Whether they’re take out fiends or home-cooking health nuts, this gift guide has every foodie covered.

by Jamie Hausman

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My inbox is drowning in gift guides from every major retailer and all of my favorite blogs and websites, but sifting through each one is like sifting an elephant’s weight in flour. If you love giving (and receiving!) the perfect gift that just so happens to be food-related, I’m your girl. Here are some cool gift ideas for your favorite foodies this holiday season. Those who would like to give out customized gifts may consider visiting sites like Swagify for more custom options.

Baker Baby

You know that friend who’s always bringing decadent pies and cakes and cookies to the office or to The Bachelor viewing parties? That’s a good friend. Get him or her a gift that will give back someday. Joy the Baker: Homemade Decadence is the renowned cookbook from the baking-blog queen. Supplement the gift with a nifty and nice-looking egg separator or cake stand that also serves as a vase. The less he or she has to focus on making it pretty, the more time they’ll spend baking up something sweet for you.

With the uptick in interest for gluten-free baked goods, bloggers and eaters everywhere are looking for grain-free alternatives to their favorites foods, without compromising on taste. Show them the light with Danielle Walker’s Against All Grain cookbooks. Her simple approach to substitutions allows for a seamless transition to a grain-free (but still yummy) lifestyle. If baking homemade bread is on your friend or loved one’s to-do list, make sure they have the means to store it in the best way possible with Bee’s Wrap Bread Wrap.

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Book Worm

It’s no surprise that us Riveters are huge readers, but think outside the box for your favorite book worm. Gather Journal is a an all-around magical and inspiring recipe-driven magazine. Choose from individual issues that suit the giftee’s personality, such as this one about deserts (yes, deserts, not desserts!) or order a subscription. Another beautiful option is Remedy Quarterly, where food writers share their favorite stories alongside recipes and interviews.

For the cookbook route, we suggest giving something from the heart. I always love buying duplicates of my most loved and tested cookbooks for my favorite cooks. It supports the people who comfort you through failed pie crusts and whom you credit for triumphant meals, and it gives those opportunities to the cooks you love. First on my list is always Deb Perelman’s Smitten Kitchen. She just gets me, knowing that I won’t splurge on a specialty item of which I only need ¼ teaspoon.

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Burger King

Take the monogrammed spatula out of your shopping cart. I mean it. Let’s think a little deeper about what makes grillmasters great: the protein, the preparation and the product on which they work their magic. If blustery temps have the griller in your life ducking for cover and pan-searing burgers indoors, give them the tool to get the perfect char with a Le Creuset signature cast-iron double burner skinny grill. It’s a breeze to clean and comes in several gorgeous colors.

If that’s out of your price range, William Sonoma sells a no-fail Himalayan salt plate with holder that adds a light and lovely seasoning to any fish, thinly sliced meat or shellfish. I’m one to drool over brie-stuffed mushroom burgers at specialty grocery stores, and if this gift recipient is too, go for the stuffed hamburger press as a fun gift or stocking stuffer.

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Aspiring Food Blogger

Is there a person in your life whose Instagram account makes you wonder how he or she does not weigh 500 pounds? In my life, that person is me, which is why I’ve been telling myself I would start a food blog for several years. It’s also why this Canon EOS Rebel SL1 DSLR camera has been sitting in my Amazon shopping cart for several months. It’s the smallest DSLR camera on the market and perfect for taking professional quality food photos. Hopefully Santa is reading this guide.

Know someone who is already a sleuth with their camera but ready to take on other subjects? Plate to Pixel: Digital Food Photography & Styling is a well-reviewed comprehensive starter kit for photographers looking to take their cooking or dining adventures to the masses. Food Photography: From Snapshots to Great Shots is another guide for foodies who want to take food photos, with  photography basics thrown in for good measure.

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Culinary School Dropout

Log onto OpenTable.com and select a restaurant that you know your favorite no-cook foodie friend has been dying to try. This is a great gift for friends who live far away, and it’s a way to say, “Step away from the Chinese takeout and treat yourself!” There’s plenty of reviews on OpenTable to help you choose a restaurant.

