Every Christmas, you are left wondering what gift to buy your mum/grandma/sister/friend/partner for Christmas and birthdays. They absolutely adore food, so the usual tub of Celebrations and promise of dinner at the local pub doesn’t quite suffice.
Whether they like to take time cooking and are always in the kitchen or prefer to visit a new restaurant every night and have all food delivered by subscription box, we have a present we think they will love. Maybe they also have a really fancy kitchen, and only the best appliances and accessories will do.
Whatever her food style, take a look at some of our best picks available for Christmas 2018…
The Best Christmas Gifts for Foodies
She isn’t overly keen on spending hours in the kitchen every week and likes to skip this part for something with little effort. Her motto is that she lives to eat. She will always pick something she hasn’t had before at a restaurant but isn’t brave enough to recreate it at home. These hampers, experiences and appliances will let her enjoy the goods with little or no effort.
Under £50:
Perfect for a night in front of the telly or when entertaining, this fondue set will ensure the chocolate doesn’t burn or go cold until everyone finishes their marshmallows and strawberries. A great gift for any chocoholics.
Farrah’s famous Chocolate Chip Biscuits are offered with a jar of Three Fruit Marmalade and Wildflower Honey for a real touch of luxury. And who doesn’t love biscuits and preserves?
With waffle, panini and toasted sandwich plates, they can make a whole host of snacks and treats with absolutely no effort involved, but maximum taste at the end. Even the most professional of chefs will appreciate it as a gift.
When they do have to cook, they never have any ingredients stocked up in the fridge and settle for a quick but bland spaghetti bolognese. They hate ready meals and takeaways because they’re unhealthy. This book will show them that home cooking doesn’t have to be hard or time-consuming and they don’t require a well-packed fridge.
Under £100:
Christmas is an exciting time of year for any food lover, as there is produce about that isn’t available any other time of the year or just doesn’t taste right in the middle of Summer. Your favourite foodie can enjoy a gift of items including eggnog biscuits, mince pie fudge and Christmas preserves presented in a handy little reusable basket.
For the jam lover in your life, this subscription box will introduce them to six new spreads every month, featuring seasonal picks and blends with a twist. The jars are far too pretty to pop away in the cupboard, as well. 6 and 12-month options are available for an extra cost.
She loves having friends over for a slice of cake and a cuppa every so often, but her baking leaves a lot to be desired, and she’s exhausted all the options in the local supermarket. This subscription box will keep her and three guests going once a month, along with a cup of tea. Just hope you are one of the three invited in return.
Her Christmas (or indeed evening) isn’t complete without a good cheese and wine snack. With 2kg of cheese – enough to do 32 people – they should have enough to last a few months or to share it amongst friends.
Under £200:
If you want to give her a gift which the whole family can enjoy, then this hamper will keep the adult’s drinks flowing and the little ones well fed. A great selection of food and drinks for the festive season.
She’s the type of foodie who loves to know how best to source her own food and loves to know where everything is from. This experience package will take everything back to basics, foraging, cooking and preserving what they find. There is space for a guest too, which may be nice for you…
£200+:
A complete day of cooking classes at the world-famous River Cottage will see your food lover learn bread, pudding, meat, vegetables and fish skills as well as partaking in a host of classes to get the most out of their (relatively unused) kitchen. Great as a gift for any amateur cooks out there who want to start spending more time making the food they love.
Nobody can eat out all the time, but your recipient is baffled by how to best get the use out of their appliances. This countertop oven will let them toast, bake, roast and grill to their heart’s content in one handy item. The best encouragement to help them ease into cooking.
For The Cooks
No matter her cooking level, she’s going to need a few appliances and gadgets to help her along the way. Even Gordon Ramsay needs some assistance. These gifts are for anyone who regularly cooks and needs some items to help them, or has been dropping hints that their slow cooker is slowly giving up.
Under £50:
A lot of effort goes into making soup, from boiling veg to blending and straining it all. Or, you can pop all of the ingredients in here, press a button and it’ll be ready in no time, no matter the consistency. Even if she doesn’t mind all the hard work, she will no doubt appreciate this time-saving gadget.
She adores cheese, regularly perusing her local deli. She’s always said she’d love to have a go at making it herself but doesn’t know where to start. With a gift kit such as this, she has all she needs to get started plus all the instructions to get it right.
Every true cook or baker needs a blowtorch in their kitchen for caramelising sugar, crisping meat or skinning soft vegetables. If she doesn’t have one, or theirs needs a bit of an upgrade, this powerful yet controllable device will be her next best kitchen friend.
A cook is not a cook without an apron. And for your foodie, any old apron simply will not do. Available in four different colours, this offering from Le Creuset is stain resistant, big enough to cover her completely, and has three deep pockets so they can keep everything they need within reach.
Curries, stir-fries, stews, soups and salads. Whatever she’s making, it must have spice in it. This selection of six different chillies and spices will keep her ‘growing’ for months, and the instructions will be with her forever.
