Updated on Sep. 24, 2024
There's no shortage of food gifts that are, simply put, delicious in every way. From sweet to salty to just plain indulgent, we found the best food gifts for everyone on your list.
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When it comes to gifting, you can never go wrong with food. Whether you send a sweet treat, a savory snack or something in between, there’s a delicious option for any recipient. After all, everyone needs to eat!
We’ve tasted, read reviews and sifted through hundreds of products to identify the best food gifts. These tasty eats, spices, condiments and drinks will make any foodie smile. From cookie clubs to gift baskets, we have the best food gifts covered.
One word of warning? Don’t read this list on an empty stomach. Or you might just order one of everything for yourself!
Chocolate boxes make a great gift for almost any occasion. When I think of a classic box of luxury chocolates, Ethel . is one of the first brands that springs to mind. Ethel M’s selections are incredibly customizable to appeal to a range of styles and tastes. They’re available in sizes as tiny as two-piece samplers or as complex as custom tins. The 16-piece chocolatier’s collection contains a generous variety of flavors and fillings, which makes it a great pick for those who prefer a solid assortment.
This City Brew Tours club really is a club, complete with its own monthly podcast for you die-hard ale fans. It introduces beer lovers to eight different beers every month (i.e., two tall cans from four different breweries in a single city). Each selection is curated by City Brew Tours, and each box includes information about the beers and brewery. Your friend will love getting philosophical about their new favorite IPA when they tune in for the monthly subscriber Zoom call tasting featuring guest speakers, brewing experts and fellow beer enthusiasts.
Are they as obsessed with watching “Hot Ones” on YouTube as they are with cranking up the spice of their own food? Thanks to this sauce of the month club, they can experience a curated collection of award-winning hot sauces from the Heatonist clan. It’s a great way to explore new flavors they wouldn’t normally reach for.
When a trip to Japan isn’t possible, this Bokksu snack box will satisfy any travel cravings. Choose the subscription that works for them (1-, 3- 6- or 12-month plans available) and get ready to indulge in Japanese culture. Boxes are curated based on festivals, prefectures and holidays to offer an authentic tasting experience, including snacks like mochi, cakes and chips.
For a soup lover, you can’t beat this soup care package. Spoonful of Comfort is a women-owned online retailer specializing in food gift baskets, most famously its soup delivery. Their build-your-own-soup package lets you choose from creamy mac and cheese, savory chicken noodle or heartier options like beef chili and poblano chicken. Each package comes with a complimentary batch of rolls and your choice of cookies, too. Talk about a comforting care package!
Someone who can’t get enough chocolate will be ecstatic to receive this exotic truffle collection. The 16 truffles in the collection span flavors from all around the globe, like sweet Indian curry, coconut and cacao, while another combines ginger, wasabi and black sesame seeds. And those flavors are only the beginning! The chocolatier behind Vosges Haut-Chocolat, Katrina Markoff, was named one of the 10 Best Chocolatiers in the World by National Geographic, so you can count on the fact that these chocolates will be some of the best your friend has ever had.
One of the best gift of the month clubs on our radar is the Goldbelly subscription box, which sends the recipient a box brimming with treats each month. Inclusions range from world-famous delis to bespoke pizza places to the bakery that made JFK’s wedding cake.
“With the 3-month subscription box, I could’ve received anything from barbecue to chocolate chip cookies, though Goldbelly also offers more niche boxes with themes such as pizza, bacon and pie,” says Product Testing Manager Annamarie in her review of the service. “Goldbelly is for people like me. People who miss and crave the hot sandwich they had that one time during a layover in New York City years ago or the ice cream they grew up eating summer after summer in their hometown. It’s also for people who are just plain curious about food.”
There’s nothing sweeter than a gift that gives back. And this box of cookies and brownies from Feed Your Soul Bakery does just that. Each order helps to provide meals (and cookies!) to those in need. Enjoy flavors like key lime, berry best, nutty peanut butter and “show me the honey.” It pairs well with these hot chocolate gift sets.
