The 25 Best Food Gifts to Send Your Loved Ones

3 food products on a designed background — Photo: Cheese Grotto / Vahdam Teas / Kosterina

Some say the way to a person's heart is through their stomach. Therefore, one of the best ways to show love is by treating your friends and family to decadent food gifts from across the country. Companies like Harry & David and Williams Sonoma are known for their classic gourmet gift baskets, but there are many other options that can surprise and delight a true foodie.

For instance, you can ship an entire meal, like a Maine Shore Seafood Bake, or condiments to spark some creativity in the kitchen, such as olive oil or maple syrup sets. Add some Southern flair to breakfast with Callie's Hot Little Biscuit Basket or help your friends get out of bed in the mornings with an annual coffee subscription. Whether it's a bagel brunch flown in from the best shop in New York City or a spice collection for the chef-in-training, there are hundreds of food gifts you can send to loved ones to create meaningful moments around the table. Scroll down to see EatingWell's top 25 edible items.

The 25 Best Food Gifts in 2021

For the Home Chef: Kosterina Olive Oil Gift Set
For the Wine Connoisseur: Firstleaf Wine Club Membership
For the Southern Belle: Callie's Hot Little Biscuit Gift Basket
Best Meal Kit Delivery: Sunbasket Subscription
Best Cheese Subscription: Cheese Grotto Artisan Cheese Subscription
For the Flavor God: Occo Master Chef Spice Set
For the Hostess: Harry & David Charcuterie and Cheese Collection
Best New York Bagel: Zucker's Bagels and Smoked Fish Brunch
Best Snacks Box: Universal Yums Snack Box
For the Home Baker: Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Brownie Mix
Best Hot Chocolate Gift Basket: 1800-BasketsGrand Hot Cocoa Charcuterie Gift
Best Champagne Gift Set: Hickory Farms Veuve Clicquot Champagne Gift Basket
For the Salmon Lover: Alaskan Salmon Company Copper River Salmon
For the Sweet Tooth: Godiva Signature Truffles Box
Best Fruit Basket: Hickory Farms Premium Fruit & Snack Gift Basket
Best Craft Beer Gift: The Original Craft Beer Club
Best Holiday Treat: Williams Sonoma Peppermint Bark
For the Mixologist: Shaker & SpoonCocktailSubscription
For the Elevated Palate: Williams Sonoma Royale Caviar Tin
Best Coffee Subscription: Trade Coffee Gift Subscription
Best Seafood Delivery: Harry & David Maine Shore Seafood Bake
For the Breakfast of Champions: Runamok Infused Maple Syrup
Best Gourmet Cookie Basket: Cookies by Design Two Dozen Gourmets Box
Best Tea Gifts: Vahdam India Green Tea Private Reserve Holiday Gift Set
For Gourmet Popcorn: Williams Sonoma Popcorn Sampler

01 of 25

For the Home Chef: Kosterina Olive Oil Gift Set

$68.85, kosterina.com

When I'm cooking, the first thing I reach for is olive oil. Fabled to have been a gift from the goddess Athena, olive oil is a divine condiment that makes almost everything taste better. So, for the home chef who's always sautéing vegetables or seafood, the Kosterina Extra Virgin Olive Oil Gift Set is a no-brainer. This set features two organic olive oils and one original olive oil that can be used for cooking and baking, or you can pair the trio with a fresh loaf of focaccia for dipping (and some rosemary for extra flavor).

02 of 25

For the Wine Connoisseur: Firstleaf Wine Club Membership

$89.93 per shipment, firstleaf.club

A wine night is a staple among friends, and we all have that friend who makes sure your glass always stays full. If you really want to treat the wine lover in your life, consider gifting a Firstleaf Wine Club membership. This personalized wine club provides a quiz and rating system designed to match every shipment to the wine drinker's exact taste preferences. Each box contains six custom wines, shipped directly to your friend's home every month, with a variety of flavors and vintages. The first order is only $39.95, and then shipments increase to $79.98 per month, plus $9.95 for shipping. You can pause or cancel this subscription at any time.

03 of 25

For the Southern Belle: Callie's Hot Little Biscuit Gift Basket

$94.75, calliesbiscuits.com

There's nothing better than a taste of home, so if you have a Southerner in your life, Callie's Hot Little Biscuit offers a gift basket that will put a smile on their face. Biscuits made south of the Mason-Dixon tend to melt in your mouth, and these handmade biscuits are in a league of their own. For $94.75, the Wake & Bake gift basket includes a dozen country ham biscuits, a dozen cinnamon biscuits, a dozen buttermilk biscuits, a bag of coffee, blueberry lemon thyme jam and classic Carolina grits. Let's just say it's finger-licking good.

