Food gifts are perfect for anyone who doesn’t want more “stuff”. From brownies to scoff in one sitting to store cupboard upgrades, these gifts will brighten the dark winter days.
Who doesn’t need a delivery of luxury biscuits or gourmet olive oil they’d hesitate to drop into their regular grocery basket? From Michelin-starred chutney to croissant butter, they’ll thank you for the gift that will keep on giving throughout January.
The best edible Christmas gifts for foodies
Chinatown condiments
Poon’s London sauce collection (four sauces)
£38 at Poon’s London
Legendary London Chinatown institution brought back to life in sauce form.
Cheese subscription
Cheese Canteen, five farmhouse cheeses a month
From £28 a month at Provisions
Like a monthly Deliveroo, but with artisan cheese rather than fast food.
Mediterranean treats
Meze hamper
£39 at Odysea
Meze made easy, and all from jars. Includes aubergine imam, baked gigantes beans, etna nocellara olives, double stuffed olives, aubergine meze, bruschetta meze topping and seafood salad, as well as a cotton lunch bag.
Condiments stocking filler
Mini condiments gift pack, nine jars
£9.75 at Tracklements
Classic British condiments for every meal, from Sunday roast to a midweek lunchtime sandwich, and everything in between.
Letterbox brownie
Salted caramel brownie, 9 portions
£15.95 at Exploding Bakery
A big slab of brownie drizzled with salted caramel, from an eco-conscious West Country dairy: ideal for sharing (or for keeping to yourself).
Fresh Thai curry pastes
Thai curry paste gift boxes
From £16 at Payst
Spice up your Thai green, red and jungle curry game with pastes made fresh every week.
Great Taste coffee beans
Löfbergs Brazil single origin coffee
£14 at Waitrose
£13 at Tesco
Enjoy a spot of Nordic fika at home with 1kg of this Great Taste Award 2024 winner.
Croissants on toast
Croissant butter
£9.75 at Pollen Bakery
Butter, with white chocolate and caramelised croissants. To spread on … croissants? Or, frankly, anything you fancy.
Cookies in the post
Mixed cookies, pack of six
£21 at Le Choux
Pecan, butterscotch, hazelnut, fleur de sel – and Valrhona chocolate. And they’re baked and posted on the same day.
Michelin-star chutney
Gymkhana peanut and sesame chutney
£8.99 at Fenwick
£6.99 at Selfridges
Instantly upgrade your snacks with a burst of flavour from this Michelin-starred Indian restaurant.
Dinner delivery
Meal delivery for two
From £45 at DabbaDrop
Choose a menu from Goa, Delhi, Kolkata, Kerala or Pakistan and send a meal for two in London – wrapped in tins to keep.
Small-batch olive oil
Extra virgin olive oil, 500ml
£17 at Honest Toil
£13.32 at Amazon
An unfiltered, cold-pressed Greek olive oil with a peppery kick.
Female-grown 50% chocolate
Femme chocolate
£6.99 at Ocelot
Organic dark-milk chocolate made with cocoa beans grown by a women’s cooperative in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. The milk comes from cows that graze in lush mountain pastures and the cane sugar is raw.
Gourmet tinned fish
Mariscadora tinned seafood, pack of three
£22 at Honey & Co
The store-cupboard staple gift that keeps on giving.
Grow-your-own vegetables
Seasonal seed box
£20 at Planet Good Earth
Grow your own microgreens, from rocket to tai sai.
Classic cocktails
Selection box, 6 x 100ml
£36 at Whitebox Cocktails
Small but mighty, the canned cosmo and margarita are dangerously good.
Pimp your porridge
Pumpkin seed crunch, four jars
£22 at Harry’s Nut Butter
Heart sinking at the thought of porridge again? Top it with this spiced peanut butter for an instant breakfast boost.
Herbridean shortbread
Shortbread gift tins
£7.96 at Island Bakery
Crumbly, buttery, delicious shortbread. Every tin is a winner, but try the Lemon Melts if you can’t decide. Island Bakery featured in our feature on Britain and Ireland’s best small food producers.
Umami funk
Black bean rayu
£6.75 at Healthy Supplies
A smoky, savoury banger to spoon over eggs.
Cheeseboard companions
Green tomato and apple chutney
£6 at Gail’s
Lincolnshire poacher cheese biscuits
£6.80 at Gail’s
Punchy, shortbread-like cheese biscuits will work wonders on any cheeseboard, or on their own.
Tasty chutney for Indian snacks
Tamarind and date chutney
£6.80 at Dishoom
A tangy, sweet-sour partner for samosas, pakoras and all manner of Indian fried snacks.
Double the juice
Citrus juicer
£9.99 at Lakeland
OK, it’s not strictly edible, but this juicer can handle limes and lemons.