Whether you’re looking for cocktail kits to keep or to gift, you can’t go wrong with the Happy Hour at Home gourmet cocktail kit from Here Here Market. Boasting a sleek, giftable branded box and bursting with high quality inclusions, this cocktail kit sparks endless inspiration for both cocktail connoisseurs and budding bartenders alike.
Looking for a classic cocktail experience but without the alcohol? Whether it’s for Dry January or just because, the non-alcoholic cocktail kits from Raising the Bar are a worthy addition to any sober soiree. The way it works is simple—just subscribe to the service for a monthly cocktail kit delivery featuring the a sampling of non alcoholic ingredients. It’s the gift that keeps on giving!
One of our favorite picks is the massive Chest of Chocolates with Wine. This behemoth of sweets showcases a little bit of everything, including Moose Munch popcorn, chocolate decadence cake, candies galore and a bottle of red blend wine.
“The chest of chocolates and wine were packaged very carefully—some of the best packaging I’ve seen when it comes to keeping items safe and intact,” shares Shopping Editor Mary Henn.
Boarderie is a company that proudly produces and ships restaurant-quality charcuterie and cheese boards across the country. Each order includes free overnight shipping and arrives chilled. The reusable wooden boards are loaded with paper trays that fit together like a jigsaw puzzle. Each tray is meticulously filled with an assortment of cheeses, nuts, candies, meats, spreads, olives and dried fruits that have already been sliced and arranged—no prep required.
While dried pasta is something that most people have as a pantry staple, fresh pasta is something you probably never have. That’s why this Fresca Italian pasta night gift crate will make pasta night feel all the more special. The crate comes with the following fresh pasta shapes: butternut squash ravioli, four cheese Italian tortellini and ricotta and spinach grandi tondi.
Plus, it includes porcini mushroom pasta sauce, tomato and basil pasta sauce and Pecorino Romano cheese for grating over each prepared pasta dish. Just say “when!” If this crate inspires your loved ones enough, they can learn how to make pasta from scratch. This crate also pairs well with these wine gifts.
Who knew peanut butter could get even better? This peanut butter sampler kit takes peanut butter to six new, loaded levels. Your peanut butter-loving friend will enjoy their favorite spread mixed with white chocolate and pretzels, snickerdoodle popcorn, or dark chocolate and almonds, for just a few examples. They might not be able to go back to regular peanut butter after these samplers. Don’t forget to include a peanut butter knife!
Edible glitter has been popping up on Instagram feeds for a while now, whether it’s in Nestle disco morsels or glittery wine bombs. With this maple sparkle syrup, edible glitter doesn’t just have to be an Instagram phenomenon. Drizzle it on top of pancakes and waffles when you want some extra sparkle. It’s the perfect way to start off someone’s Monday with a little razzle dazzle or make a Friday all the more exciting! Either way, this maple sparkle syrup is for your friend who’s a little extra.
Get a taste directly from one of Cleveland’s most celebrated chefs—without leaving your kitchen. This signature pierogi sampler includes your choice of three must-try varieties: beef cheek, pork and sauerkraut and potato and cheese. Plus, to take your meal to the next level, add on horseradish sour cream and a blend of butter and onions. The soft, pillowy pierogi are comfort food at its finest! Discover more delicious Goldbelly food gifts.
What’s almost as good as an all-expenses-paid trip to New York City? An at-home shipment of Magnolia Bakery’s banana pudding. Save your gift recipient the hassle of hailing a taxi by sending the world-famous banana goodness for her to enjoy on the couch. Now, that’s friendship! Don’t miss these food of the month clubs, either.
When it comes to cookies, we say the bigger, the better. The folks at T-Rex Cookie in Minneapolis couldn’t agree more. They make giant half-pound cookies, with flavors ranging from sea salt caramel chocolate chip (named the best cookie in America) to dill pickle, a specialty created for the Minnesota Bloody Mary Festival. Read up on our best Christmas cookies, as well.