04 of 25

For the Best Meal Kit Delivery: Sunbasket Subscription

$9.99 per serving, sunbasket.com

We all need a little help in the kitchen from time to time. If you know someone who could use a break from dinner planning, Sunbasket offers a meal delivery subscription that takes a lot of the work out of mealtime. Customers can choose between custom meal plans like paleo, Mediterranean and gluten-free, and dictate the number of servings and meals they want per week. These plans start at $9.99 per serving, but you can also add on snacks, specialty meats, and breakfast and lunch options. Deliveries are flexible, as are the plans. Give the gift of time back when you let Sunbasket handle dinner.

05 of 25

Best Cheese Subscription: Cheese Grotto Artisan Cheese Subscription

$62 per shipment, cheesegrotto.com

Cheese is unique because it can act as both gourmet and comfort food. Whether you pair it with expensive wine or grill it on sourdough, cheese is a delicious staple we can't get enough of. Treat your loved ones to the gift of cheese all year long with Cheese Grotto's artisan cheese subscription. This quarterly subscription box delivers 2 pounds of varieties like goat cheese, blue cheese, sheep cheese, washed rind, cow cheese, waxed rind, natural rind and bloomy rind on a recurring basis. All shipments include literature about each kind, such as information on the region of origin and storing and tasting notes.

06 of 25

For the Flavor God: Occo Master Chef Spice Set

$96, eatocco.com

For creative chefs who like to experiment with flavor, there's no better gift than the Master Chef Spice Set from Occo. Containing 24 different spices, such as black cardamom, fennel seed and rose petal (as well as many classics), this spice collection has everything a home chef would need to bring restaurant-quality dishes to the kitchen table. For $96, you can give the gift of bold flavors to your loved ones, and then grab a plate because I guarantee you'll want to try the dishes that come next.

07 of 25

For the Hostess: Harry & David Charcuterie and Cheese Collection

Classic Epicurean Charcuterie and Cheese Collection — Harry & David

$189.99, harryanddavid.com

There's one person in every crowd who enjoys the art of hosting, and nothing says "gathering" quite like a charcuterie board. Set your friend up with the perfect ingredients from Harry & David's Charcuterie and Cheese Collection, featuring delicious items like dried Turkish apricots, Creminelli Fine Meats Casalingo salami, artichoke lemon pesto and Sartori BellaVitano Tennessee Whiskey cheese, all piled on a beautiful wooden tray. This assortment costs $189.99, but you can also add in wine or sparkling juice.

08 of 25

Best New York Bagel: Zucker's Bagels and Smoked Fish Brunch

$135, goldbelly.com

There's a reason New York is known for its bagels, and Zucker's Bagels and Smoked Fish is as good as it gets. Unlike New Yorkers who have to wait in line to enjoy these delicious bagels, you can spoil your family with a bagel brunch sent from the iconic shop via Goldbelly. For $135, the recipient will receive 28 bagels with options of plain, everything, whole wheat, poppy, sesame, cinnamon raisin, pumpernickel, salt, garlic and onion. Lox and cream cheese are also included—choose from flavors like plain, scallion, vegetable, blueberry, nova and raisin walnut. You can also add smoked fish salad or sweets to the order. This Manhattan feast gets shipped for free on the delivery date of your choosing.

09 of 25

Best Snacks Box: Universal Yums Snack Box

From $15 per box; universalyums.com

If you know someone who's always reaching for a snack, Universal Yums Snack Boxes are the perfect gift to keep them well stocked. Available in either individual boxes or as a subscription, Universal Yums provides snack boxes with foods from countries around the world. Choose from three box sizes and decide how frequently you want the snacks delivered (one standalone box or a three-month, six-month or year-long subscription). The boxes also include a trivia booklet with games and other fun activities. Shipping is free and plans can be changed at any time.

10 of 25

For the Home Baker: Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Brownie Mix

$74.95, ghirardelli.com

The process of baking brownies is half the fun of making them—mixing ingredients, eating the leftover batter and watching the brownies rise in the oven. Of course, when you are ready to eat them, the expectation is ooey-gooey deliciousness, and Ghirardelli delivers exactly that. For the baker in your life, Ghirardelli Double Chocolate Brownie Mix is the gift that keeps on giving with batch after batch of decadent fudgy brownies. The 12-pack is available for $74.95. You may even want to be there when the brownies get made so you can help with "clean up"... i.e. making that batter disappear.

