Ah, Christmas.
The festive season is bound to be a little different this year, but one thing that won’t change is our penchant for giving gifts.
Whether they’re hand delivered and immediately sanitised afterwards, or simply sent in the post, there are few feelings better than giving someone a present that they really love – especially when that present is food and drink based.
There are plenty of foodie gifts out there, waiting and ready to be bought this festive season, but we’ve done the hard part and found some truly great ones, so you don’t have to.
Here are our top picks for foodie gifts this Christmas.
(*This a rolling gift guide and will be updated continuously in the run up to Christmas.)
Love Cocoa Champagne truffles – €27.60
From Mr Cadbury’s great-great-great grandson James Cadbury comes a luxury, ethical chocolate brand that’s got sustainability at its core… and some delicious truffles too.
These luxury gift sets containing delicious truffles are infused with Marc de Champagne and come in two delicious flavours: milk champagne and raspberry champagne. We’ll take both, honestly.
Find out more here.
Howth Castle Cookery School vouchers – from €50
Fancy brushing up on your cooking skills and want to give a friend or family member the chance to join you?
Look no further than Howth Castle Cookery School, who are currently offering vouchers for their incredible cookery classes – for the beginner who would like to expand their repertoire or the budding cook who wishes to further develop their expertise.
The vouchers can be used towards the cost of any of their classes, giving the lucky recipient the choice of type and date for themselves. The vouchers are also valid for the next five years, so if lockdown rears its ugly head again, you needn’t worry about your gift going out of date. Find out more here.
Baileys chocolate Christmas crackers – €8.00
This gift box contains six of the super cute crackers, each containing two Baileys Chocolate Truffles. The box of six crackers contains a mix of original Baileys Chocolates Truffles and the scrumptious Baileys Salted Caramel Truffles.
Presented in a beautifully festive, star-strewn, black box, the Baileys Christmas Crackers are a perfect gift for Chocolate lovers this Christmas. Find out more here.
Bewley’s Kinto cup – €35.00
For the sustainable seeker, look no further than the Bewley’s Kinto tumbler.
This 12oz Kinto stainless steel tumbler is the perfect gift for those who love a coffee on the go. The foil layer covering the inner wall reflects heat back inside, contributing to excellent heat and cold retention.
Or, if you were looking for something a little more authentic, Bewley’s has just launched its 1840 Coffee & Tea Collection to mark 180 years in the business. Find out more here.
M&S brie en croute – €20.00
If you’re wondering why a brie en croute is appearing in a Christmas gift guide, then we clearly do not have the same friends.
A delectable pastry stuffed with a load of cheese, herbs, and other yummy things, this delectable pie from Marks and Spencer would be enough to brighten any Christmas. C’mon, just look at it. Available in stores this month.
Weber Grillcaptain kit with BuJo – €90.00
This Christmas, Weber has partnered with Irish burger company BuJo to create a cooking kit perfect for the burger obsessed in your life.
The delightful kit includes: a €40 discount code towards any of BuJo’s burger kits, Weber’s Barbecue Bible Cookbook and Barbecue Mitt, a BuJo Apron, Tea Towel and accessory cotton bag for 90 quid. Find out more here.
Iceland’s Luxury Millionaire’s Gold Bar Cheesecake – €7.50
Baked caramel cheesecake on a biscuit crumb base, topped with a smoked salted caramel sauce and dark chocolate plaque with gold sparkle – this dessert is one that you are absolutely going to want to pick up this festive season.
Whether for yourself, a loved one, or just to nibble away on throughout the upcoming day(s), this decadent dessert is one of the best shouts out there. In stores now.
Bushmills 2008 Muscatel Cask – €100.00
One for the dads here – or simply anyone who enjoys their whiskey.
Bushmills recently announced their new Causeway Collection: a selection of whiskeys inspired by the Giants’ Causeway. Only available in Ireland, the rare releases are the first cask strength Irish single malt whiskeys to be introduced by the distillery in over 15 years.
The 2008 Muscatel Cask was first aged for eight years in oloroso sherry butts and bourbon barrels and then matured in rare muscatel casks for a further four years. There’s only 1,454 bottles of it for sale too, so it’d make a lovely, unique gift for the whiskey fans among us.
Lidl’s Ben Bracken Single Malt Whiskey Gift Pack – €11.99
Aaand if you’re looking for something a little on the cheaper side, Lidl have got you sorted.
