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The best Christmas food gifts of 2022, from luxury chocolates to the Marks and Spencer hamper

The best gifts for foodies in 2022, from luxury chocolates to the Marks and Spencer hamper
The best gifts for foodies in 2022, from luxury chocolates to the Marks and Spencer hamper

Why is food a good gift at Christmas? Because it's the easiest to get right. It’s the one thing that we all need and we all love. You can’t go wrong with a delicious box of chocolates, a panettone or a goodie-packed Christmas hamper. And if they happen to be a budding chef, that opens up the world of luxury ingredients, desirable cookware and kitchen gadgets too. The best food gifts are likely to be very well-received.

What food makes a good gift?

Chocolates are the classic, of course, but now that people take things like coffee and pizza-making more seriously, it’s easier to tailor your gift to a genuine passion – which is always the sign that you’ve put some thought into it.

Christmassy foods are also a great idea, from smoked salmon to a posh Christmas pud or a delicious cheese – and to accompany them, you may want to read our guide to the best Christmas drinks gifts.

Still wondering what to buy? Here’s the Xanthe Clay guide to the best Christmas food gifts of 2022. Bon appétit and merry Christmas.

Best Christmas food gifts

1. Marks & Spencer Christmas Hamper

£50, Marks & Spencer

Marks & Spencer Christmas Hamper best Christmas food gifts
Marks & Spencer Christmas Hamper best Christmas food gifts

Xanthe says: “A proper wicker hamper feels luxurious and this one is a great price, with three kinds of biscuits, chocolate florentines and wine, plus the obligatory jar of chutney.”

£50

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Price at

Marks & Spencer

2. Ooni pizza oven skillet

£35, Lakeland

Ooni pizza oven skillet
Ooni pizza oven skillet

“This sturdy little skillet is perfect for pitmasters and bbq heads, as it works in pizza ovens, on fire pits or over charcoal. Serve smokey shakshuka or seared peppers out of the pan, which sits on a neat wooden base.”

£35

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Price at

Ooni

3. Aeropress Go

£33.95, Aeropress

Aeropress Go best Christmas food gifts
Aeropress Go best Christmas food gifts

Aeropress is a satisfyingly low tech way to make espresso-style shots, designed by a retired California engineer and approved by hipster baristas the world over. This on-the-go version nests neatly, and comes with a bag of top notch Pact coffee.”

£34

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Price at

Pact Coffee

4. Chococo Caramelised White Gold Chocolate Penguin

£11, Chococo

Chococo Caramelised White Gold Chocolate Penguin best Christmas food gifts
Chococo Caramelised White Gold Chocolate Penguin best Christmas food gifts

“Chocolate penguins are way cooler than the ubiquitous Santas, and these versions come in sustainably sourced plain, milk, vegan oat milk and caramelised white chocolate (think gourmet Caramac), hand made in Dorset.”

£11

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Price at

Chococo

5. Pizarro Rose and Tapas

£47.90, Jose Pizarro

Pizarro Rose and Tapas
Pizarro Rose and Tapas

“Christmas isn’t all about the sweet stuff: Spanish chef Jose Pizarro’s collection of tapas includes prized Iberico ham loin from top notch producer Cinco Jotas, as well as Perello olives, smoked mussels, and a bottle of his own label rosé.”

£48

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Price at

Jose Pizarro

6. Orb Pestle and Mortar Designed by Gareth Neal

£58, Case Furniture

Orb Pestle and Mortar Designed by Gareth Neal Best Christmas Gifts
Orb Pestle and Mortar Designed by Gareth Neal Best Christmas Gifts

“A good pestle and mortar is essential kitchen kit, and this one is both beautiful and functional.  Made of heavyweight granite, it makes short work of spice grinding. Seriously covetable.”

£58

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Price at

Case Furniture

7. Dishoom chai set

£35, Dishoom Store

Dishoom chai set
Dishoom chai set

“The cult Indian restaurant chain’s authentically fragrant version of Mumbai chai in a keepable tin, along with proper chai glasses and a tea strainer. Just add milk and fresh ginger, plus sugar to taste.”

£35

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Price at

Dishoom

8. Lazzaroni Biscottiera

£18, Sacla

Lazzaroni Biscottiera best Christmas food gifts
Lazzaroni Biscottiera best Christmas food gifts

“No one does iconic packaging like the Italians, and this covetable tin will long outlast the crunchy biscuits inside - themselves a chic and easy pud with a glass of Vin Santo.

