The 5 Best Food Gifts for Christmas and the Holiday Season

It’s that time of year again! The holiday season is upon us, and this year you’re thinking about what gifts would be best to get for your food-loving friends and family members. When you think of the best food gifts for Christmas, things like hot cocoa, sugar cookies, and eggnog probably come to mind. These are classics, of course, but what about surprising your loved ones with something a little more unique this time around?

When it comes to gifts for food lovers this holiday season, we’ve got you covered. From Philly themed gifts for your Philadelphia-based friends to the best food gifts to ship to your loved ones across the country, you are sure to find the perfect food gift ideas on this list. Several small meaningful gifts are always better than one big gift, so we’ve also listed some ideas for the best food gift baskets! Stick around to find out more.

Tony Luke’s Frozen Cheesesteak

When it comes to the best food gifts to ship in the mail, Tony Luke’s has got your back. Tony Luke’s uses high-quality meat, and their freshly baked bread is absolutely something to call home about. Also, get this: Tony Luke’s is easily able to ship their frozen cheesesteaks to anywhere in the nation! This is the perfect gift for your friend who moved away from Philly a long time ago but still misses the local atmosphere. Sending them a frozen Philly cheesesteak in the mail might just be enough to ignite that warm spark of nostalgia.

Philly cheesesteaks are warm and comforting, which we think makes them one of the best food gifts for Christmas. There’s nothing like enjoying a cheesesteak with your friends while watching Sunday night football on a cold winter night. Order just one or order them in bulk for all of your friends! They will be sure to thank you. We’re not sure if the salty, savory marriage between the thinly-sliced meat, melted cheese, and freshly baked bread is enough to make a grown man cry, but it’s got to be pretty darn close.

Shoofly Pie

Speaking of Philly themed gifts, shoofly pie is an absolute classic. Made with molasses and perfect for those brutally cold Philly winters, shoofly pie originated in Pennsylvania. This pie is best served warm and topped with whipped cream (of course), but you can also freeze it, which might be best if you’re making it for a friend or family member this holiday season.

Like Tony Luke’s frozen cheesesteaks, shoofly pie is one of the best food gifts for Christmas because it creates feelings of warmth and nostalgia in those who eat it. We think that’s beautiful, and your Philly-based friends will love the fact that you put so much thought and effort into recreating something that reminds them of home.

Christmas Cake Pops

Cake pops are cute and delectable balls of cake on a stick. Kids and adults love them, and they make for the perfect stocking stuffer. You’ve probably seen regular cake pops in various coffee shops and bakeries, but what about Christmas cake pops? Get creative and make your cake pops into little snowmen or reindeer this holiday season. What could be cuter (and tastier) than a chocolate cake pop with pretzel antlers and a red candy nose?

Christmas Cake pops would also be a great addition to a Christmas gift basket. Freeze them, wrap them up nicely, and tuck them into the basket as a delicious little treat. This is perfect for if you’re giving out gift baskets at your place of work this year. Remember to think simple: people love sweets and savory morsels, so these cake pops in combination with something nice and salty will have them snacking at their desk and thanking you in the break room.

Caramel Apples

Caramel apples are also great for gift baskets, and like cake pops, they make delicious stocking stuffers. Dentists might not agree, but this isn’t about them. Fruit is always better when dipped in caramel or chocolate, and it’s Christmas, so go nuts! If you want, the theme of your gift basket could be caramel and chocolate-covered apples (or any other type of fruit).

Make sure to wrap the apples in plastic to keep the caramel from getting too sticky. It would also probably be best to keep these in the refrigerator or freezer until you are ready to give away your gift basket. It’s unlikely that the caramel or chocolate is going to melt much once it has set, but you never know!

Frozen Cookie Dough Gift Jar

Sometimes, baking cookies can be just as enjoyable an experience as eating them is. Your loved one will especially appreciate this gift if the cookie dough you stuff the jar with is homemade. You can fill the jar completely with whichever kind of cookie dough you think the recipient would like best, or you can roll the dough into small balls so that all your loved one has to do is put the cookies on the baking sheet and bake them.

That being said, your loved one might just want to eat the frozen cookie dough as it is straight out of the jar — which is totally relatable and just as delicious as baking the cookies. If you’re making sugar cookie dough, you could also include some Christmas-themed cookie cutters with the jar. Kids will absolutely love cutting out cookies shaped like snowmen or Christmas trees and decorating them when they’re done baking. It really is the perfect holiday activity!

Final Thoughts

Whether you’re sending your loved ones caramel apples or frozen Philly cheesesteaks this holiday season, they are sure to appreciate it. Remember to include handwritten notes with your gift baskets to add that personal touch, and don’t forget to tell your loved ones “Happy Holidays.” We wish you the best of luck in your search for the best food gifts for Christmas. It will be here before you know it!