Their Ben Bracken gift pack is less than 12 quid and you get a lovely selection of tipples inside. In store now.
Jump Juice Direct delivery package – from €17.50
For the health conscious in your life comes a new delivery service with their name written all over it – because the iconic Jump Juice is now available for delivery, and 2020 might just be saved.
Fruit and vegetable cold-pressed juices and smoothies can now be ordered online and delivered straight to your home via a subscription service or a once-off delivery.
Cleanse options are also available to order, including 1 day, 3 day or 5 day juice cleanse, including wellness shots and protein balls. Prices start at €29 for the one day cleanse. Find out more here.
Tony’s Chocolonely – €3.98
Right in time for Christmas, ethical chocolate brand Tony’s Chocolonely have released two new festive flavours – milk chocolate gingerbread and dark mint candy cane.
A perfect stocking filler for the chocolate obsessed in your life (or, you know, yourself), these bars are delicious, free from palm oil, and the candy cane one is even vegan. Delightful. Available in Supervalu, Fresh, and Brown Thomas.
Lir chocolate hamper – €45.00
Irish made and entirely delicious, Lir has launched an unreal deluxe chocolate hamper just in time for Christmas.
The Lir Deluxe Hamper contains the stunning Discovery Gift Box, a range of hand-crafted truffle boxes and irresistible bars. Sorted, like. Postage and packaging is all included too. Find out more here.
Winelab’s Missed Moments boxes – €49.00
This year we’ve postponed weddings, shelved birthdays and clinked celebratory glasses through computer screens.
Winelab don’t want Christmas to go unmarked too, so they’ve created bespoke Missed Moments three bottle boxes – Big Moments, Little Moments or Everything In Between.
Priced from €49, your box will include wine, a card from Irish printmakers JANDO, and add a thoughtful message to your loved one in question. Find out more here.
Moet Rose Imperial Diamond Suit – €63
What better way to celebrate this Christmas season than by raising a glass of Moet & Chandon with your loved ones?
Moët & Chandon Rosé Impérial is pink and juicy with the persistent intensity of red fruits. Also how cute is the bottle? The perfect gift for anyone who loves sparkling rosé. Find out more here.
Lily Flame Chocolate Bliss candle – €10.00
Candles, but make them chocolate. To mark the release of Aero’s newest product, Lily Flame has teamed up with the brand to create their new Chocolate Bless candle.
Evoking the velvety chocolate bubbles of Aero Bliss, the candle melts perfectly to create a deliciously smooth chocolate scent sensation. And for a limited time only, the company will send a complimentary box of Aero Bliss chocolates with every candle. Find out more here.
Lidl Irish cheese hamper – €17.99
C’mon guys, who doesn’t love cheese? And what’s more, who doesn’t love receiving cheese as a gift for Christmas?
Lidl’s Irish cheese hamper will be available to pick up in store from December 10, so make sure you get yourself over there if you want to get your paws on it.
The retailer will also be including a whole host of delicious new treats to their Deluxe Christmas range, including a gingerbread house kit for €7.99, a selection of fresh artisan cakes for €12.99, and fresh macarons for €4.49.
Plant Based Basics online course – €99
New Year, new you? Or rather, New Year, new whoever you fancy giving this gift to.
In January, Greg Xavier of Plant Based Ireland, is launching an online course on the benefits of plant based eating. Participants will learn how to cook, how to stay healthy, and to fully switch to a plant based diet.
Book the course to start your new year afresh, or book the course for a plant loving pal this Christmas. Find out more here.
Nutshed Rawb gift boxes – €25.00
Tipp duo Evie and Eliza Ward of NutShed are selling Rawb gift boxes this year, full of tasty treats for peanut butter lovers and vegans alike.
The box includes 12 signature Rawbs wrapped up and ready to gift this Christmas. The little orbs of energy are hand rolled at NutShed HQ, with sweetness lent only from organic dates and are squidged full of the best whole foods, seeds and nuts. Find out more here.
Stillgarden’s Xmas Box – €65
Independent Dublin distillery Stillgarden have concocted a seasonal Christmas cake gin, complete with festive spices of cinnamon, ginger and star anise – and right in time for the festive season too.
They’re selling this gin as part of their Christmas gift boxes. This one also contains two tall glasses, two reusable copper straws and a pair of passes for Stillgarden’s popular community Garden Tour. Find out more here.
