What makes food the perfect gift?
Ask any foodie, and they’ll probably give you a list of reasons a mile long citing deep psychological factors to obscure gastronomic terms the average snacker hasn’t heard before.
Ask us, the squad at Zest, and we’ll share how grub just always checks the boxes for what makes the best gift.
✅ Food is an experience. Whether you give someone a classy cocktail kit, a pack of the best steaks in the nation, or a snack that’s ready to munch right out of the sack, food is an inherently tangible gift that people can hold, feel, smell, and (of course) taste. The act of preparing food or indulging in a special treat is an experience in itself compared with a tchotchke that might just collect dust on a shelf.
✅ Food is memorable. Related to the experiential factor of food, all of those senses used while snacking embed themselves in the recipient’s mind. The smell, the scene, the texture, the dopamine rush — all of these trigger emotional responses that linger with recipients a lot longer than, say, an Amazon gift card that’s either forgotten or spent on some commodity in 3 minutes flat.
✅ Food doesn’t add stress. One of the most stressful parts of gifting isn’t picking out a great gift — it’s receiving a gift. Recipients are expected to show big excitement or appreciation for an item, then they have to worry about using or displaying the gift, and. ultimately, they worry about discarding the gift and feeling guilty. In a time where 40% of Americans describe themselves as minimalists or minimalist-wannabees, adding to someone’s clutter could be more stressful than delightful.
✅ Food gifts are guilt-free. Despite how delicious good food is, it’s something we often forego when shopping for ourselves. Inflation especially has more people feeling the pressure at the grocery store, so it’s not unusual that fancy grub isn’t working its way into more grocery carts. When you give someone a decadent treat or expensive bottle of wine, they can truly enjoy it without stressing about the cost.
If you’re wondering what to get the foodies on your gift list, check out this 2024 gift guide cooked up just for them!
The Best Grub You Can Give to Foodies This Holiday Season
From your easy-to-please snackers to the pickiest eater, food is a versatile gift. In other words, there's something for everyone, which makes gifting grub a no-brainer this holiday season. Get a load of our favorites from our roster of Zest brand partners.
Instant Coffee Bundle by Partners Coffee
Who loves it:
- Coffee-lovers
- Early risers
- People on the go
- Outdoorsy types
What’s in it:
- 18 sachets of the best instant coffee in three different roasts, Colombia, Jumpstart, and Brooklyn.
What’s it cost: $40
From NYC, With Love Bundle by Levain Bakery
Who loves it:
- Appreciators of zen
- Indulgent folks
- Cookie fanatics
What’s in it:
- Your choice of four (world-famous) ooey-gooey cookies
- One “Afternoon in Central Park” candle by Literie
- One custom tea towel by Claudia Pearson
- Your choice of ribbon color.
What’s it cost: $85
Milk Bar Pie by Milk Bar
Who loves it:
- Salt-lovers
- Sweet-lovers
- Pie people
What’s in it:
- One 10”sticky, buttery, salty-sweet pie
- Serves 8–10 people (or just one v. hungry friend)
What’s it cost: $53
Perfect Pairings Cheese & Charcuterie Gift Box by Di Bruno Bros
Who loves it:
- Cheesemongers
- Party people
- People who know what piave is
What’s in it:
- Di Bruno Bros Cheese Spreads
- Aged Cheddar
- Piave
- Di Bruno Bros. Artisan Candied Nuts
- Di Bruno Bros. Imported Jam
- Aged Gouda
- Olive Oil Crostini
- White Truffle Honey
- Di Bruno Bros Salami
What’s it cost: $154.99
The Bestsellers Capsule by Brightland
Who loves it:
- Oil connoisseurs
- Keepers of a sweet tooth
- People who like to rip off a little piece of bread and dip it into a little bit of oil and vinegar and go “MMmmgnggggoooomygoooddd.”
