Souvenir shopping can be a frustrating and expensive task, but sometimes, you know you've found the perfect souvenir as soon as you see it.

On a recent trip to Paris, I was pleased to find that my hotel breakfast included single-size servings of yogurt in adorable little glass containers, which I knew could easily double as candle holders once I rinsed them out.

Over the course of a week, I accumulated a stash of five glass containers, all of which survived the trip back in my checked luggage.

Once I got home and ran the glass containers through the dishwasher, tealights from IKEA ($3.99 for a 100-pack) completed the look. The candles now stand on my windowsill and remind me of my trip to the aptly named City of Light.

Even if your hotel doesn't include breakfast, most grocery stores around France seem to carry several brands of yogurt in glass containers. For example, I found that the Monoprix supermarket chain sells a four-pack of yogurt for about €2 ($2.50). A snack and a souvenir all in one, imagine that.

[Image Credit: Amy Chen]

Filed under: Arts and Culture, North America, United States, Budget Travel