Shopping for people who like to cook may come off as a bit of a challenge, especially when they likely have all of the latest and greatest kitchen gadgets and tools out there. No matter what you choose to get your foodie friend, they’ll be thankful, but you can really blow them away with one of these presents.
To help you find a gift that the cook you’re shopping for will love (and actually use!), we chatted with experts in the field, including chef Elena Besser, who stopped by TODAY to recommend must-have gifts. Our editors (who double as foodies in their free time) shared items they're loving as well — from cookbooks sure to help them hone their craft to high-tech toasters.
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Award-winning gifts for home cooks
Bold enough for flavor seekers but mellow enough for sensitive palates, our editors are absolute suckers for Momofuku's garlicky, smoky chili crunch. We love drizzling it on everything from fried rice to dips to over-easy eggs to even ice cream (don't knock it 'til you try it!).
Cooking has been an integral part of the TODAY Show ever since it hit the airwaves in the 1950s, so any bonafide fan of the broadcast needs this cookbook in their arsenal. Inside you'll find beloved recipes from both the anchors you know and love along with several dozen culinary icons who have appeared on the show over the years.
“I tried some of their spices at an event and was pleasantly surprised at how good they tasted!” praises associate editor Kamari Stewart-Jackson. “I tried some of their curry spice over popcorn and the flavor profile was balanced, had a really good mouth-feel and it had the perfect amount of spice.”
After cooking up a storm, a healthy portion of leftovers can make-or-break a 9-to-5 job. Since lots of Shop TODAY staffers are home cooks, we added this electric lunch box to our list of Gifts We Love in 2023.
Who doesn’t love a gadget that makes their life just a little bit easier? Case in point: this hands-free, USB-charging electric can opener that’d make a killer stocking stuffer. Currently on our 2025 Gifts We Love winners list, the brand says it opens up to 60 cans on a single charge, though some have reported that they haven’t needed to charge theirs at all after owning it for over a year.
One of life's biggest joys is discovering new-to-us products. The Farmers Finds brings that experience right to your door with a quarterly curation of small-batch, one-of-a-kind pantry staples straight from farmer's markets across the country.
If they’re looking to take their cooking game to the next level, consider this personalized cast iron pan that was featured on our Gifts We Love shopping guide in 2023. Not only is it designed to last generations, according to the brand, but you can customize it with their name and a significant date.
“Readers, I fear this air fryer is going to become my entire personality,” says deputy managing editor Jess Bender. “I’ve used it for every other meal in the last month in a variety of ways — to make croutons out of leftover pita for a Greek salad, to reheat fries and tater tots, to crisp up chickpeas to garnish a homemade hummus, to give marinated tofu a quick roast to toss into sesame noodles, I could go on and on. The instructions and setup is extremely user-friendly, and the clean-up afterwards is just as simple. For this being my first-ever air fryer, I don’t foresee how any other brand can top this.”
“If you’re looking for a unique gift for the holidays, this is it,” says associate editor Allie Wise. “Give the gift of not having to cook with this decadent ultimate Holiday Feast from the iconic Carnegie Deli. It comes complete with pastrami, corned beef, rye bread, mustard and more. Finish off the dinner with a delicious cheesecake! Your belly will thank you!”
Gadgets and small appliances for home cooks
"[This is] on my wish list as I slowly replace my black plastic utensils," says production associate Audrey Ekman. "I love the problem-solving design that grips spaghetti easily and the fun noodle-like shape of the utensil. Plus, it’s under $15!"
This hacky gadget allows you to create crustless sandwiches at home. To use, simply place your bread in the device, spread your favorite filling and press down the Crimpit. When you’re done, you can pop your treat in the toaster for a toasty treat. Plus, it’s great for people of all ages.
“Even though I’m an adult, I still don’t want the crust for some reason,” content creator Corey Bonalewicz, better known as Corey B on social media, says. “It’s the kid still in me."
Shopping for a foodie who is also a content creator? Bonalewicz uses this tablet stand holder to create his videos. He says creators he collaborates with often ask him, “This is all you use?” He says when he goes to film videos with celebrities, “I just bring my camera stand — the thing fits in my backpack — and my phone. And that’s it.”
One of our favorite kitchen hacks is this little salad spinner from Oxo. Providing “maximum drying with minimum effort,” per the brand, all it takes is a couple of pumps to remove moisture from your rinsed leafy greens or herbs. Its convenient design also makes it easy to stow it away in the fridge.