What’s in it:
- Awake and Alive cold-pressed extra virgin olive oils
- Parasol and Rapture fruit-infused vinegars
- California Orange Blossom Honey
- Kauai Wildflower Honey
- The Spout for easy pouring
- The Mini Whisk for easy mixing
What’s it cost: $170
Napa Valley Happy House by Clif Family Winery
Who loves it:
- Wine-lovers
- Hardcore snackers
- The savory type
What’s in it:
- 2022 Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc
- 2022 Gary's Improv Zinfandel
- Salt & Vinegar Mixed Nuts
- Smoked Spanish Almonds
- A jar of sweet Red Wine Jelly
- Rustic Bakery Black Sesame Biscuits
What’s it cost: $125
Cordial Honeycomb Gift by Savannah Bee Company
Who loves it:
- Honey-lovers
- Texture-seekers
- People who want to just dip a little spoon in and savor the best way to eat honey
What’s in it:
- Large 12.3 oz honeycomb
- One teak honeycomb knife
- An info card about how to eat this
What’s it cost: $40
The Dalmore Scotch-infused Chocolate Collection by Vosges Haut-Chocolat
Who loves it:
- Scotch aficionados
- Your most decadent associates
- Adventurous eaters
What’s in it:
Nine pieces with three chocolate parfums to complement and enhance the aromas of The Dalmore™. Each whiskey chocolate truffle is infused with its unique single malt expressions and paired with raw honey ganache, candied orange peel, early-harvest first press Mediterranean olive oil, spiced ginger crumb, and vanilla bean coffee burnt sugar caramel.
What’s it cost: $42
Butcher’s Choice Box by Porter Road
Who loves it:
- Carnivorous types
- Master grillers
- Backyard BBQ hosts
What’s in it:
- 2 Dry-aged Steaks (Strips or Ribeyes)
- 2 Sirloin Filets, 2 Pork Chops
- 1 lb of Dry Aged Ground Beef
- 1 lb of Pork Bacon
- An additional assortment that changes each month, like 2 lbs of Short Ribs and 1 lb of Kielbasa, or a Half Pork Butt and 2 lbs of Brats.
What’s it cost: $165
The Greatest Hits Plus by Jasper Hill
Who loves it:
- Addicts of fine cheeses
- Wisconsinites
- A little mouse (JK, don't you dare waste this on a mouse!)
What’s in it:
- Five award-winning cheesessome text
- Two ACS Best-in-show Winners, Harbison and Cabot Clothbound
- Multi-year Best-in-class Winners, Willoughby and Alpha Tolman
- International Reserve Supreme Champion Bayley Hazen Blue
- Two festive pairings
What’s it cost: $125
Sweet & Savory Sampler by Porto’s Bakery
Who loves it:
- Snackists
- Fans of Porto’s
- People who like a little bit of this and a little bit of that
What’s in it:
- 5 x Potato Balls®
- 5 x Chicken Empanadas
- 5 x Meat Pies
- 5 x Cheese Rolls®
- 5 x Refugiado® (Guava & Cheese Strudels)
- 5 x Dulce De Leche Besitos®
What’s it cost: $51.98
Chocolate-covered Quarter by Dandelion Chocolate
Who loves it:
- Truffle buffs
- Open office layouts
- People who love options
What’s in it:
- Chocolate-covered Caramelized Almonds
- Chocolate-covered Caramelized Hazelnuts
- Chocolate-covered Cocoa Nibs
- Chocolate-covered Ritual Espresso Beans
Heads up! Each nut, cocoa nib, and Ritual Coffee espresso bean is hand-coated in over 20 layers of fudgy 70% Camino Verde, Ecuador chocolate, resulting in a sweet-savory, crunchy assortment — all finished with a light dusting of cocoa powder.
What’s it cost: $80
Downeast Lobster Rolls by Caroline’s Cakes
Who loves it:
- Seafood lovers
- Land-locked folks
- Sandwich people
What’s in it:
- 2 lbs. lobster salad
- 12 New England-style hot dog rolls
- Serves 8–12 people
What’s it cost: $180
Flavor-wrapped Kernels Super Discovery Kit by Opopop
Who loves it:
- Movie marathoners
- Easy snackers
- Popcorn pros
What’s in it:
- Microwave popcorn popper and lid
- 7 pouches of Flavor-wrapped Kernels: Salty Caramel, Cinnalicious, Maui Heat, Pickle Monster, Fancy Butter, Super Butter, Lightly Salted
- 1 big bag of Super Butter
- Whoa! Enough for 99 cups of popcorn!
