The Case For The Food Gift & Why It’s Always A Winner

Gift giving tends to fall into one of a few categories. You’re either buying something for someone you have totally figured out and know you nailed it, someone you know super well but after years or decades of gift giving, you’re totally out of ideas, or someone you don’t really know but either feel obligated to in some way, or you legitimately want to do something nice for but are a bit lost on what to get them.

Any time you’re giving a gift, it’s nice to feel like the receiving end either could really use the thing or really wants the thing. It’s so crappy when it’s neither of those scenarios, frankly. Not to mention wasteful.

So today, I have a winning gift idea that always hits, and since the title of the post gives it away, I’ll cut to the chase: Food gifts. Maybe you’re thinking “Arlyn, I’ve got my tin of popcorn/cookies/cellophane-wrapped fruit cake ready to go for my friend/family/kids teacher,” but that’s not really what I’m talking about here. You see, last month, to surprise my husband on a big landmark birthday, I arranged for a close friend he hadn’t seen in over a decade to come into town. It was great, and during the long catch-up part of his visit, we asked about upcoming holiday things: where are you spending it, do you have any fun traditions, are you buying all the kids gifts or does your family do something else?

Turns out, his family does something else. He went on to explain the merits of food-based gifts and why it’s basically all he gives to adults anymore and it made so much sense. A food item rarely becomes a burden for someone to have to store or find room for, it can be enjoyed right there and then with everyone present if they choose (or can be stashed and saved for a later date to be enjoyed by themselves), and it’s a great way to buy something pretty special for someone they’d likely never do themselves. He also explained how fun it is every year to find just the right bottle of wine for his brother (or maybe it was his brother-in-law) or have the cheesemonger in town put together an array of local offerings for his dad…that kind of thing, and it’s something he looks forward to doing and figuring out.

So, in honor of my husband’s friend’s great idea, and my new-found desire to give everyone in my life a food-based gift, I put together the following guide. But first, some rules:

Rule #1: Food gifts should feel highly personal and special. 

Knowing the gift receiver fairly well and what they do or don’t like to eat is pretty crucial to the successful food gift concept. Otherwise, you risk it feeling like you popped into the nearest TJ Maxx on the way over and grabbed something from their clearance food aisle. There’s a time and place for picking up a decent bottle of wine at the store—say…a neighbor’s holiday open house—but we can do a little (or a lot) better than that.

This is a chance to gift something to someone that they might not be inclined to get for themselves. Maybe you know a baker who struggles to justify buying that super fancy vanilla bean paste, or the coffee connoisseur whose been intrigued by concentrated coffee packs but doesn’t want to spend the money to stray from their everyday go-to. Let your gift of food be something that makes them feel adventurous or luxurious without the financial risk. 

Rule #2: Don’t make the gift receiver do more work. 

While there are some exemptions on my curation below of food gift ideas, think twice before wrapping up a make-your-own-mozzarella kit. The idea here isn’t to add to their to-do list (even if it sounds fun), but rather to have something ready-to-use and -eat. Maybe even something you can enjoy together, or they can easily share with other loved ones. A bag of biscuit mix from a renowned bakery? Sounds nice, but you know what’s better? Already made biscuits from a renowned bakery. Throw in a tub of pimento cheese and jam to round it out. 

Rule #3: Get something not necessarily holiday-related.

Let me explain this one a bit because it’s completely subjective to me and my low tolerance for unending amounts of sweets. Don’t get me wrong, give me a tin full of cookies and blondies and all that jazz and I’d be a happy girl in theory. But I get so sugared and baked good-ed out before Christmas even comes around because it comes from everywhere. Cookie exchanges, steaming cups of hot chocolate while strolling and looking at lights, boxes of goodies from friends, bake sales at my kid’s school…for me, it’s too much.

But give me a beautiful array of fancy tinned fish I’d admire but never warrant purchasing, and now we’re talking. Specialty olive oils for my next pizza night? Yes, please! Sure, I have chocolates on this list because some people can’t get enough, but don’t forget to think outside the confections!

Okay, on to some fun ideas (that frankly, I wish someone would gift to me as I’d be a gracious and grateful recipient!). Keep in mind that you can, of course, buy these specific items, but mostly, they’re to give you ideas that you can customize toward the liking of the recipient (though thankfully, a lot of these can also just be shipped directly to their home in case you aren’t seeing them in person this holiday season).

For The Big-Bold-Flavor Cook

Loisa Flavor Trio Combo, $29 | Essie Spice Signature Sauce Collection, $46 | Diaspora Co. Nadir Nahdi’s Fave Spices, $75

I can think of a handful of my friends who would love any of these, and I can think of a handful of others who wouldn’t know what on earth to do with them. So, that’s where rule #1 comes into play again. But if you have a loved one who loves cooking and exploring new flavors, any of these would be so great (spoken by a person who loves to cook and explore new flavors). The Loisa trio is rooted in Puerto Rican food but could likely work in so many other cuisines, the box from Essie Spice is all sauces, and the Diaspora collection is as potent as the tins are beautiful for anyone interested in Indian cuisine.

For The Friend With A Sweet Tooth

Levain Bakery Signature Cookie Assortment, from $29 | Compartés Chocolate Covered Fruits Assortment Gift Box, $70

A big batch of chunky, heavenly Levain Bakery cookies is one of my favorite gifts for anyone in my life who’s a cookie lover. They’re pricey per unit but so, so good. And these chocolate covered fruits from Compartés are out of this world beautiful, so could be a great option for someone extra special you want to impress.

