10 Food and Drink Subscriptions That Make Perfect Last-Minute Gifts

Katie Macdonald
·6 min read
Mother's Day Winc Wine Subscription
Mother's Day Winc Wine Subscription

Winc

The window to order a last-minute holiday gift is quickly closing, so if you’re still struggling to pick out the perfect present for your favorite home cook, we have another strategy: a subscription service.

While we’ve always appreciated subscription boxes as low-lift gifts for friends and family who feel impossible to shop for, this year they feel even more necessary. As we’re all doing our best to stay indoors, a shipment of sweet treats or special sips is a welcome break from the monotony of quarantine cooking. Plus, with pandemic-related supply shortages and shipping delays, it’s a relief that your gift doesn’t need to arrive exactly by December 25th. Your loved one starts the subscription service at their convenience!

Related: Last-Minute Kitchen Gifts Guaranteed to Arrive Before Christmas

No matter if you’re searching for a cousin who’s just started drinking wine, a friend who’s a grill master, or simply want to treat yourself to a monthly supply of candy, there are tons of subscription box options out there. And to help you find the right fit for your needs, we gathered the ten best food and drink subscription services to gift now.

Read on to find out more about each, then pick your favorite for thoughtful gifts delivered with the click of a button.

Best for New Cooks: Home Chef

For cooks looking to get comfortable in the kitchen, Home Chef is an excellent introduction. The popular online meal kit delivery service offers dozens of 30-minute recipes diverse enough to satisfy any type of eater—like vegan, pescatarian, dairy-free, and carnivore—and features easy-to-follow instructions in every box. Send your loved one a week’s worth of meals to help them gain confidence in the kitchen.

To buy: from $7 per serving; homechef.com

Best for Coffee: Trade

A perfect cup of coffee starts with the beans. Trade works with roasters across the country to deliver more than 400 top-notch coffees at peak freshness. The brand’s team rigorously searches and tests new coffees to offer subscribers, tasting each blend for quality control. What’s more, the subscription service features a thoughtful questionnaire on taste and brewing style to tailor its recommendations.

To buy: $60 for three bags; drinktrade.com

Best for Tea: DavidsTea

DavidsTea’s Tea Tasting Club is loaded with terrific treats. Each season, recipients will get a box filled with up to eight blends and exclusive teaware. But the best part is that membership includes access to an exclusive Facebook group where tea-lovers can discuss brews, techniques, tips, and more.

To buy: $140 for a year’s subscription; davidstea.com

Best for Wine: Winc

Not only does a wine subscription open a world of exclusive bottles, but your loved one will think of you and appreciate your thoughtful gift every time a box arrives on their doorstep. Winc’s fuss-free service skips confusing jargon and offers a six-question palate profile quiz to help users discover the best bottles for their taste. They can choose anything from classic blends to single vineyard passion projects, including a chilled red, canned rosé, and sulfur-free wine.

To buy: $150 for a three-month subscription; winc.com

Best for Cocktails: Mouth

mouth.comAnyone can be a bartender at home with Mouth’s Cocktail of the Month Club. Each box features a variety of small-batch mixers, syrups, and bitters, plus recipes on how to use them. Past packages have included tea-infused watermelon margarita mixers, Bourbon-infused cocktail cherries, and cucumber mint simple syrup. Users just need to add the booze for pro-level cocktails from the comfort of their couch.

To buy: $85 for a three-month subscription; mouth.com

Best for Beer: The Original Craft Beer Club

Whether they’re a fan of hoppy IPAs or full-bodied stouts, beer drinkers will love the variety of The Original Craft Beer Club. Each box showcases different breweries and styles from across the country, with 12 bottles from at least two makers in every shipment. And since the club focuses on small distributors, you know each delivery will help affectionados discover new favorites. Choose to give monthly, every-other-month, or even quarterly shipments.

To buy: $45 per shipment; craftbeerclub.com

Best for Cheese: Murray’s Cheese

The best way to explore the vast, complex world of cheese is with the help of an expert guide, like New York’s iconic Murray’s Cheese. The beloved shop is known for its extensive variety of high-quality artisanal varieties and offers five delicious subscription selections for every taste. From the Classic selection with approachable Cheddars and Goudas to a more adventurous Cheesemonger's Picks, which highlight funky bleus and extra-aged Emmentaler, each delivery includes a thorough guide, with descriptions of origin and flavor, as well as beverage pairings for each.

To buy: from $63 per month; murrayscheese.com

Best for Meat: Omaha Steaks

Unsurprisingly, one of our top picks for online meat delivery services has an impressive gift subscription. Omaha Steaks is famous for its variety of cuts, like top-notch filet mignons, sirloins, ribeyes, and T-bones and has been slicing and shipping steaks since 1917. Choose from monthly, bimonthly, or quarterly boxes of the butcher’s most popular options. And if you’re looking to pair their meal with a glass of wine, Omaha Steaks has that covered, too. It features more than 25 different bottles of Pinot noir, Merlot, Cabernet, and more that you can add to your steak shipment.

To buy: from $129 per month; omahasteaks.com

Best for Candy: Candy Club

Young kids (or anyone young at heart) will love this sweet curation. Each box comes with six different candies, from mouth-puckering gummies to chewy taffies to salty pretzel bites. Pick between mostly sweets or mostly sours to treat your favorite candy lover.

To buy: $29 per shipment; amazon.com

Best for Chocolate: Compartés

Compartés’ gorgeous chocolate bars make for a sweet and special delivery every month. The brand’s artisan bars are handcrafted in its Los Angeles kitchen, featuring intricate designs and whimsical flavors, like Cereal Bowl, Strawberry Shortcake, and Caramelized Popcorn. The Chocolate of the Month Club shipments include eight different flavors, including first tastes and limited-edition releases.

To buy: $150 for a three-month subscription; compartes.com