Gift shopping for foodies is always exciting. But with so many food choices, subscription programs, and kitchen accessories to choose from, the experience can also be overwhelming.
If you’d like to surprise a foodie with an authentic gift, you’ve come to the right spot. We picked out the 27 most fabulous surprises for the gastronome in your life. Choose from a variety of categories and pick the gift that suits your budget and likings.
Best Gifts for Foodies – Our Top 5 Picks
Our foodie-friendly gifts come in five different categories. Here are our top picks from each category.
Top Picks | Best Features |
1. Kitchen Appliances and Accessories | Ninja DZ201 Air Fryer | Air fryers are a staple tool in many modern homes. If your foodie doesn’t have one, now’s the right time to get one |
2. Food Gift Boxes | Deluxe KETO Snacks Gift Box | Our choice for the best food gift box for foodies is a healthy one. Whether the foodie in your life is on a keto diet or not, they’re sure to enjoy tasty nutritional snacks from this gift box. |
3. Subscription Programs and Gift Cards | Darden Email Delivery | There’s hardly a foodie who wouldn’t be delighted to receive a gift card for Darden’s restaurants, including Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, and others. |
4. Books and Games | Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking | This book is a must-read for foodies who spend a lot of time in the kitchen and want to master their cooking skills using simple ingredients. |
5. Miscellaneous Foodie Gifts | Burrito Throw Blanket | Because who wouldn’t enjoy being wrapped in a cozy burrito blanket while eating a real burrito? We’re talking “burritoception” at its finest. |
Best Gifts for Foodies List
Let’s get started with the 27 best gifts for foodies list.
Kitchen Appliances and Accessories
Foodies spend a good amount of their day in the kitchen. So why not offer them a special something to make their cooking experience more enjoyable?
1. AMCO Stainless Steel Odor Absorber Bar
There’s hardly a person who doesn’t know that the smell of onions, fish, and other pungent foods can linger on their fingers long after cooking. A typical foodie spends way more time peeling and cutting these foods, which is precisely why this odor-erasing bar is the best gift for their hardworking hands.
2. Lavatools Read Meat Thermometer
Grilling, BBQing, home brewing, deep oil frying – these food preparation methods require specific temperature levels. A perfect gift a foodie can use is an accurate thermometer to perfect their food preparation skills and measure the exact temperature of their food.
3. Gramercy Kitchen Company Cocktail Smoker
Thanks to this elegant and simple cocktail smoker, adding aromatic smoke to meals and drinks has never been easier. With the winter approaching, your foodie may have to bring their meat smoking inside, and this is the perfect tool for the job. The package also comes with woodchips – the only thing that’s missing is food.
4. Churrera Churro Maker
What better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than making homemade churros with the family? This ultimate churro-making machine comes with eight assorted discs for different designs such as zigzags, moon, stars, and more. The set even includes a recipe e-book for some tasty recipes to try out.
5. Cuisinart CFO-3SS Electric Fondue Maker
Surprise your foodie with this fabulous fondue set for cheese, chocolate, oil, or broth. Packed with essential tools such as a base, bowl, eight forks, temperature probe, and fork rack, this set is a perfect gift for family get-togethers, parties, or celebrations.
6. Victoria Cast Iron Panini, Burger, and Grill Press
This press is among the best grilling accessories any foodie can have. It cuts the cooking time by half for thin meats and bacon, and it’s the best way to squeeze the fat out of meats. As a result, this press is a serious time-saver, whether making sandwiches, quesadillas, panini, or flatbreads.
7. Anova Culinary Sous Vide Precision Cooker
Help ensure your friend or family member never undercooks or overcooks their food again by offering this smart precision cooker. The device circulates water at the precise temperature needed for a perfectly cooked meal regardless of the recipe.
8. Unique Bamboo Serving Tray
Are you looking for a housewarming gift for a gourmet in your life? This bamboo cheese board, wine serving tray, and charcuterie platter may be what you need. It’s made of thick natural wood, it’s durable, super easy to clean, and has slip-resistant tabs to prevent sliding.
