy canes on my tree, until one year they started disappearing one by one... I gave it up as a lost cause.. it's all I can do to keep candy in the advent calendar... the ants don't stand a chance around here..they'd starve..

quote:

Originally posted by meowzart

Snow???? It reached 60 degrees here yesterday!!

Thus why I said "depending on where you live".

In Southern California it seems like the ants are NEVER dormant Last week it got a little chilly around here and I swear the ants just moved inside. I'm starting to think the hills around here aren't hills, their ant beds

My grandmom, who never threw anything way, actually kept the same popcorn garlands from year to year and used them over and over again. I guess she never had a problem with ants!

Meowzart, maybe you could paint the items with clear nail polish or shellac-like product sold in craft stores (for decoupage and such, I think one brand is called "Modge Podge")? This would probably help preserve them and discourage bugs.

quote:

Originally posted by meowzart

Hi all--
The paper mentioned yesterday making holiday garlands made with more than just popcorn. It mentioned pretzels, pasta, LifeSavers, and bay leaves. It even mentioned Swedish fish. I kind of like that idea and am thinking of doing it, but am wondering if I need to put some kind of preservative on it. I mean pretzels and candy--wouldn't they draw ants?

Anyway--just wondering if anybody else ever did this and how it turned out. Thanks!

Meowzart

I don't know about pretzels and candy, but certainly various herbs like bay leaves are common and cause no problem. In my current neck of the woods, the traditional thing this time of year is the ristra--a garland of firey red chiles hung on the front door or gate. I've got one there and another hanging in my kitchen.

I just tried the Swedish fish and gave up! Too sticky. Hubby and I will be trying pasta next. I think I will look for the shellac spaniel mentioned, too. That should give the pasta a pretty sheen, I think.

BT, I bought a ristra wreath (maybe it isn't a ristra when it is made into a wreath?) when I was in NM several years ago. I leave it up all year round. Such a nice addition to my kitchen.

Here's another idea - these garlands are obsessing me for some reason! - maybe try individually wrapped candies rather than unwrapped. You could use hard candies like the spirally peppermints or those giant Lifesavers, or gummies or Swedish Fish, whatever. Then as long as they're light enough not to tear off, you could string them just by stitching through the plastic.