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Lifestyle

You’re Welcome: The Best Gifts for the Foodies in Your Life

This article is written by a student writer from the Spoon University at UCD chapter.

You could get your friends a gift card to their favorite restaurant, but here are some helpful gift ideas that will really elevate your gift-giving game! Here are gifts for foodies that are sure to impress. 

$10 and Under

Compartés Premium Chocolate Bar, $9.95

matzah candy bars chocolate coffee
Christin Urso

These beautifully packaged artisan chocolates are sure to impress! Their “out-of-the-chocolate-box” flavors include Rosé Wine Pink, California Love Dark Chocolate Salted Pretzel Bar, Donuts and Coffee Gourmet Milk Chocolate Campfire S’mores Dark Chocolate and more. Flaunting 14 vegan chocolate bars, Compartés is sure to be a favorite gift for even your most selective foodie friends.

The OXO 3-in-1 Avocado Slicer, $9.95 

sweet avocado halves avocado
Jocelyn Hsu

Being a millennial is all fun and games, but if there’s one thing we don’t mess around with it’s our avocado toast. This 3-in-1 Avocado Slicer makes it easy to half, pit and slice ripe avocados in a quick amount of time. It’s the tool you never knew you needed, but now you can’t live without. 

Portable Pour Over Coffee Maker, $8.99

If your friend is a completely different person when they don’t have their morning coffee, then this is the perfect gift for them. This Portable Pour Over has high-density filtering, a convenient bag and it’s easy to clean. It’s the perfect gift to keep your friend warm and energized throughout the next semester.

$10 – $25 Gifts

Mr. Coffee French Press, $19.61 

eat before Running coffee espresso

This French press is perfect for weekends in, when you have the time to curl up with a blanket, book and a rich, aromatic cup of coffee. This sleek stainless steel press holds up to 38 ounces of coffee and all parts are dishwasher safe, making it easy for cleaning so you can maximize your relaxation! 

Mini Waffle Maker, $18

Frozen Waffles cream sweet
Phoebe Melnick

Whether you live in a dorm or apartment, this mini waffle maker delivers on a variety of levels. It’s cute, portable, convenient and personal! The toppings are endless: strawberries, blueberries, chocolate chips, Nutella and even the classic maple syrup and butter will elevate your breakfast game. There’s also a cute Mini Heart-Shaped Waffle Maker for your special someone!

Sabatino Truffle Sea Salt, $12.99

thumbprint cookies salt flour
Bobbi Lin

Truffle. Pungent, aromatic, earthy and rich. The ultimate foodie delicacy. With this Sicilian sea salt mixed with black truffle, you can have truffle in everything you want. It can be used in marinades, soups, pasta dishes or simply sprinkled over fries. A little goes a long way, so this gift will surely last a while!

Slate Cheese Platter/Cutting Board, $19.99

Gifts for Foodies vegetable herb
Allan Mai

Cheese plates are the pinnacle form of sophistication and this slate allows you to accomplish that. It’s perfect for dinner parties or a night to relax! For a delicious cheese plate you should select the type of cheeses you want (aged, soft, firm, etc.) and then select the accompaniments that compliment the cheese chosen. Prosciutto, nuts, olives, dried fruit and crackers are the most common accoutrements because they enhance the creaminess, sweetness and nuttiness of the cheeses. 

$25 – $50 Gifts 

Kamenstein Bamboo Criss Cross 18-Jar Spice Rack, $30.49

spice herb condiment
Hannah Linn

With an innovative design, this spice rack is multi-functional: it saves space, is easy to use and is sure to catch the eye of visitors. The spice jars come filled and the company offers free refills of the spices for 5 years, so it is the gift that keeps on giving! No matter what spice your complex recipe calls for, this rack will make it easy to spot and grab it without getting mixed up with others.  

Cuisinart Hot Air Popcorn Maker, $39.95

Study snacks milk popcorn
Sara Carte

This popcorn maker comes in a sleek design, that can fit snugly in any leftover space in the kitchen. It can make up to 15 cups of fresh popcorn without oil in just 3 minutes! The maker includes a removable butter warming tray, so you can get the movie theater nostalgia in the comfort of your home. This is the ultimate gift for your friend that loves to snack and provides a healthy alternative to microwaveable popcorn.

Make Your Own Hot Sauce Kit, $34.95

avoid if you sweat a lot chili pepper
Dea Uy

For those who like to keep it spicy! We all have that friend who loves to get the spiciest wings and quite literally has “hot sauce in their bag”. Now, it’s time to let them craft their signature hot sauce with a variety of chili peppers, curry powder, vinegar and more. This DIY kit includes gloves, glass bottles, labels and a funnel so all you need to do is begin concocting your dream sauce.

Cuisinart 13-Piece Cast Iron Fondue Set, $49.99

Food-tastic chocolate sweet
Lily Lou

Give the gift of endless opportunities! With chocolate or cheese, fondue always keeps the heart warm. This fondue set includes the fondue pot, stand, splatter guard, controller, liquid fuel dish, holder, snuffer and six color-coded forks. This set is perfect for sharing and the cast iron keeps the food hot. Now, you have the perfect excuse to come over for chocolate covered strawberries, marshmallows, cake and more decadent delights. 

$50 and above

Marcato Atlas Pasta Machine, $72.18 

Alla Vita spaghetti pasta
Jocelyn Hsu

If there’s one thing foodies love to do, it’s making homemade pasta. The Atlas machine rolls and cuts pasta dough into different styles including fettuccine, tagliolini, and lasagne. The dial controls the thickness of the dough to the consistency of your liking. All in all, it’s a kitchen must-have which will make you forget about boxed pasta.

Anova Sous Vide Bluetooth Precision Cooker, $89

Gifts for Foodies chicken vegetable
Michelle Rodriguez

The Anova Sous Vide Cooker is the perfect gift for the foodie who is a certified ‘homecook’. This Precision Cooker goes above and beyond by connecting to your phone and provides you temperature control alongside the plethora of recipes available on the app. This sous vide is sure to deliver results everytime!

Any of these gifts are sure to impress your friends and family this gifting season, foodie or not! Who knew the best way to their heart was through fondue? You may even score an invite to an elaborate dinner party featuring the most delectable treats made with these presents. Happy eating!

Lover of all things food! You'll most likely find me in a coffee shop sipping on a Honey Lavender latte or in a sushi restaurant trying to see what my college budget can get me!