While Le Creuset has been a mainstay in homes for generations, the brand has recently seen a major social media resurgence with their viral Factory to Table Sales. If your giftee loves watching an unboxing haul (or if they're the sort who would like to refine their mise en place approach), this set of six pinch bowls are good to have on hand for freshly ground spices, condiments, minced garlic, herbs and much more.
"If you have a tea drinker in your life, treat them to this stunning marble tea canister from Crate & Barrel’s new collection," says associate partnerships editor Lauren Witonsky. "Not only is it functional (keeping both loose and bagged tea fresh), but I love that it’s pretty enough to keep on my kitchen counter! For a personalized gift, I would fill it with my recipient’s favorite tea flavor."
"I didn't realize how much I would love an electric spice grinder until I started using this one," says Stewart-Jackson. "It's so easy to pop the pods in and out, and all it takes is one push of the button on top to dispense your spices. I love the built-in LED light so that I can see exactly what I'm doing."
"I love this one for when you live in an apartment because it is so compact and it comes with three blender jars that you can drink the smoothie directly out of or take on the go," says social media editorial assistant Annie Shigo. Plus, it's "surprisingly quiet," she says, so you'll be sure to not wake up your roommate when making a morning smoothie.
Food gifts for home cooks
For the person who's always looking to add hot sauce to every meal, Stewart-Jackson says this gift will be a hit. It comes with ten mini bottles of different flavors offered by Melinda's. "Don't sleep on the habanero honey mustard!" she says.
When you need something small to satisfy your sweet tooth, reach for these hazelnut truffle trees from Chocolove. Stewart-Jackson says they're the perfect size and decadent enough to satisfy you with just one (though we won't judge if you reach for more!).
If hazelnut isn't your thing, Chocolove offers other trees in marzipan, peanut butter and peppermint cream flavors.
"One of my go-to housewarming gifts is a really nice bottle of vinegar — it’s such a versatile pantry staple that can be used in tons of sweet and savory dishes," says Bender. "A recent find that I’m eager to share is this blueberry cider vinegar I picked up from a fermentation shop in Maine over the summer. I could see it making a nice summery vinaigrette or shrub cocktail."
Gift them a little sweet treat with these bite-sized cookies that pack powerful flavor with each bite. These cookies have earned compliments from many friends at each dinner party she attends, according to Shigo.
This marinara sauce is Shop TODAY-approved, with multiple editors getting their hands on it to pair with pasta noodles, as a pizza sauce, or incorporating into other meals. Shigo named this her favorite out of the four flavors they offer, noting it has a sweet flavor not traditionally found in marinara sauces.
Production coordinator Camryn Privette also loves their hot honey marinara flavor, because “it’s the perfect balance of spicy, sweet but flavorful,” she says.
Writer Jannely Espinal admits that this is the “best sazón” she’s received thus far. “I used it completely and my meal preps could have not been better without Loisa,” she says, admitting it tastes like “your Latina mom’s meal.”
“Fly By Jing’s sauces are such good gifts for spice lovers and home chefs,” says writer Emma Stessman. “I add them to everything, from stir fries to scrambled eggs. This set comes with two mini versions of their chili sauces so it’s the perfect intro to the brand. Plus, it comes with four packs of their noodles which are so delicious and easy to prepare — they’re like elevated instant noodles! And they’re a staple at my house.”
Grown and sourced from the saffron capital of the globe (Kashmir) from a third-generation farmer, Diaspora Co.'s iteration is extremely aromatic with notes of honey and almond. A little goes a long way, and all you'll need is just a pinch to amp up dishes like tahdig, Iranian chicken and biryani. Complete your foodie-forward small gift with a spice spoon that'll only cost an extra $1.
Started by two lifelong friends from Massachusetts who wanted to showcase a generations-old family recipe inherited by the brand’s namesake Effie, these biscuits are the perfect base for a mean charcuterie board. If they’re not the cheese-craving type, these also pair exceptionally well with all kinds of jams and a spot of tea on the side.
Stewart-Jackson can't get enough of these melt-in-your-mouth treats that truly are light-as-air, as the name implies. "The white cheddar and classic flavors are my favorite, but I love that you get some others to try in this box. It's perfect for the person like me who wouldn't normally venture to reach for those flavors."
According to the brand, they're also nut- and gluten-free!
This “sizzle” and “drizzle” duo is a set that home cooks can use while cooking, as a salad dressing, on top of popcorn and other foods, and even as a topper for ice cream.
We especially adore Graza for their squeeze bottle concept, that makes it easy to “drizzle” contents over food.
After a quick phone call to my [Hoeger] dad (I’m an anxious chef!), I simply steamed these over the stove and let them sit for 12 minutes, like the instructions say. Then, I added them to a bowl of noodles and pork. They’re so delicious, and I bet you wouldn’t be able to tell they were frozen solid mere minutes before eating them.