9. Ninja DZ201 Air Fryer
This wouldn’t be a proper best-gifts-for-foodies list if it didn’t include an air fryer. The Ninja DZ201 is unique for its two independent baskets that let foodies cook two separate meals simultaneously. How time-saving is that?
10. Magic Mill Food Dehydrator Machine
This ultimate dehydrator machine comes with 11 trays, and it’s perfect for drying meat, herbs, jerky, fruits, and veggies. With a sleek design, digital temperature control, and a 24-hour timer, this device is a must-have for all dried meat and herb aficionados out there. In addition, it’s an excellent choice for foodies with large families, gardeners, and outdoor hobbyists.
11. TenTen Labs Wine Aerator Pourer
Here’s a perfect gift for wine lovers. This wine aerator infuses air into the wine bottle for optimal oxygen intake, which can improve the taste of the wine. There’s also a rubber stopper that seals the wine bottle, so it’s leak-free and avoids accidental spills. The box comes with two aerators, and it’s the best bang for your buck.
12. Dumpling Steamer Set
Do you know a person who doesn’t like dumplings? Neither do we. This DIY dumpling steamer set is a perfect gift for just about any foodie out there. It’s packed with all the essentials – bamboo steamer basket, steamer liner, dumpling cutter, spoon, roller, and tasty recipes.
Food
Buying foods for foodies sounds like a no-brainer. So we’ve selected only the best food items for your beloved gourmet.
13. Mantova Grand’Aroma Flavored Olive Oil
This extra virgin olive oil for BBQing, smoking, and cooking comes in four flavors: truffle, basil, garlic, and Italian aroma. There’s hardly a person who loves food who wouldn’t love to receive some of these delicate olive oils to add flavor and drizzle over their favorite bread, cheeses, meat, or veggies.
14. Deluxe KETO Snacks Gift Box
Is your foodie person on a keto diet? If so, we found a perfect gift box for them. Packed with 20 low carb, low sugar, and high protein snacks, this gift box is bound to have their specialized snack shopping wrapped up for weeks.
15. Jack Link’s Beef Jerky Care Package
This great gift box for meat lovers has eight items inside, including original beef jerky, teriyaki beef jerky, beef steaks, beef and cheese, and more. So surprise your dad, brother, or co-worker with Jack Link’s ultimate selection of meat specialties for any occasion.
16. Wisconsin’s Cheese, Sausage, Crackers, and More Gourmet Set
Wisconsin’s Best and Wisconsin Cheese Company feature a 10-piece set of state-made cheese and sausage selections. Summer sausages, original smoked, garlic, jalapeno cheddar, cheddar cheese, water crackers, and more snacks are a perfect gift for foodies.
Subscription Programs and Gift Cards
Sign the gourmet in your life up for deliveries from their favorite cheese and wine clubs, or offer them gift cards for their favorite restaurants. Here are some ideas to get you started.
17. Darden Restaurants – Email Delivery
Darden has a fabulous option that lets you buy a gift card redeemable in all their restaurants: Olive Garden, LongHorn Steakhouse, Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen, Yard House, Season 52, and others. So choose your amount and give your foodie the eating-out experience of a lifetime.
18. Bokksu – Japanese Snack and Candy Subscription
It’s hard to find a foodie who’s not into Japanese snacks. So surprise them with a month-to-month subscription of high-quality Japanese snacks centered around the Land of the Rising Sun’s culture, flavors, cities, and festivals. The box includes over 20 candy, crackers, cakes, tea, and other products made in Japan.
Foodie Books and Games
Check out our book and games selection if you’re up for educational and fun gifts for foodies.
19. Taco vs. Burrito Game
In the unpredictable Taco vs. Burrito card game, players compete to make the weirdest and wildest meal. The game is super easy to play and is a perfect gift for all foodies young at heart, especially those with kids.
20. Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking
The idea behind this book lies in using four essential elements – salt to enrich the flavor, fat to deliver flavor and texture, acid to balance flavor, and heat to determine the texture. This book shares the secrets to good cooking, and it’s packed with recipes for delicious meals to make anytime, anywhere.