11 of 25

Best Hot Chocolate Gift Basket: 1800-Baskets Grand Hot Cocoa Charcuterie Gift

$139.99, 1800baskets.com

As the cold air arrives, hot cocoa becomes the drink of the season, making this Grand Hot Cocoa Charcuterie Gift from 1800-Baskets an ideal gift. Why have one cup of hot chocolate when you can have an entire spread? For $139.99, you can send someone a set of gingerbread men mugs, chocolate cocoa bombs, toffee caramels, peppermint bark and Ghirardelli cocoa mix, among many other tasty treats. This gift essentially combines all the sophistication of a charcuterie board with the whimsical nature of hot chocolate and the holidays.

12 of 25

Best Champagne Gift Set: Hickory Farms Veuve Clicquot Champagne Gift Basket

$165, hickoryfarms.com

If you know a person who loves to celebrate with a bottle of bubbly, this stunning Veuve Clicquot Champagne gift basket from Hickory Farms is a show-stopping gift. For $165, this basket features one bottle of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label brut, chocolate-covered oranges, toffee pretzels and other gourmet sweets. Give your loved ones something to toast about (note: This gift can only be shipped to certain states).

13 of 25

For the Salmon Lover: Alaskan Salmon Company Copper River Salmon

From $173.88, aksalmonco.com

For all the seafoodies out there, the Alaskan Salmon Company has a Copper River Salmon box that can be shipped one time or on a recurring basis. Each box contains 12 fillets (half Coho salmon and half Sockeye salmon), or approximately 4.5 pounds of omega-3 rich salmon. A one-time order costs $189, but if you subscribe, the price drops to $173.88 per shipment (boxes can be delivered every 15, 30, or 45 days). You can also increase your order size to 24 fillets for $340 per box or $312.80 with a subscription. The fillets are frozen to maintain freshness, but once thawed, they can be used to make many gourmet meals like Miso-Maple Salmon and Pan-Roasted Sesame Salmon.

14 of 25

For the Sweet Tooth: Godiva Signature Truffles Box

From $29.95, godiva.com

When it comes to sweet things, it doesn't get much better than Godiva. This chocolate legacy brand is known for many decadent treats, but its Signature Truffles box is a classic. Options include 12-, 24-, 36- and 80-piece sets of rich chocolates in flavors like Aztec spice, hazelnut, crème brûlée, salted caramel and chocolate mousse, to name a few. And don't worry, the box comes with a roadmap of which chocolate is which, so you won't have to play Russian roulette with flavors (although guessing is half the fun).

15 of 25

Best Fruit Basket: Hickory Farms Premium Fruit & Snack Gift Basket

$77.99, hickoryfarms.com

For the ultimate harvest basket, Hickory Farms offers a collection of succulent fruit, savory snacks and more in its Premium Fruit & Snack Gift Basket. For $77.99, you can send someone a packed basket of pears, apples, fig chutney, cranberry pistachio crisps, farmhouse Cheddar cheese and beef sausage, among other items. These packages ship to most U.S. states, excluding Alaska and Hawaii.

16 of 25

Best Craft Beer Gift: The Original Craft Beer Club

From $44.75, craftbeerclub.com

If you have a friend or family member who appreciates craft beer, The Original Craft Beer Club's membership will send them 12 or 24 small production craft beers from across the U.S. on a recurring basis or for a set number of shipments, depending on what you choose. Deliveries can be made monthly, bi-monthly or quarterly. For individual shipments, you may select from two to 12 boxes (shipping is free). Each box highlights two beer regions in the U.S. and comes with information about each brewery as well as tasting notes.

17 of 25

Best Holiday Treat: Williams Sonoma Peppermint Bark

The Original Williams Sonoma Peppermint Bark — Williams Sonoma

From $29.95, williams-sonoma.com

While peppermint bark is traditionally associated with the holiday season, it's really a delicious treat all year long. Williams Sonoma's Original Peppermint Bark tin provides the perfect bite of white and dark chocolate with hints of peppermint. When ordering, you can select 1 or 2 pounds and whether you want a single set or sets of two, four, six, or 12. Prices start at $29.95. Spread a little holiday cheer with this tasty gift!

