Life Talk

Homemade Diwali sweet boxes on a budget: my plan this year

Diwali is early November this year and my family usually spends a lot on sweet boxes for neighbours, relatives and colleagues. This year I'm making most of it at home with my sister. Sharing the plan in case it helps anyone.

What we're making: coconut ladoo (easy, no special skills), besan ladoo (needs patience with the roasting), and a simple dry fruit chikki. Plus store-bought kaju katli for the box, because some things you don't fight.

Boxes: plain kraft boxes bought in bulk, with a printed label I designed. Looks more personal than a branded box.

Shelf life: coconut ladoo is the shortest, so we make it last, two days before. Besan ladoo and chikki keep longer if stored airtight.

Roughly it's working out under half of what we spent last year, and the boxes look nicer. The cost is one full weekend in the kitchen and my sister's patience.