21. The Complete Mediterranean Cookbook
The Mediterranean diet is among the healthiest diets in the world. This cookbook reveals some of its most delicious recipes. So take your foodie on a trip around Italy, Morocco, Greece, Turkey, and Lebanon from the comfort of their kitchen.
22. Ball Complete Book of Home Preserving
Ball’s book for home preserving is the bible of its field. With 400 delicious recipes for pickles, salsas, chutneys, savory sauces, jams, fruit spreads, and more, this book is sure to amaze every true foodie out there.
23. Kitchen Confidential
Even if you’re not a foodie, you’re probably familiar with the following name: Anthony Bourdain, the late, great world-famous chef who spared no one’s appetite with his mouth-watering recipes and descriptions of what happens behind a kitchen door. This book is a must-read for all Anthony Bourdain fans who want to understand his unique personality better.
Miscellaneous Foodie Gifts
And now here are some miscellaneous gifts to give you more foodie-related ideas.
24. Burrito Throw Blanket
What better gift to offer to a burrito lover than a burrito throw blanket? This super comfortable, soft flannel blanket is perfect for kids, adults, and even pets. It can be used as a bed blanket, sofa blanket, travel blanket, or camping blanket.
25. Wine Cork Holder
If you’re looking for a housewarming, birthday, or wedding gift for your foodie friend, consider this wine cork holder. This lovely home décor element fits any wall perfectly. The metal monogram comes in different shapes, and you can combine as many as you want. So spell out a short word or offer a simple heart-shaped wine cork holder – the choice is all yours.
26. Bear Paws Butcher Shop Magnet
Expand the beef knowledge of your foodie friend or family member by offering them these Butcher’s Beef and Pork Cuts Magnets. The magnets can also serve as a dinner table game for the whole family, featuring main body parts and meat cuts. What meat cuts come from the leg? Where can you find short ribs? The family will equip themselves with meat cuts knowledge and nail their next butcher visit.
27. Stupell Home Décor Collection Measure Equivalents Cheat Sheet
If you’re looking for simple art décor pieces for your foodie’s kitchen or dining room, check out this measurement equivalent cheat sheet. This nicely framed and texturized piece of art will also bring peace of mind into the person’s life, knowing they don’t have to Google measure equivalents anymore.
Buyer’s Guide
If you’re still undecided about the gift purchase for a foodie, the advice from our buyer’s guide can help.
Be Creative
Shopping for foodies is super fun, and you can choose the best gift by being creative. For example, think of the restaurants they’ve talked about for ages and throw them a pleasant surprise dinner at that very spot.
Get in Their Shoes
Ask yourself what foodie gift would you like to receive if you were that person? Sometimes, a change of perspective helps you see things clearly.
Choose a Gift Type
Decide on the type of gift you’ll get them early on and organize the hunt around it. If you decide to go for kitchen appliances, narrow your choices to those items you believe would be a good fit for their kitchen size and style.
FAQ
Which Is Better, Gift Cards or Actual Gifts?
This depends on the person, but in general, buying actual gifts would possibly be better for the recipient. With the gift cards, the person would have to spend hours (or days) thinking about spending the money, while an actual gift is a finished deal.
What Is the Best Gift for a Foodie?
You may think the best gift for a foodie is food, but this may not always be true. Follow the advice from our buyer’s guide to help you decide on the best gift for the foodie in your life.
Are Food Subscription Programs Worth It?
If you’re thinking of gifting a food subscription program, you may want to double-check the terms. Will the person be able to cancel the subscription if they don’t like the products right away? Are the products being sent different each time or not? Go for it only when you have all details sorted out.
Shopping for Foodies Made Easy
Foodies are great people to shop for. Their open-mindedness and diverse food taste provide you with tons of gift options, whether it’s kitchen appliances for dishes they love to make, food variety boxes, books, or home décor elements. Hopefully, this article helped you find a gift the foodie in your life will love.