50 Best Food Gifts for Anyone Who Likes to Cook (or Eat!)
Here at Kitchn, we believe that the best gifts are the ones you can eat. Of course, kitchen gifts are great for home cooks, and baking gifts will keep any confection- or bread-lover busy, but you simply can’t go wrong with food gifts. After all, how can your loved ones resist a bottle of gourmet olive oil or an entire month’s worth of cheese? That’s why we’ve rounded up the very best edible gifts that pretty much anyone on your list would appreciate, regardless of their palate.
These food-related gift ideas are experiences in themselves, from grocery subscriptions your recipients can use to make a delicious dinner or things they can use to enhance their morning coffee, to editor-loved ingredients and condiments to curate the pantry of their dreams. The best part? You can order all of these gifts online! Whether you’re planning for the holidays, looking for a way to celebrate your favorite person’s birthday, or on the hunt for a last-minute host gift, we have you covered.
2021 K Gift Guide: Food Gifts - Meal Kits & Subscriptions
Surprise your favorite carnivore with a subscription to ButcherBox, which has two plans that each offer two different box sizes. The more basic option, the Curated Plan, gets you a classic box with 8 to 11 pounds of meat based on personal choice. Your giftee can choose among prime cuts such as pork chops, ribeyes, flat iron steaks, chicken breast, and much more.
With Wildgrain, a bread delivery service, you can gift anyone a box of baked-from-frozen loaves, pastries, pasta, biscuits, and more. Because everything arrives frozen, you don't have to worry about anything going bad, so it's perfect no matter the size of their household. Former executive lifestyle director Lisa was shocked when she tried it out, starting with a sourdough loaf. "The crust had crisped up nicely and the inside was fluffy and pillowy and chewy. Still warm, this bread tasted like something you’d get in a bread basket at a restaurant," she said.
Kitchn readers went wild for this incredible gluten-free pasta after contributor Stella raved about it. Unlike many gluten-free pasta varieties that can taste off when it comes to texture, ZENB uses yellow peas for their noodles, which results in a very pasta-like texture. It also happens to be packed with protein so you're actually full after your meal, too. Gift any gluten-free (or gluten-loving!) foodie this variety pack to make their next pasta night delicious and nutritious.
Bean Box has been an editor- and reader-favorite ever since we tried the coffee subscription service a couple of years ago. Each month, you receive gourmet coffees right to your doorstep from handpicked small-batch roasters. With this World Coffee Tour Box, you can give the gift of tasting coffees from around the world, with chocolate-forward Latin American roasts, fruity African flavors, and more. The box includes 16 coffees with included tasting notes and brewing tips so they can truly immerse themselves in the experience. You can also choose from ground or whole bean depending on their preference. It's one of the best coffee gifts you can give in our opinion!
Traveling to France is a once-in-a-lifetime thing, but enjoying the cuisine doesn't have to be. This collection of cheese and charcuteries is the next best thing. With four kinds of cheese, Jambon, bright olives, and more, this board-in-a-box is a treat for six to eight lucky people. Or just one, if the recipient decides not to share.
Tea-drinkers love to try new flavors, but committing to a whole box or tin can be a big investment. Enter: Sips By, a tea subscription box that lets recipients try four new teas a month (four bags each) from premium brands around the world. The receiver just answers a few quiz questions and gets a box personalized to their likes, so you don’t have to worry about picking the wrong flavor.
This collection is made with Paleo devotees in mind, but anyone who loves seafood will surely appreciate this generous assortment. Packed with two portions each of Alaskan sockeye salmon, halibut, Atlantic cod, Gulf shrimp, sea scallops, and haddock, there is more than enough to fill someone’s plate night after night.
New Yorkers know to expect a LONG (really long) line at Ess-a-Bagel’s flagship store. Luckily, you can skip that (and the airfare) and send a fresh dozen to your favorite carb-loving friend or relative. You’ll get to pick from 10 different flavors when ordering. We recommend everything and sesame bagels, but you can’t go wrong with whatever you pick to send.
Trying new recipes and flavors can be tricky if you can't find the right spices. That's where Piquant Post's Spice Subscription comes in. Each month, they send you four unique spices and four matching recipes. Plus, you can access their online recipe collection, which has many choices, including plant-based and gluten-free options. Sounds like a great gift to us!