If you know for a fact that your friend dines out every day, saving leftovers for workday lunches, make sure he or she does it safely. I personally know people like this, and takeout containers are not necessarily sanitary or safe ways to store food, so venture to The Container Store for nesting glass tupperware, and just for fun, fill them with gift cards to their favorite restaurants or foods you’ve prepared just for them.

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Coffee Fiend

Coffee lovers are foodies, too. They detect notes and aromas and floral flavors in coffee just like your everyday sommelier. Citizen Bean is a coffee-roaster of the month club that delivers one pound of just-roasted coffee directly to the door of that coffee fiend in your life. Each box also includes food samples, accessories and/or herbs to complete your coffee experience. The coolest part of Citizen Bean is that their beansare all from small-batch roasters who practice sustainability, and they donate portions of their profits back to the charity of each roaster’s choice. A cup of coffee can’t get more wholesome than that.

Chemex has been in the business of brewing coffee for 40 years, and they do it just right. I use a Chemex 6-cup pourover every morning, and sometimes I even put water or flowers in it because it’s just so beautiful. The glass-and-wood pitcher will become a permanent fixture once you give it to the coffee crazed cat in your life. For an old-school grind, also consider this canister coffee mill as a fun new way to make a cup of Joe.

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Beginner Chef

The items a new cook needs to begin are simple and easy to obtain: one great pan, one great pot and a guide from which to work. Cooking for yourself is the easiest way to save money, lose weight and learn a lifelong skill, all while eating healthy. The other tools are just accessories, but you can review what’s in my kitchen here. The guide I’ve linked to is a cookbook called Genius Recipes, and it includes Julia Child, Nigella Lawson and all the greats in one no-fail guide to the best and most coveted recipes. What I love most about this particular read is that it allows a new cook to decide which cook’s style he or she prefers, so that Mastering The Art of French Cooking is not wasted on someone who prefers Italian styles.

In terms of one great pan and one great pot, I suggest finding a Le Creuset outlet store near you, as I find them to be the best quality and best-looking pans and pots, but any other high quality brand will do. If you’re at a loss, simply ask a shopkeeper at Sur La Table or Williams-Sonoma. For good measure, though, throw in these Oxford navy double oven mitts because nothing is more discouraging to a first-time cook than a big bad burn.

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Health Nut

More people avoid dairy now than ever. Considering that Coca Cola is releasing their own line of milk, finding non-dairy alternatives that are safe and wholesome can be tricky. However, making your own nut milk is easier than making a casserole. Simply soak, puree and strain. For gifting, Williams-Sonoma has put together a DIY nut milk making kit, which includes a straining back and Weck jars for storing the results. There are several types of bags you can purchase, including this one on Amazon. For a fun stocking stuffer option, check out this set of 12 beautifully designed cards from Creative Health, which teaches you how to be gluten free and vegan on only two dollars a day.

 

For the health nut in your office, a Graze box subscription is the perfect gift. It allows subscribers to choose from more than 90 types of healthy snacks, and four are delivered in portioned sizes each week. Think about it: no more running to the nearest fro-yo stand or Starbucks for an afternoon pick-me-up. These boxes allow you to be more productive and eat healthier throughout the day, and they even include yogurt-covered and chocolate-drizzled items.

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Haute Hippy

Just because you live in an apartment doesn’t mean you can’t dive into the exploding urban gardening scene. Start with these heirloom seed packets that double as art, and chicly label them with slate garden markers, transforming that sunny window or fire escape into a mini Whole Foods. If your pal or gift recipient is already a great cook, this is the next natural step. Vegetable Literacy by Deborah Madison is a wonderful and beautiful guide to using the bounty.

For the CSA-lover who has always wanted to compost, gift them a Noaway countertop compost bin. It’s gorgeous wood exterior masks how easy it is to clean (dishwasher friendly!) and carry to a community compost bin or your own garden. The earth will thank you.

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