They’re available in chicken, vegan, shrimp and pork or pho beef options.
“I’m always raving to friends and family about my favorite bites in the city, and love when I can send them a taste of New York when they’re not able to visit,” says Witonsky. “Bread’s chocolate babka has to be in my top five favorite desserts, and now you can get it shipped directly to your door!”
Another favorite in the kitchens of several Shop TODAY editors, you can't go wrong gifting this set from Brightland. You'll feel like a true professional having separate olive oils for cooking and dressing your foods. Plus, both bottles are so large, you'll be sure they'll last a while.
Gifting them with an at-home pasta experience? That’s amore. Inside this Oprah's Favorite Things-approved sampler, they'll find three different pasta shapes sure to last them a while, as each one weighs out to a pound a piece, totaling out to three pounds of pasta noodles. Pair it with the Shop TODAY-loved sauce above to make the perfect gift.
Started in Woodstock, New York, Moonrise Bagels has quickly become an ultra-popular bagel shop thanks to their delicious stuffed bagels that look just as good as they taste. With this pack — which allows you to choose which six bagel flavors you want — you can try Moonrise Bagels’ most popular items.
What brightens up a holiday (and your taste buds) more than some lemon-flavored goodies? This box comes with more than enough bites for your next get-together, including a limoncello cranberry white chocolate loaf, limoncello cookies, limoncello truffles, limoncello biscottini, Sicilian lemon drops, limoncello blondies and even lemon napkins!
"If you want to really treat yourself or a foodie in your life, get them caviar," suggests Witonsky. "I would never buy it for myself because of the price, but always savor it when gifted a tin. This set from Meredith Marks Caviar comes with 3 different varieties to sample — though if I had to choose I’d say I like the Platinum White Sturgeon the best. Plus, it comes with a Mother-of-Pearl spoon which is a must for the taste test!"
Practical gifts for home cooks
The smash burger has become a staple at barbecues and cookouts over the last couple of years. If you know a dedicated grillmaster who's looking to perfect their technique, this kit will have them on their way to mastering it.
Stainless steel pans are highly coveted for its ability to withstand high temperatures and tackle a versatile range of cooking methods. We recently tested out several popular versions in our Ranked series and declared this All-Clad option our top pick, scoring top marks across heat distribution, weight, appearance and ability to cook various proteins.
Prepare contents for chicken noodle soup, fruits and veggies to meal prep for the week and more, all without fear of damaging the wood thanks to the brand’s cream coat. (Though, if you are worried about upkeep, you can complement their brand new cutting board with a care kit.)
This cutting board is reversible, with one side meant for cutting meat and the flip side meant for all other foods.
"At this point, everyone has heard me rave about my Vitamix blender, but if you want to spoil someone in your life who loves to cook, this is the best gift you can give them in my opinion," raves Stessman. "It is truly one of the top-used appliances in my kitchen and I even give it prime real estate on my small kitchen counters, because I use it too much to put it away. Obviously it’s great for smoothies, but it does so much more. You can make soups (it heats it up for you!), sauces, nut butters, salad dressings and so much more. I can’t have dairy, so I make nut-based sauces a lot and truly have never been able to get the texture as smooth with any other blender as I do with this one."
Cookbooks for home cooks
“I’m obsessed with how colorful, flavorful and veggie-forward all of these recipes are,” says associate social media editor Dani Musacchio. “The instructions in the book are super easy to follow, even for a beginner cook like myself. This is a must-have cookbook to add to your collection and makes a really great gift for any foodie.”
“I have yet to make anything from this cookbook but I’ve just been constantly flipping through it because the pictures are so pretty and everything looks so delicious!” says Stessman. “I am obsessed with Justine and I always love watching her videos on TikTok and Instagram so I’m excited to try some of these recipes. From what I’ve read so far all the dishes seem really approachable and also vegetable-forward.”
“This has been on my cookbook wish list ever since it was announced since Julia Turshen is behind one of my favorite cookbooks of the last decade, ‘Simply Julia.’ No surprise here, this was such a satisfying read,” says Bender. “What makes this cookbook so unique is that she includes a variety of different charts for each chapter highlighting the perfect balance of ingredients for a successful dish. I’ve made a few dressings plus a hearty chorizo sofrito rice since I checked this out of the library — chef’s kisses galore!”
Chef Hailee Catalano has amassed nearly 2 million combined followers across TikTok and Instagram, drawing viewers in with her elevated and visually pleasing meals.
