10 gift ideas that are great for foodies
Photo courtesy of iStock / FilippoBacci
Foodies will love these items
Give the gift of flavor this holiday season with one of these 10 foodie-centric gift ideas. We asked a panel of travel and food experts to nominate their favorite food-centric gifts, then 10Best readers chose their favorites for the 2019 Readers' Choice Awards.
Scroll to see the results and get really great gift ideas (and maybe a few discount codes!).
No. 10: Kumana Avocado Hot Sauce Variety Pack
A perfect gift for hot sauce lovers, this variety pack from Kumana includes one bottle each of Spicy Mango, Original and Hot sauces made from non-GMO, gluten-free ingredients with no sugar added.
To buy: kumanafoods.com, $7.95-$38
Use code AVO15 for 15% off
Photo courtesy of Imperfect Foods
No. 9: Imperfect Foods Box
The gift of an Imperfect Food subscription delivers hand-picked foods each week. Choose between organic or conventional produce that’s good for both you and the planet by helping to reduce food waste.
To buy: imperfectfoods.com, $16-$24
Use code imperfect10 for 10% off your first box
No. 8: MasterClass in Culinary Arts
With Masterclass, give the gift of knowledge. The foodie on your gift list can learn cooking techniques from Gordon Ramsay, Wolfgang Puck, Aaron Franklin or Massimo Bottura over the course of 20 video lessons. Courses cover topics like knife skills, breaking down a whole chicken, mastering fish and shellfish and making pasta dough.
To buy: masterclass.com
No. 7: Flaviar Subscription
A Flaviar membership grants access to some of the world’s rarest and finest spirits. Each quarter brings a new tasting box from a curated selection of spirits, allowing members to try three 50ml samples before buying, along with one full-size bottle to complete the delivery.
To buy: flaviar.com, $32
Use code USATODAY at checkout for 10% off membership through the end of the year
Photo courtesy of Mercado Little Spain
No. 6: Mercado Little Spain Spanish Gift Samplers
Gift the flavors of Spain with a sampler from Mercado Little Spain. Options include collections of holiday cookies, extra virgin olive oil, paprika, turrón or botanicals for gin and tonics.
To buy: littlespain.com, $9.95-$165
Photo courtesy of Rancho Gordo
No. 5: Rancho Gordo Gift Box
Rancho Gordo Gift Boxes contain a range of heirloom beans with tips on how to prepare them. Options include cassoulet and chili boxes, or samplers of desert island or French beans.
To buy: ranchogordo.com, $23.95-$119
No. 4: Eatwith Gift Card
An Eatwith gift card unlocks immersive culinary experiences from around the world. Cards can be customized with any amount and are valid for any Eatwith locals experience (options in more than 130 countries) for a full calendar year.
To buy: eatwith.com
Photo courtesy of Journeyman Meat Co.
No. 3: Journeyman Meat Guild Subscription
The Meat Guild is the salumi club from Journeyman Meat Co. in California. Each shipment includes two chubs of limited edition artisanal salumi in a signature burlap bag. Shipments are sent quarterly, and members are also invited to the annual holiday sausage-making party.
To buy: journeymanmeat.com, $27
No. 2: GIR Ultimate Straws
This eco-friendly straw system from GIR comes with an integrated travel case and silicone squeegee to keep these reusable straws clean on the go.
To buy: gir.co, $6.95-19.95
Sign up for the GIR newsletter for a Black Friday/Cyber Monday discount
No. 1: Rouxbe Culinary Course
Rouxbe, the world’s leading online culinary school, offers chef-led classes that foodies can take from just about anywhere. Hundreds of hours of instructional videos focus on core cooking techniques spread across 78 lessons.
To buy: rouxbe.com
Use link above for 40% off starting Nov. 27
The Experts
Marla Cimini
Marla is a journalist with a passion for travel,... Read More
Marla is a journalist with a passion for travel, music and culinary adventures (combining all three whenever possible)! An avid globetrotter, she has covered topics such as exotic Tahitian getaways; Santa Fe’s chocolate trail; Argentine wines; and Japan's Washoku cuisine. Marla is co-author of the book, A Century of Hospitality, a historical exploration of US hotels. Her articles have appeared in numerous publications worldwide. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter or see more of her work on her website.
Marla Cimini
Marla is a journalist with a passion for travel, music and culinary adventures (combining all three whenever possible)! An avid globetrotter, she has covered topics such as exotic Tahitian getaways; Santa Fe’s chocolate trail; Argentine wines; and Japan's Washoku cuisine. Marla is co-author of the book, A Century of Hospitality, a historical exploration of US hotels. Her articles have appeared in numerous publications worldwide. Follow her on Instagram and Twitter or see more of her work on her website.
Beth D'Addono
Beth D'Addono is a food and travel writer obsessed... Read More
Beth D'Addono is a food and travel writer obsessed with flavor, exploring cultures, street music and the city of New Orleans. Beth writes about New Orleans and other destinations for outlets including USAToday, AAA Traveler, Taste, Country Roads and others. Her book 100 Things To Do in New Orleans Before You Die delivers an authentic New Orleans experience for lifelong New Orleanians, transplants and visitors. Take an audio tour here. She also wrote The Hunt New Orleans, a local's guide to restaurants, shops and experiences.