2021 K Gift Guide: Food Gifts - Pantry Ingredients
If you have a home cook on your list who loves dishes that pop with flavor, they'll be thrilled to receive the Chef's Collection Set from Burlap & Barrel, a Kitchn-favorite brand of spices sourced from small farms. This six-jar set includes unexpected finds to create great-tasting meals. Your giftee will receive cobanero chili flakes, wild mountain cumin, ground black lime, sun-dried tomato powder, cloud forest cardamom, and Euphrates mint.
The jam-making experts at Stonewall Kitchen put together this gift set of three of their most popular varieties: Wild Maine Blueberry, Strawberry, and Black Raspberry. Each jar holds 12.5 ounces of fruity deliciousness, and it all comes in a custom-made wooden crate tied up with a lovely ribbon.
This spice solution is equal parts form and function, with a standout aesthetic that makes it a showpiece on your recipient's countertop. Instead of mismatched jars floating around unfettered in the cabinet, Evermill takes everything countertop, with a streamlined collection of amber glass jars and gilded labels that keep things looking sleek and sophisticated.
Know a condiment lover always on the lookout for new pantry essentials? We highly suggest this saffron "secret sauce" from Acid League that contributor Stella fell in love with at first taste. "This saffron-tinted sauce is not just a hot sauce," she said. "Sure, it has a kick due to the habanero and escabeche peppers in its ingredient list, but it’s the most complex and layered condiment I have in my kitchen." It's delicious on roasted veggies, eggs, wings, salads — the list goes on. It'll be a thoughtful and funky gift that they're guaranteed to use to the very last drop.
Gifts for grillers can easily become repetitive with tools and rubs — until you meet this flavor-forward (and award-winning!) Japanese BBQ sauce. Contributor Meredith picked it up because of its handy squeeze bottle and minimal ingredient list and was delighted after trying it with rice, the TikTok-famous salmon bowl, stir-fry, chicken thighs, and even morning eggs. "The sweet and salty sauce is an umami-lover’s delight, with notes of ginger, green onion, sesame oil, mirin (a sweet cooking wine), rice vinegar, and soy sauce," she said. And without any thickening agents, it remains thin and perfect for drizzling so it's easily used as a marinade or go-to sauce.
Looking for a gift that the cocktail lover on your list will appreciate? This aperitif is perfect for the gin drinker or even just enjoying with a splash of soda, according to our senior commerce editor, Danielle. Enjoy it any time of year, whether mixed with prosecco during the warmer months or added to a warm beverage when it's cold outside for a fruity, herbaceous kick.
Good salt can take any dish to the next level. And with this 3.1-pound bucket of chef-favorite Maldon Sea Salt, your food-lover can take EVERY dish to the next level, possibly for a year or more.
No offense to the nut butter you get in a grocery store — they have their place, too. But once you try flavors such as peanut with wildflower honey and ginger almond with coconut, it’s going to be hard to go back to topping your oatmeal with anything else. Try some for yourself and then get your favorite flavor for everyone on your gift list.
Crafted on a family-run farm on California’s central coast, this oil and vinegar set is sure to be a real treat for the food-lover in your life. Two extra virgin olive oils, each with their own unique flavor profile, as well as Champagne and balsamic vinegar make sure there’s a companion to whatever your pal is whipping up in the kitchen.
Know someone whose spice collection could use a serious refresh? This starter pack is filled with all the essentials including cumin seed, chili powder, and paprika—as well as a few your loved one may not have, like fennel seed, Moroccan coriander seed, and yellow mustard powder. It’s a great way to encourage someone to experiment with new flavors.
Chili crisp has an intense flavor but isn’t too hot to enjoy. This stuff can be used on all sorts of things, but we especially enjoy it on eggs, vegetables, sandwiches, and rice bowls. Even your friend who doesn't like spice will love this.
Skip the bottle of wine the next time you show up at a party and throw your host a sweet curveball instead: maple syrup. This Grade A amber syrup from Vermont comes in an attractive bottle that’s perfect for gifting.
We’re guessing you don’t know too many people who have tried celery vinegar, but that's what makes it an excellent, unexpected gift. Made from celery grown in the mineral-rich fields of Pennsylvania, this vinegar can be used to finish off potato salad, raw oysters, cooked beans, and so much more. We especially like it as a flavoring for homemade soda.