Junior’s Cheesecake is one of the best places to get cheesecake in New York City. The restaurant has even had famous visitors like President Barack Obama. This original cheesecake gives your loved one the chance to try the iconic treat without the commute to NYC. After trying Junior’s Cheesecake, you and your loved one will want to make these contest-winning cheesecake recipes next!
Any Italian food enthusiast knows the importance of a quality olive oil. It can make all the difference in pesto and other sauces and dishes. The infused olive oils from this gift set include blood orange, roasted garlic, basil and white truffle. Each can transform your dressings, dips, pastas, sauces and roasted veggies, giving them all the flavor in the world. If you don’t know where to start, try this olive oil dip recipe to let the infused flavor really shine through.
This cult-favorite vegan and paleo chocolate is loved by celebs including Ryan Reynolds, Hilary Duff, Reese Witherspoon, Gabrielle Union and Mario Lopez for a reason. Each bar contains zero dairy, emulsifiers, soy lecithin, gluten, refined sugar, cane sugar and sugar alcohols, which means you don’t feel crappy after indulging. Try these gluten-free gift baskets, too.
Popcorn doesn’t get fresher than when it’s popped right off the cob, am I right? With popcorn on the cob, your gift recipient can make a fresh batch of popcorn at home. Just place a single cob in the provided popcorn bag, microwave and nestle in for a movie night. Want to delight them with a treat every day of December? These food Advent calendars make one of the best food gifts.
Everyone knows that Chicago is known for Lou Malnati’s deep dish pizza and some of the best food gifts. While it’s worth it to make a trip to the Windy City to experience it yourself, you can order it via Goldbelly in the meantime. After you taste Chicago’s pizza first-hand, check out our guide to regional pizza styles to learn more. There are a lot more kinds than you’d think! Then, order up these famous frozen pizza brands.
Does your friend prefer bubble tea to coffee? While you can expect a coffee shop on almost every corner, there likely aren’t as many bubble tea shops. So, giving them a DIY bubble tea set is the perfect way to strike the difference! They’ll just need milk and water for each of the eight servings.
Spicy honey has been all the rage recently—especially on hot pizza with crispy pepperoni cups, or in dips like spicy honey sriracha game day dip. Talk about a game winning dish! Football fans will appreciate these gifts for beer lovers, too.
What’s brunch without some delicious and savory Bloody Marys—with all the accouterments, of course. This Bloody Mary box comes with it all—the drink mix, dill pickle hot sauce, garlic dill cornichons, pitted grilled green olives and even chili lime salt for the rim. Just add your own vodka.
If you’re fresh out of ideas for the best food gifts, you can’t go wrong with dark chocolate-covered strawberries! This classic dessert is a treat that is sometimes easiest to order from professionals. Plus, Shari’s Berries offers plenty of variations if your loved one prefers a different kind of chocolate. After your strawberries have arrived—and before you give them to your loved one—take the time to try out one of our creative wrapping ideas for food gifts. They’ll appreciate the extra effort you put in.
This pizza party gift crate includes almost everything needed to make a delicious pizza at home — two sauces, pizza crust mix, seasoning, and a pizza-themed cookbook. All your giftee will need is some cheese and their choice of toppings.
It depends on the event and recipient, but shelf-stable food items that present well are typical choices for food gifts. Think chocolates, candy, cookies, pretzels, nuts, or popcorn. You can get creative too — especially if you want to impress.
If you know someone who loves discovering new foods, gifting them food is a great option. Pay close attention to their preferences and avoid anything they might dislike or be allergic to, as food allergies can cause serious harm.
Food gifts nourish the recipient, showing you care about their well-being. Additionally, food is often shared, so giving a food gift allows the recipient to enjoy it with others, making it a gift that keeps on giving.