Jeni’s Ice Creams Best Sellers Collection, $58 | Bourbon Caramel Sauce, $15

Ice cream is a perfect dessert-y gift to give this time of year because it can be popped in the freezer for whenever someone is ready to satisfy their sweet tooth, even if that’s not for a few more weeks. Jeni’s brambleberry crisp is one of my all-time favorites, and that’s a deeply rooted chocolate lover saying this. Oh, and throw in some bourbon caramel sauce for a real treat.

For The Cook Who Loves Little Luxuries

Brightland The Pizza Night Set, $89 | Flamingo Estate Olive Oil & Fuyu Persimmon Vinegar, $98

I know this isn’t a “what to buy Arlyn” gift guide, but for anyone here in my life reading this, feel free to buy me anything, especially this fun “Pizza Night” set from Brightland. The olive oil bottles themselves are already so beautiful and gift-worthy, but throw in an excuse to host a pizza party, and I’ll take it. But if you want something more elevated (and your budget has some more wiggle room), Flamingo Estate has this lovely box set of heritage olive oil and an exciting fuyu persimmon vinegar!

Maldon Sea Salt, Set of 2, $22 | Herbs de Provence in Ceramic Crock, $20

Maldon salt is my “make it a little more special” staple (I have a giant tub of it from Costco), so any cook in your life would 100% love this. Same with a great crock of herbs de Provence.

Rubirosa Sunday Sauce Kit, $70

Rubirosa is a famous red-sauce joint restaurant in NYC and they’re known for their vodka sauce (on top of other things). This awesome kit brings anyone who receives it straight to New York without the flight (or the impossible waitlist/reservation).

For The Coffee Or Tea Lover

Kloo Concentrated Coffee Tasting Set, $75 | Farmhouse Pottery Vermont Creamed Honey, $20 | Sachai Tea Co. Chai Concentrate Sampler, $35

Concentrated coffee is gaining traction even amongst coffee snobs, and this set from Kloo is so gorgeous. It would be such a special treat to receive and explore something new for anyone locked into their coffee routine. And if your recipient is more of a tea drinker, there’s a concentrate for that, too! (And the creamed honey is just so decadent no matter which way you lean.)

For The Bruncher

Callie’s Hot Little Biscuit Share the Love Gift Basket, $55 | Marmalade Grove “Party Of Six” Gift Set, $54 | Vermont Farmhouse Maple Syrup, $38 for 16 oz

Biscuits with pimento cheese, swoon-worthy marmalades, Vermont-farmed maple syrup…any breakfast person in your life will absolutely love any of the above, I promise.

For The Adventurous Snacker

Fishwife The Tinned Fish Party Pack, $55 | Crave Japan Mystery Drinks And Snacks Crate, $40 | Ayoh The Works 4 Sando Sauces, $40

Just like coffee and tea concentrates, “luxury” tinned fish is kind of all the rage right now amongst those who consider themselves foodies. And there’s no more of-the-moment brand than Fishwife, imho. For something a little bit less niche, if you have a snacker in your life, I bet they’ll have a lot of fun with this mystery box full of Japanese snacks. And if that’s still not quite right, mayo and sandwich lovers rejoice, because chef Molly Baz recently released her brand Ayoh! and you get the whole flavor range for $40.

For The Baker

Heilala Vanilla Paste with Gift Box, $25 | Penzeys 4 Jar Bakers’ Assortment Gift Pack, $37

A tub of $25 vanilla paste (that’s raved about, FYI) and $37 spices (from a very beloved brand) are just not how I would spend my own money even though I bake fairly regularly. But that’s not based on the items themselves, rather that it seems like too much of a splurge. Which is exactly why they’d make awesome gifts! 😉

For The Cheese Devotee

Cowgirl Creamery The Ultimate Cowgirl Cheese Collection, $150 | Classic Medium Cheese & Charcuterie Board, $159

Somehow, cheese is one of the most expensive gift ideas on this whole list. Who woulda thunk it? You could very easily find a great local cheese shop and ask the cheese monger/shop worker to help you put together a far more affordable spread. You could also send a fabulous assortment from Cowgirl Creamery across the country (via Goldbelly, which you should check out for a huge variety of food-related gifts) or a full charcuterie board from Boarderie.

For The Wellness Seeker

Ghia Non-Alcoholic Berry Apéritif, $38 | Stone Hollow Farmstead Strawberry Rose Drinking Vinegar, $19

Ghia isn’t new on the scene, but it’s still buzzy and feels like a fancy bottle of something with a little more thought than a Trader Joe’s bottle of wine (no hate, I love TJ wine). Plus, it’s non-alcoholic so it’s still viable for anyone in your life who doesn’t imbibe. And while I think a drinking vinegar is not for everyone, if you know someone who already sips apple cider vinegar for health benefits, this would be a thoughtful and exciting thing to try, I think.

For Someone Who Appreciates A Good Steak

Best of Porter Road Box, $145

Once upon a time, I would regularly receive a yearly box of fancy meat and cheeses from a client of a previous job. I looked forward to that box of meat every December. Everyone on my team did and it became a yearly talking point. While this one breaks rule #2 (don’t make someone do more work), I doubt any carnivores in your life would mind throwing a very good-quality steak on the flat top/grill/stove at any point in the year.

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So there you have it my friends. There are so many ways you can take the food gift and have a lot of fun with it. And if it becomes “your thing,” I can almost guarantee that it’ll become a yearly treat for the receiving end to see what you come up with for them. It’s truly just such a useful gift that requires very little burden, so to me, that’s a win-win.

Enjoy, happy gift giving, and merry everything. 🙂

Opening Image Credits: Styling By Emily Henderson | Photo By Sara Ligorria-Tramp | From: Holiday Entertaining Just Got A Whole Lot Easier