This pretty little jar has some very big flavors inside of it. Made with a mix of chili peppers, paprika, rose petals, garlic, and other species, this harissa is a great way to kick up a soup, marinate meat, or mix into a grain salad.
Omsom launched during the pandemic, when we couldn't have been more desperate for a delicious dinner shortcut. Each kit has all the (sometimes hard-to-find) sauces, aromatics, and seasonings you need for specific Asian recipes, such as Japanese Yuzu Misoyaki and Chinese Mala Salad. This mega sampler is filled with 10 noodle boxes and 15 sauce packets, which is enough to make more than 55 Asian favorites. Cooks just need to mix in protein and veggies on the stovetop and dinner is ready in about 30 minutes.
The folks at Seed + Mill use all natural ingredients and really know how to celebrate the flavor of sesame. This box offers something savory (tahini) and something sweet (pistachio and sea salt dark chocolate halva), so it's sure to please.
No offense to the honey bears hanging out on grocery store shelves, but there are lots of other options out there. This pick is made from bees that feed on the nectar and pollen from wildflowers, which provides more antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, than single varietal honey. And it tastes pretty darn delicious, too.
This elevated apple cider vinegar is made from a variety of hand-harvested Gravenstein, Red Rome Beauty, Golden Delicious, and Pink Pearl apples. It’s got a vibrant kick that goes a long way in marinades and dressings. If you gave someone a bottle of olive oil last year, consider this for 2023.
Help someone kick it up a notch with a fancy new hot sauce collection. Yeah, we said fancy. Because these are made with truffles! This three-pack offers a variety of flavors and intensity levels, so the lucky recipient is sure to find one that’s just right for whatever they’re topping, mixing, or basting.
2021 K Gift Guide: Food Gifts - Snacks & Sweets
Panettone is a traditional sweet bread enjoyed during the holiday season in Italy, and Olivieri 1882 has been hand-making them in the city of Arzignano since, yep, 1882. Thanks to Goldbelly, you can savor their generations-old recipe for yourself, whether it’s the classic panettone or newer flavors like apricot salted caramel, balsamic vinegar, or limoncello.
There’s nothing vanilla about Malai ice cream, which is influenced by the warm and aromatic South Asian flavors and spices that founder Pooja Bavishi grew up eating. You can choose from a variety of Malai standards like Orange Fennel, Masala Chai, and Rose with Cinnamon Roasted Almonds.
Homemade treats can be on the dessert menu all year long with these delectable, sweet-and-salty treats that are part cracker and part cookie. The Quad Squad! gift box comes with four flavors — The OG, Everything, Churros, and Surprise Party — each in a 4.7-ounce resealable bag, so your giftee can try them all to find their fave.
Famed NYC bakery Milk Bar is known for its offbeat, nostalgia-laden treats that pack a punch of fun into every bite. This assorted tin combines three of their most popular cake truffle flavors — B'Day Truffles, Chocolate B'Day Truffles, and Strawberry Shortcake Truffles — for a treat worthy of any celebratory occasion.
If you've ever tried Ben & Jerry's Chocolate Fudge Brownie ice cream, Maple Blondie ice cream, or a handful of other mix-in flavors, then you're already familiar with how utterly delectable Greyston products are. Gift your loved one this Double Delish! bundle, which includes two pieces of each of six core flavors: Chocolate Fudge Brownie, Double Chocolate Chip Blondie, Snickerdoodle Blondie, Vegan Fudge Brownie, Vegan Cinammon Roll Blondie, and Vegan Birthday Shortcake Blondie.
Know someone who can't get enough popcorn? If so, then this is the gift for them. Wrapped in a "Made with Love" mailer and packaged in tissue paper, the Best Sellers Set from Poppy Handcrafted Popcorn offers a sampling of some of the brand's most creative flavors: Asheville Mix, Salted Caramel, Cinnamon Bourbon Pecan, and Pimento Cheese.
Headquartered in Philly's famed Reading Terminal Market, Bassett's Ice Cream has been churning out mouthwatering treats since 1861. With this DIY-ice-cream-sandwich kit from Goldbelly, your giftee will enjoy a taste of the City of Brotherly Love. It includes three flavors (you pick) and 16 ready-to-bake portions of chocolate chip cookie dough from Famous 4th Street Cookie Company, which just happens to be located steps from Bassett's.