Under £100:
Slow cookers are old news. She needs a pressure cooker which can prepare pasta, soup, meats and one-pan dishes with the press of a few buttons. It can also steam and quickly reheat the contents – great if your acquaintance is quite the entertainer or has a hectic household.
Complete with attachments that can help her slice veg and bind cake mixes, this is a compact food processor which will be able to help them along with their baking and food prep but won’t take up any room in the kitchen.
Everyone loves pizza, but not everyone has the space or budget for an outdoor stone pizza oven. Your recipient makes the perfect base and toppings, but baking it in her standard oven is letting her down. This little indoor pizza oven can help her become a top-class pizza maker as well as a fab home chef.
Under £200:
Spending so much money on a knife may seem crazy, but if your recipient is serious about her kitchen skills, then she will need one which lives up to her standards. Perfect for home cooks, professional chefs, or anyone just wanting to improve their capability.
Everybody knows about Le Creuset, and anyone who is serious about cooking needs one of their casserole dishes. Fully versatile and reliable, she will be using it for years to come and will wonder how she ever did without it.
She has mastered baking, roasting, barbecuing and pastry. Whether they have dropped hints at wanting to start making their own pasta or you just think she will have a tonne of fun trying, this set has everything they need to start them on their journey.
£200+:
This isn’t just any ordinary bread maker. There are programmes for gluten-free bread, multigrain, fruit loaf and even jams and pasta, so not only can she make the family favourite time and time again but they can also experiment with new ways to make other treats.
Stand mixers are a vital piece of equipment for any baker, whether they are amateur or professional. If they do happen to be amateurs, then this particular best-selling model will make them feel like Mary Berry.
Air fryers aren’t just for healthy chips. Nowadays, anything can be made with them, so if your gift recipient is struggling to find new ways to prepare their chicken, beef stroganoff or even brownies healthily, she will be happy to be introduced to this gadget. We have reviewed some other top air fryer picks here if this one doesn’t take your fancy.
For The Houseproud
Sometimes, the look of small appliances and accessories is just as important as their function. Your recipient loves having a kitted out kitchen for every eventuality, but there are a few things they’re missing. These little extras will keep your foodie equipped for every occasion while looking ever-so professional.
Under £50:
Available as a slate or wood board, this gift is perfect for any individuals thanks to the personalisation. It isn’t only handy to serve and carve on, but will also add a lot of character to the kitchen or dining room.
Bakers need somewhere to store their creations, and if her home is like an explosion of mismatched storage tins and Tupperware boxes, then she will likely welcome receiving a set of tins which look pretty great too.
Her recipes are all passed down, written on stray bits of paper, ripped out of magazines or little recipe cards picked up from the supermarket. This box will not only keep them safe but also separate them all into five sections, and is a thoughtful gift.
She is excellent at cooking but needs a bit of help along the way. This poster doesn’t only look eye-catching, but if she forgets how many eggs go into a basic sponge from time to time, or needs a bit of help remembering the Fahrenheit to Celsius conversions, she can put her phone down because a quick look has her covered.
Every foodie loves the occasional picnic, but no picnic is complete without a bottle of drink. Whether it be wine or something softer, this bag will keep it cool for up to seven hours and also comes with two wine glasses. Hopefully, she will be able to use it once the weather takes a turn for the best, and will be fully prepared for BYOB events.
Under £100:
Coffee is just as important as food for them, and you think they should have the best espresso mugs to drink it from. Colourful, holds the heat and won’t chip, fade or break, it would be the perfect gift for anyone who already has some items from the Le Creuset set.
Hot stone cooking is a great way to lock in the flavour and moisture of fish, steaks and veg. It also looks pretty cool too, as it can be set on the table and turned into a visual experience. The plate also comes on a wooden presentation board and with three small glass bowls.
Spices and herbs are what takes a dish from bland to grand and this selection of 20, displayed in a carousel for easy access and great looks. There is everything the cook in your life could ever want, plus two empty jars if they wish to chop and dry their own herbs (using the mezzaluna above, of course).
They love to cook and host a good old dinner party. Maybe they are hosting this year’s Christmas dinner, and the thought of keeping everything warm is stressing them out. A side server will make them look ever so efficient, and is a gift they can use for years to come.
Under £200:
The future best friend of any tea lover. This machine has five pre-set functions for the perfect cuppa, as well as the ability to customise a setting so you can have your favourite at the touch of a button. Auto-start and a keep warm function will ensure that her drink is ready when she is most in need.
The only true accompaniment to an entertaining evening, this set doesn’t only look incredibly stylish and modern but will keep the champagne bubbly and cold for longer. Because everyone knows flat champagne is unacceptable for a less than flat party.
£200+:
Whether it be an enjoyable hot drink, the chance to grab five minutes to themselves or they need it to start their day, coffee is vital for some people. If your foodie puts as much care and attention into their caffeine hit as they do their food, a bean to cup coffee machine is the only thing they should be using and the only gift you think of.
Ice cream isn’t just a Summer treat. They love having it all year round, and their favourite flavours are a lot more exotic than your standard vanilla. This ice cream machine should allow them to experiment with ingredients and have it ready in only 40 minutes.