Beth D'Addono
Beth D'Addono is a food and travel writer obsessed with flavor, exploring cultures, street music and the city of New Orleans. Beth writes about New Orleans and other destinations for outlets including USAToday, AAA Traveler, Taste, Country Roads and others. Her book 100 Things To Do in New Orleans Before You Die delivers an authentic New Orleans experience for lifelong New Orleanians, transplants and visitors. Take an audio tour here. She also wrote The Hunt New Orleans, a local's guide to restaurants, shops and experiences.
Amber Gibson
Amber Gibson spends 350 nights a year in hotels... Read More
Amber Gibson spends 350 nights a year in hotels searching for the latest and greatest in the travel industry. Her writing and photographs have appeared in print, online, and on the radio for outlets including Forbes, National Geographic Traveler, Departures, Four Seasons Magazine, Conde Nast Traveller, NPR, Saveur, Departures, Rhapsody, Hemispheres, American Way, Private Air, and Serious Eats. She graduated as valedictorian from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and received a fellowship to attend the 2017 Wine Writers Symposium at Meadowood Napa Valley. Champagne, dark chocolate and gelato are her biggest weaknesses.
Amber Gibson
Amber Gibson spends 350 nights a year in hotels searching for the latest and greatest in the travel industry. Her writing and photographs have appeared in print, online, and on the radio for outlets including Forbes, National Geographic Traveler, Departures, Four Seasons Magazine, Conde Nast Traveller, NPR, Saveur, Departures, Rhapsody, Hemispheres, American Way, Private Air, and Serious Eats. She graduated as valedictorian from Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism and received a fellowship to attend the 2017 Wine Writers Symposium at Meadowood Napa Valley. Champagne, dark chocolate and gelato are her biggest weaknesses.
Eric Grossman
Eric Grossman is a travel and food writer who has... Read More
Eric Grossman is a travel and food writer who has visited more than 50 countries. Always up for an adventure, Eric is constantly searching for new and inspiring experiences, with a keen interest in luxury travel and urban exploration. Memorable experiences have run the gamut from discussing the future of food with Ferran Adrià to sharing a stage with Coldplay.
Eric Grossman
Eric Grossman is a travel and food writer who has visited more than 50 countries. Always up for an adventure, Eric is constantly searching for new and inspiring experiences, with a keen interest in luxury travel and urban exploration. Memorable experiences have run the gamut from discussing the future of food with Ferran Adrià to sharing a stage with Coldplay.
Gerrish Lopez
Gerrish Lopez is a food and travel... Read More
Gerrish Lopez is a food and travel writer/photographer whose adventures have taken her from tiny islands (Isle of Man, Lanai) to mega-cities like Mexico City and Hong Kong. A former vegetarian, Gerrish has grown to appreciate carnivorous fare through sampling the best meats in the world, including smoked pork jowl in Thailand and whole hog barbecue in South Carolina. Gerrish is always looking for products and services to make her travels easier and more efficient.
Gerrish Lopez
Gerrish Lopez is a food and travel writer/photographer whose adventures have taken her from tiny islands (Isle of Man, Lanai) to mega-cities like Mexico City and Hong Kong. A former vegetarian, Gerrish has grown to appreciate carnivorous fare through sampling the best meats in the world, including smoked pork jowl in Thailand and whole hog barbecue in South Carolina. Gerrish is always looking for products and services to make her travels easier and more efficient.
Lydia Schrandt
Lydia, Senior Photo Editor and Readers' Choice... Read More
Lydia, Senior Photo Editor and Readers' Choice Production Manager for USA TODAY 10Best, has traveled to more than 40 countries in Europe, Asia and North and South America, and has lived in Albuquerque, Galveston, Austin, Thailand, Korea, China, Ecuador, Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, Spain and now Houston. When she's not at her computer in a cafe, she's out photographing the city, writing fiction or cheering on Barça.
Lydia Schrandt
Lydia, Senior Photo Editor and Readers' Choice Production Manager for USA TODAY 10Best, has traveled to more than 40 countries in Europe, Asia and North and South America, and has lived in Albuquerque, Galveston, Austin, Thailand, Korea, China, Ecuador, Colombia, Argentina, Brazil, Spain and now Houston. When she's not at her computer in a cafe, she's out photographing the city, writing fiction or cheering on Barça.
Corinne Whiting
Corinne hails from the other Washington, where she... Read More
Corinne hails from the other Washington, where she caught the travel bug early on. Corinne studied abroad in Strasbourg, France (undergrad) and in Edinburgh, Scotland (graduate school). She's backpacked around Australia, taught English in Argentina and explored (so far!) countries from Cambodia and Egypt to Turkey and China. Corinne served as associate editor at Where magazine for five years; as a freelancer, she now writes for publications like National Geographic Traveler and Amtrak's OnTrak. Here in the lovely Northwest, she's attempting to debunk the rain myths, up her coffee and live music quotient and find her Zen near/on the water.
Corinne Whiting
Corinne hails from the other Washington, where she caught the travel bug early on. Corinne studied abroad in Strasbourg, France (undergrad) and in Edinburgh, Scotland (graduate school). She's backpacked around Australia, taught English in Argentina and explored (so far!) countries from Cambodia and Egypt to Turkey and China. Corinne served as associate editor at Where magazine for five years; as a freelancer, she now writes for publications like National Geographic Traveler and Amtrak's OnTrak. Here in the lovely Northwest, she's attempting to debunk the rain myths, up her coffee and live music quotient and find her Zen near/on the water.