Shopping for the foodies on our nice list can be tough! Since they’ve tasted pretty much anything on Planet Earth and cook with the trendiest of gadgets, these folks are impossible to shop for.
The truth is that our foodie friends are always on the lookout for new flavors and ways to enjoy their favorite foods – which is where these eight creative gift ideas step in. From introducing them to new culinary “concepts” to making them part of the DIY action, these homemade treats are anything but basic, which is the whole point of holiday gifts, right? Happy gifting, friends!
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Homemade Salsa
We’ve never met a meal that didn’t taste better with a few tablespoons of salsa. Chances are your foodie friends already got wind of that. This year, surprise them with a homemade batch of the delicious dip and turn their late-night snacking into a cozy experience. Friendly tip: Your options go way beyond the basic version. Spice up your friend’s salsa jar by adding out-of-the-box ingredients, such as mangoes, peaches, or black beans. You won’t regret it! PS: Fruits, like peaches pack a serious nutritional punch, making your gift healthy (and thoughtful). #favoritefriend
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Specialty Butter
Nothing beats the taste of a toasted bagel smeared with salted butter. There is an easy way to take this combo to the next level. We guarantee it will take your foodie friends by storm. Say hello to specialty butter!
This jazzed-up version of the go-to spread calls for butter mixed with your favorite ingredients – both sweet and savory. Some options include garlic, berries, peach, and tomato. You can even come up with a few combos for the health nut by adding foods like cauliflower, which we all know is rich in good-for-you nutrients.
If you want to impress the foodies in your life, you have to think outside the box. Add a bunch of different foods to the mix, no matter how crazy they may seem. Our uber-creative tip? Sneak some of Mother Earth Products’ Taco Mix or TVP Bacon into the butter, and your friends will crown you this year’s “Best Gift-Giver.”
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DIY Sangria Kit
Sure, quirky corkscrews and stemless wine glasses sound like the perfect gift for the vino-loving pals on your list. But, they’re a bit cliché. If you want to be a tad more creative this year, build a DIY sangria kit instead and wait for the compliments to pour in.
Don’t know where to start? Buy a medium-sized drink dispenser and stuff it with all the essentials – a bottle of your friend’s favorite wine and a bunch of fruits. While you could opt for fresh fruits, switching to the freeze dried kind is way more convenient as your friends can whip up a batch whenever the mood strikes (and not soon after just because the fruits will go bad).
Once again, you can be creative with your choices and choose from a wide variety of fruits, such as: berries, mangoes, apricots, and even bananas because… #YOLO.
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Dip Mix Ornaments
This may sound a bit biased, but creamy dips are the epitome of comfort food. These delicious crowd-pleasers are the perfect topping for anything: from your fancy crudites to your straight-out-of-the-bag chips. Unfortunately, the same versions can get too old too fast – which is why it’s high time you introduced your foodie friends to dip mixes.
These creative add-ins are a combination of spices and dry herbs that enhance the flavor of certain dips. Since it’s the holidays, this is your chance to share these “beauties” in the most festive way possible, in the form of an ornament*.
Put your favorite spices together, pour the mixture into fillable ornaments, and voila. You’ve got yourself the most creative gift idea in the history of food gifts. For a more festive touch, wrap colorful ribbons around the ornaments.
PS: If you want to complement the flavors of the dip mixes even more, then you add a few teaspoons of our dehydrated vegetables to the mix. Check out some of the options right here.
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Homemade Fruit Extract
Fruit extract is a surefire way to spice up any dessert, and the baker in your life knows it. Earn some extra friendship points by gifting them with a homemade version of their go-to store-bought extract flavors. If you want to be original, stray from the norm and opt for some not-so-popular fruits instead (think papaya, mango, bananas, and cherries).
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Flavored Salt
“Pass the salt, please!” Well, we’ve all said this phrase before, but what if this year the salt shaker is a bit more… colorful? Flavored salt is all the rage these days, and we know why. The original seasoning combines salt’s natural ability to make anything taste better with the flavorings’ aromatic aftertaste – a combo that’s tough to beat!
Help your foodie friends take their cooking skills to the next level by gifting them with a bag of the unique seasoning. And if you can’t think of any good add-ins, our dehydrated garlic, onion, tomato, celery, and chives are a great place to start.
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Soup in a Jar
Looking for a holiday gift that says, “I care about you”? Keep your friends and family warm during the cold winter months with a soup-in-a-jar gift. Load the jar with the dehydrated beans, vegetables, and herbs of your choice, tie a festive ribbon around the jar’s lid, and that’s it. You can even put your calligraphy skills to good use by handwriting the cooking instructions on a piece of paper and attaching it to the jar. Now, that’s creative!
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DIY Coffee Lover’s Kit
If your friends are total caffeine addicts, make sure they get enough of their favorite drink with this DIY coffee kit. Simply add a bunch of different coffee varieties in small paper bags and place them in a wooden box. Don’t forget to put a few cookies (or perhaps biscotti) to the side for the ultimate coffee drinking experience. Extra points if you remember the mini coffee creamers.
So, which of these creative gift ideas stole your heart? Let us know in the comments below!
*Note: Shoutout to Sprinkle Some Fun for this creative gift idea!