£18

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Price at

Sacla

9. Finca La Barca Smoked olive oil

£14.50, Ocado

Finca La Barca Smoked olive oil best Christmas food gifts
Finca La Barca Smoked olive oil best Christmas food gifts

“Chef Ashley Palmer Watts, formerly Heston Blumenthal’s right hand man, first put me on to this addictively good smoked oil in a beautiful bottle. Trickle it over crostini or mix with lemon juice for a savoury dressing.”

£15

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Price at

Ocado

10. Panettone al Gin all’Arancia Rossa

£22.95, Carluccio’s

Panettone al Gin all’Arancia Rossa best Christmas food gifts
Panettone al Gin all’Arancia Rossa best Christmas food gifts

“Gin plus panettone covers a lot of Christmas bases, and this mash-up made in the Veneto has the booze in a custardy cream filling so there’s no risk of dry cake.”

£23

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Price at

Carluccios

11. Crossip non-alcoholic taster collection

£35, Crossip

Crossip non-alcoholic taster collection
Crossip non-alcoholic taster collection

“Ditching the booze is positively chic these days, and these beauties really pack a flavour punch, especially the the intensely smokey “Dandy” and the Campari-bitter hibiscus “Pure”. Perfect for Nogroni lovers.”

£35

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Price at

Crossip

12. Carbonator Pro

£250, Aarke

Carbonator Pro
Carbonator Pro

“Love fizzy water, hate plastic waste? A home carbonator is the answer, but they’ve never been things of beauty until Scandi company Aarke got in on the act. These seductively designed glass bottle versions can take centre stage on the work top.”

£250

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Price at

Aarke

13. Chef’s knife, House Marble handle, personalised

£169, Savernake Knives

Chef’s knife, House Marble handle, personalised
Chef’s knife, House Marble handle, personalised

“A beautiful knife is every chef’s most wanted item, and these versions handmade in Wiltshire are top of the tree - plus they’ll engrave the recipients name on the blade.”

£169

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Price at

Savernake

14. Gin Advent Calendar

£89.90, Neat and Shaken (currently reduced to £76.40)

Gin Advent Calendar best Christmas food gifts
Gin Advent Calendar best Christmas food gifts

“A gin for every day of advent, almost - there’s three days of cocktail related kit too - but this will make you very popular with the G’n’T lover in your life.”

£77

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Price at

Neat & Shaken

15. Rack Hamper

£170, The Meat Merchant

Rack Hamper best Christmas food gift
Rack Hamper best Christmas food gift

“The Meat Merchant, aka Peter Hannan supplies some of the best meat in the business to top chefs including Mark Hix. A hamper of his premium racks, beef, lamb and sugar pit bacon, is a meat lover's dream.”

£170

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Price at

The Meat Merchant

16. Fiasconaro x Dolce & Gabbana Hazelnut Panettone with Manna Cream

£60.00, SousChef

Fiasconaro x Dolce & Gabbana Hazelnut Panettone with Manna Cream best Christmas food gifts
Fiasconaro x Dolce & Gabbana Hazelnut Panettone with Manna Cream best Christmas food gifts

“Fashionistas love cake, and this hazelnut panettone with a creamy filling would be irresistible even without the Dolce and Gabbana designed tin, perfect for storing paraphernalia stylishly.”

£60

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Price at

SousChef

17. Full side of smoked organic salmon

£99, Glenarm Organic Salmon

Full side of smoked organic salmon best Christmas food gifts
Full side of smoked organic salmon best Christmas food gifts

“Glenarm salmon is farmed to exacting standards in Northern Ireland and is generally reckoned to be the most ethical salmon available. Carefully smoked, it’s a proper treat like smoked salmon used to be.”

£99

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Price at

Glenarm

18. The Brindisa Christmas Hamper

£200, Brindisa

The Brindisa Christmas Hamper
The Brindisa Christmas Hamper

"You get a lot of booty for your buck with this traditional wicker hamper from the Spanish specialists Brindisa - including top notch cava (made in the same traditional method as Champagne), Pastura truffle cheese, Iberico ham and delectable crisp tortas de Naranja."

£200

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Price at

Brindisa


Getting ready for Christmas? You may want to read our guides to the best Christmas hampers, the best advent calendars, the best beauty advent calendars, the best food advent calendars, the best alcohol advent calendars, the best artificial Christmas trees and the best children's toys. We also have guides to the best Christmas gifts for women and the best Christmas gifts for men.