Baby Shower Favors Ideas: 12 Easy Favors by Budget ($1 to $5)
Part of our guide: Baby Shower Ideas: The Complete Guide
Baby shower favors are a small thank you, and they are optional. The best ones are cheap, useful, and easy to make for a group. This guide gives you 12 favor ideas in 3 budget tiers, with the total for 20 guests, so you can pick a number and buy.
- Budget tiers: about $1, $3, or $5 for each guest.
- Total for 20 guests (22 favors with 2 spares): about $22, $66, or $110, plus about $5 for tags and ribbon.
- Time to pack: about 1 hour for 20 favors, plus tags.
- Best choice if you are unsure: a small edible favor with a tag, since many guests will use it.
- Safety: label allergens, and skip tiny parts if children will come.
Top Decor Picks for this Setup
Curated essentials on Amazon to help you recreate this setup easily.
Clear Cookie Bags with Ribbon 100 Pack
Bags for cookies and candy.
Thank You Favor Tags 50 Pack Cardstock
Tags for every favor.
Mini Jam Jars 2 oz 24 Pack with Lids
Jam or honey favors.
Flower Seed Packets Bulk 20
A $1 favor.
Table of Contents
- Do you need favors?
- Tier 1: About $1 each ($22 for 22 favors)
- Tier 2: About $3 each ($66 for 22 favors)
- Tier 3: About $5 each ($110 for 22 favors)
- DIY or ready-made?
- How to pack and present them
- Total cost for 20 guests
- Mistakes to avoid
- Safety
- Helpful safety sources
- FAQ
- Related articles
Do you need favors?
No. A thank you note after the shower works as well, and some hosts skip favors and spend the money on food. If you do give favors, plan 1 for each guest, plus 2 spare, so 22 for 20 guests. Put them on a table near the door or at each seat.
Tier 1: About $1 each ($22 for 22 favors)
1. Mini candy bags. A small clear bag with 5 to 6 candies and a tag. Pick candy that is wrapped. Add a tag with the baby’s name or the date.
2. Seed packets. A flower or herb seed packet with a tag that says “Watch it grow.” They are light, and guests can plant them at home.
3. Printed bookmarks. A card with a short message that you print at home on cardstock. This costs the least of all. Cut 4 bookmarks from each sheet.
4. A tea bag favor. One tea bag in a small envelope, with a tag that says “Take a moment to rest.” Choose a decaf tea.
Candy bags, seed packets, bookmarks, and tea bags, about $1 each.
Tier 2: About $3 each ($66 for 22 favors)
5. Cookies in a bag. One decorated sugar cookie in a clear bag, tied with ribbon. Add an ingredient label if you bake them yourself, since some guests have allergies.
6. Mini jam or honey jars. A 2 ounce jar with a tag. Honey is fine for guests, but it is not safe for babies under 1 year old because of the risk of infant botulism.
7. Lip balm or hand cream. A small tube with a tag that says “Thank you for helping us celebrate.”
8. A mini plant. A small herb or succulent in a 2 inch pot. With light and water, many last for weeks.
9. Flavored popcorn or snack bag. A small bag with a tag, packed the day before.
Cookies, jam jars, lip balm, small plants, and popcorn, about $3 each.
Tier 3: About $5 each ($110 for 22 favors)
10. A candle favor. A small soy candle in a 2 ounce tin. Use it as a take-home favor, and not as a table decoration, since real candles near balloons and paper are a fire risk.
11. A personalized cookie. A large cookie with the baby’s name or a simple shape, packed in a clear box.
12. A mini gift set. A tea sachet, a small chocolate, and a bookmark in a small box. It looks bigger than it costs.
Candle tins, personalized cookies, and mini gift sets, about $5 each.
DIY or ready-made?
- DIY (cookies, tags, popcorn): costs less, but takes 2 to 3 hours for 22 favors. Start 2 days before.
- Ready-made (jam jars, candles, lip balm): costs more for each favor, but takes about 1 hour to tag and pack.
- Heat: in a warm room or outdoors, keep chocolate and cookies in a cool spot until guests leave.
- Transport: carry boxes flat and level, and pack cookies in a single layer.
How to pack and present them
- Make the tags first. Print 22 tags on cardstock, and punch a hole in each. Use one message on all of them.
- Pack in a batch. Set up an assembly line: 22 bags or boxes, then the favor, then the ribbon, then the tag.
- Pack the day before. Fresh cookies and popcorn keep best in sealed bags for 1 day.
- Display in one place. A tray or a basket near the door, or one favor on each plate.
- Keep a few extra. Two spare favors cover a guest who brings a friend.
Tags, ribbon, and a tray by the door make a neat display.
Total cost for 20 guests
These are planning estimates for U.S. stores. Prices vary by store and region.
| Tier | Cost for each | Favors (22) | Tags and ribbon | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $1 | about $1 | $22 | $5 | $27 |
| $3 | about $3 | $66 | $5 | $71 |
| $5 | about $5 | $110 | $5 | $115 |
Prices are rough. A mini plant may cost $2 to $4 and a candle tin $3 to $6, so check the price of each piece before you buy. The totals above include 22 favors and about $5 for tags and ribbon. To save money, make your own bookmarks and tags, and buy in bulk. See our budget baby shower decorations for more ideas.
Mistakes to avoid
- Favors with a strong scent. Many guests dislike candles or lotions with a strong scent.
- No allergy labels. Put the ingredients on any homemade food.
- Small parts and children. Skip tiny parts for children under 3.
- Buying too many. Plan 22, not 30.
- Last-minute packing. Pack the day before.
Safety
- Label nuts, dairy, eggs, and gluten on any food favor.
- Do not give honey to babies under 1 year old.
- Keep real candles away from paper and balloons.
- Small items are a choking risk for young children.
Helpful safety sources
- HealthyChildren (AAP): choking prevention: Why small parts are a choking risk for young children.
- USDA: keeping food out of the danger zone: Why perishable food should not sit out for more than 2 hours.
FAQ
What are good baby shower favors?
Small, useful favors work best: cookies in a bag, mini jam jars, seed packets, lip balm, or a tea bag with a tag. Pick one tier, such as $1, $3, or $5 each, and make 22 for 20 guests.
How much should I spend on baby shower favors?
A common range is $1 to $5 for each guest. For 20 guests that is about $22 to $110 for 22 favors, plus about $5 for tags and ribbon. Many hosts spend less and put the money into food.
Do you have to give baby shower favors?
No. Favors are optional. A thank you note after the shower is a good option, and some hosts skip favors and spend the money on food.
What are cheap baby shower favors?
Seed packets, printed bookmarks, tea bags, and small bags of wrapped candy, at about $1 each. Printing your own tags and bookmarks costs the least.
How many favors do I need?
Plan one for each guest plus 2 spares. For 20 guests make 22.
Are edible favors safe?
Usually yes, when you label nuts, dairy, eggs, and gluten, keep them in sealed bags, and pack them the day before. Skip homemade food if a guest has a severe allergy, and use a sealed, store-bought favor for them. Do not give honey to babies under 1 year old.
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Recreate This Look: Complete Supply Checklist
Every prop, decor item, and material identified in our styled photos, linked directly to top-rated supplies on Amazon.
Ribbon for the bags.
Punch the tags.
A $3 favor.
Lip balm favors.
A $5 favor.
Box for personalized cookies.
Tea bag favors.
Envelope for tea bags.
Print bookmarks and tags.
Mini candy bags.
Popcorn favor bags.
Mini gift set boxes.
Make shaped cookies.
Tie tags.
Display tray by the door.
Allergen labels.