“I’ve always really liked her produce-forward, seasonally-focused approach to cooking on her TikTok, so I’m excited to have a keepsake of her recipes in this stunning collection,” says Bender. “Also, have you seen the cover? Breathtaking!”
I [Hoeger] had been anticipating this cookbook’s release since the day it was announced. It’s filled with recipes that perfectly match Meredith Hayden’s East Coast, elevated aesthetic, like hot crab dip and blueberry barbecue grilled chicken salad.
Hayden’s over 3 million followers across both Instagram and TikTok helped take this book to the New York Times bestsellers list.
“This is my favorite cookbook,” says deputy editorial director Alexandra Deabler. “It’s great for beginners or expert chefs, and every recipe has a QR code that will take you to a video to show her cooking it, so really, really great for people who are more visual learners. And she also offers swaps if it’s a less common ingredient. Though overall everything has been really easy to get for me.”
Gina Martano, head of research and development at Vermont Creamery, says anyone who loves cheese should look to content creator and author Marissa Mullen for tips on building a cheese board. Not only does Martano believe that it’s an incredible book to gift to anybody, but she has built “so many” cheese boards with Mullen’s advice.
“She put together this process of building a cheese board, just an aesthetically beautiful cheese board, with step-by-step directions,” she says. “I’ve been very into it and just feel that beautiful artisan cheese deserves their moment.”
Winter is the quintessential season to cozy up with a piping bowl of pasta, so chef Joshua McFadden's latest cookbook arrives at just the right time. Not only does it explore new ways to utilize whatever's lingering in your pantry, but it gives seasonal inspiration for produce at their peak. For those who just like a good ragu, there's an entire chapter dedicated to them.
Unique gifts for home cooks
“For a fellow foodie, I usually go for something edible, but these candles are the perfect gift when that’s not an option, or you just want to switch things up!” says Witonsky. “They come in fun farfalle and rigatoni shapes, are wrapped in a super cute box and are perfect for the pasta lover in your life.”
“Even though I just got this print, I am already obsessed and impressed with the quality,” says commerce editor Vivien Moon. “It’s so cheerful and makes for a great gift because it’s available in a variety of sizes. As a pickle princess (nobody calls me that), I love the playfulness of the print and how vibrant it is. If you can’t gift me pickles, might as well gift me a gift that reflects my love for them.”
"This is perfect for the person who likes to explore other cultures through food because they can do so without leaving their own kitchen!" says Stewart-Jackson. "I recently tried the Thailand cooking kit and the instructions were so easy to follow. We loved the final result of our curry and learning more about the country throughout the process!"
"I got sent some of Ballerina Farm’s fruit and veggie candles and I am obsessed!" says Stessman. "I am planning on gifting the asparagus ones to my friend who loves to grill and I currently have the tomato one displayed on a shelf in my kitchen. I have yet to light it because its just so fun to look at!"
"My soon-to-be sister-in-law gives the most thoughtful gifts; people always rave about and remember them!" says associate editor Erica Marrison. "Recently, she got tired of just giving cash at weddings and started gifting personalized recipe books by Papier. I love that it's an affordable way to do personalization (plus it's something your recipient will use!). She'll order the personalized version and, if she's close with the recipient, she writes in a recipe with a note."
"I haven’t moved on from the tinned fish craze, and am obsessed with this new bundle that features a few of my favorite flavors (especially the Smoked Rainbow Trout) and the brand’s gorgeous new cookbook," says Witonsky. "The tins are pretty enough that you don’t even need wrapping paper, and I wish every cookbook came with ingredients!"
How we chose
The Shop TODAY team works hard to find the best products and coolest gifts out there. We consulted influencers and experts and use our own personal experiences with brands to find the best gifts for foodies.
Meet the experts
- Corey Bonalewicz, known as Corey B on Instagram and TikTok, is a content creator and comedian who regularly tests viral cooking gadgets for his 22 million followers across all platforms.
- Elena Besser is a chef who has made many appearances on The TODAY Show, sharing recipes for green goddess salad, oven-baked baby back ribs and more.
- Claudia Dionne is the charcuterie board manager at Three Little Pigs Charcuterie, which began as a small shop in Greenwich Village and now is a nationally distributed brand. She recommends including some cheese, a few meats, a garnish, a crunch, some fresh herbs and a paté to any charcuterie board.
- Gina Martano is the head of research and development at Vermont Creamery. She aims to “create delicious products with the consumer at top of mind,” starting with high-quality milk from local Vermont farms.
Don’t forget to check out Shop TODAY’s other gift guides to find the perfect gift for everyone on your list including the grillmaster, music lover, book lover and more.