18 of 25

For the Mixologist: Shaker & Spoon Cocktail Subscription

From $50, shakerandspoon.com

Any good mixologist needs the right garnishes and mixers to make amazing cocktails. Shaker & Spoon's Cocktail Subscription supplies ingredients for a total of 12 cocktails (three recipes with enough ingredients for four of each drink). The boxes contain syrups, bitters, mixers, citrus and garnishes—basically everything except the alcohol. Shaker & Spoon offers four gifting options to send to the person of your choosing: a one-month, three-month, six-month, or 12-month subscription. Pricing starts at $50, and the recipient chooses their first delivery date.

19 of 25

For the Elevated Palate: Williams Sonoma Royale Caviar Tin

From $99.95, williams-sonoma.com

While caviar may not be for everyone, those who like it, love it. So delight your caviar-loving friends with this first-class sturgeon caviar from Williams Sonoma. The 1-ounce Royale Caviar Tin starts at $99.95 and includes six appetizer servings. The 2-ounce and 4.4-ounce tins offer 12 and 25 appetizer servings, respectively. Whether it's spread on bread or served with crème fraiche, caviar will take any meal to the next level.

20 of 25

Best Coffee Subscription: Trade Coffee Gift Subscription

From $40, drinktrade.com

Surprise your loved ones with freshly brewed coffee every morning, thanks to a subscription from Trade Coffee. You determine the number of bags in the gift, but the recipient personalizes their subscription from there. Once the gift is received, a quiz determines their best coffee matches and allows them to weigh in on grind setting and delivery frequency. Every box contains new roasters and coffees from across the country to keep things interesting. Pricing starts at $40 for two bags and goes up to $480 for 24 bags of coffee (all with free shipping).

21 of 25

Best Seafood Delivery: Harry & David Maine Shore Seafood Bake

$119.99, harryanddavid.com

For a truly gourmet seafood experience, Harry & David's Maine Shore Seafood Bake dinner will transport your friends to the seaside with fresh clams, shrimp, mussels, crab claws and corn, all delicately seasoned with herbed lemon butter sauce, spices and other garnishes. Priced at $119.99, this dinner ships in two days on dry ice, so timing is important when ordering. Treat your loved ones to an unforgettable meal with this special gift from Harry & David.

22 of 25

For the Breakfast of Champions: Runamok Infused Maple Syrup

From $17.95, runamokmaple.com

Breakfast is often cited as the most important meal of the day, but when there's maple syrup involved, it can also be the most delicious. Runamok's Infused Maple Syrup is the perfect addition to brunch items like pancakes, bacon and cinnamon rolls. Individual bottles, such as the coffee-infused maple syrup, cinnamon- and vanilla-infused maple syrup and elderberry-infused maple syrup (among other yummy flavors), cost $17.95. However, if you want to order a set, there are collections of four syrups, like the Cocktail Pairing Collection, for $19.95.

23 of 25

Best Gourmet Cookie Basket: Cookies by Design Two Dozen Gourmets Box

$46.99, cookiesbydesign.com

Does anything say "I love you" more than gourmet cookies? It's a gift for both the stomach and the heart. Cookies by Design offers a Two Dozen Gourmets Box featuring 24 freshly baked cookies. Flavor options include: chocolate chip, red velvet, oatmeal raisin, decadent chocolate, white chocolate macadamia nut and millionaire. You can also select an assortment with nuts or without, but due to possible cross-contamination during production, people with severe nut allergies should probably steer clear. Spoil your loved ones this year with the gift of fluffy decadent cookies.

24 of 25

Best Tea Gifts: Vahdam India Green Tea Private Reserve Holiday Gift Set

$59.99, vahdamteas.com

To treat your resident tea aficionado, Vahdam India has a Green Tea Private Reserve Holiday Gift Set available. This six-tin caddy includes the following blends: Himalayan green tea loose leaf, chamomile mint citrus green tea, classic English breakfast black loose leaf, sweet Himalayan detox green tea, ginger mint green tea and lemon ginger green tea. For $59.99, you can give someone more than 100 cups of tea to last them well into the new year.

25 of 25

For Gourmet Popcorn: Williams Sonoma Popcorn Sampler

$29.95, williams-sonoma.com

Popcorn goes with everything—movies, wine and celebrations. Spoil your family with the Williams Sonoma Popcorn Sampler, featuring two gourmet flavors—Wisconsin White Birch and Sunset Fire. The white birch is a lighter kernel with a mild flavor, whereas the sunset fire is a showstopper with red kernels. White Cheddar seasoning, popcorn salt and popcorn oil all accompany the popcorn kernels. The entire set costs only $29.95, so don't wait to make someone's day with this fun and tasty gift.

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