Give your loved one the scrumptious goodness of Christina Tosi's famous cookies from Milk Bar. This tin includes all the classics: Compost, Cornflake Chocolate Chip Marshmallow, Confetti, Chocolate Confetti, Blueberry & Cream, and Corn. Choose from a six-pack (one of each) or a 12-pack (two of each).
The famous New York City bakery can now be enjoyed anywhere across the country, starting with this incredible sampler pack. It includes two large classic banana pudding cups and two cupcakes, perfect for anyone who is already a huge Magnolia Bakery fan or who has never tried it before. You'll get bonus points if they're "Sex and the City" fans, too!
Several editors are head-over-heels in love with California-based See's Candies (Contributor Stella firmly believes See's has the best boxes of chocolate out there!). This assorted truffles pack includes 12 pieces in various gourmet flavors like blueberry, lemon, and café au lait that any chocolate lover will devour as soon as they open the box.
Chocolate purists (and really anyone with taste buds) will appreciate the paired-down ingredient list in Hu chocolates. With no dairy, emulsifiers, or refined sugar, all you taste is pure cocoa bliss. This generous 8-pack includes favorite flavors like Crunchy Mint and Hazelnut Butter. Give the set as a gift or break the bars up and pass them out like, well, candy.
We’ll admit it: We’re suckers for good packaging. And why shouldn’t we be — especially when it comes to gifts worth giving? This cute burlap bag is stuffed to the brim with one pound of crunchy peanuts — more than enough to satisfy someone’s salt tooth.
The Swiss sure do know chocolate! Handmade by the same family that immigrated to the U.S. in the 1950s, the sweets from André's are melt-in-your-mouth good. These orange peels are a favorite, probably because they’re coated in luscious dark chocolate three times before they’re boxed up and shipped to a lucky recipient.
Treat the movie aficionado in your life with some seasonings to take their next batch of popcorn to the next level. With flavors like Cheddar, Maple Garlic, Garlic & Herb, and Fire Salt, your loved one might want to double up the popping.
When you get someone Jeni's ice cream, you're already getting them one of the richest, most satisfying, and most beloved ice creams. So, getting their best sellers collection is truly the best of the best. The five fan-approved favorites include: brambleberry crisp, brown butter almond brittle, darkest chocolate, salted peanut butter with chocolate flecks, and salty caramel.
You're in for a real treat with this fantastic food gift. The talented folks at Baked by Melissa have joined forces with the well-known astrologer Aliza Kelly to whip up 12 scrumptious cupcakes. What's special about them? Well, they're tied to your zodiac sign, so you get a pair of flavors personally chosen by Aliza. It's like a mouthwatering horoscope for your taste buds.
2021 K Gift Guide: Food Gifts - Baking Ingredients
New York City’s Flour Shop is known for its whimsical, fun confections, and this kit can help the adventurous baker in your life try their hand at an Insta-popular sprinkle explosion cake. Packaged in a cute paint can, this kit includes cake mix, food coloring, frosting mix, and all the sprinkles required to recreate the viral, colorful dessert.
Surprise the baker who seemingly has everything with this set of specialty salts. With exciting flavors such as orange, ginger, rose peppercorn, and hibiscus, they'll add extra oomph to any recipe.
There’s a lot to love about this gift box, which contains a duo of charming jars packed with ingredients for two delicious fan-favorite cookie recipes from Kerber's Farm in Huntington, NY. Each includes everything your recipient needs to whip up a batch without the hassle of a recipe — well, almost — except for the eggs and butter. Gift this box solo, or bundle it with a cute apron and spatula for a present any at-home baker would love.
True bakers know that a good vanilla extract can make all the difference in their creations. Nielsen-Massey makes some of the best, so gifting this threesome of vanillas from different regions will allow the baker in your life to find the one that’s just right for whatever they plan to whip up.
Sprinkles are one food that's actually gotten better since your childhood. That's because this vegan-friendly dessert topping is made with only a few simple ingredients and no artificial dyes. Plus, these have fun dinosaur shapes!
For anyone who doesn't venture beyond plain ol' sea salt, this well-rounded set is an eye-opening introduction to the wide world of salt. And, for experienced tasters, it's a wonderful trip around that same flavorful world. Enjoy the Himalayas, Hawaii, or Trapani, Italy (without leaving your kitchen).
