Whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, or another winter holiday, this is the season of giving. If you are low on funds, want to give a homemade present or something small, or need a gift for the person that has everything, consider homemade food gifts! Cooking is an act of love, and homemade gifts from the kitchen are gifts from the heart. Don’t worry, even if you don’t want to cook, we have you covered! Keep reading for suggestions that are simple and delicious!

Looking for last minute kitchen gift ideas for your favorite home chef? Check out our Holiday Gifts for Cooks article!

No Cook Homemade Food Gifts Ideas

Fruits and Vegetables

Do you grow fruits, vegetables, or herbs in your home garden? If so, all of your home chef friends will love receiving produce grown from a friend or family member’s garden! Other than growing food in their own backyard, freshly grown produce it’s the ultimate local gift!

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

If you subscribe to our newsletter or have read any of our recipes or articles, you have probably noticed that we are big fans of extra virgin olive oil. It has numerous health benefits and tastes delicious. There are so many pretty bottles and brands out there; tie a festive bow around the neck and gift away! This award winning bottle is surely a gift that OLIVE your friends will love!

Vinegars

Balsamic vinegar is our favorite vinegar here at To Taste, but there are many other options out there. Just like extra virgin olive oil, many come in attractive bottles and are definitely gift worthy. If you want the best balsamic vinegar, look for aged varieties made in Modena, Italy. This Malpighi Saporoso aged balsamic is one of our favorites!

Drinks

Wine, tea, and coffee all make wonderful gifts. Look for fun wine labels that remind you of the recipient, festive tea flavors, and locally roasted coffee beans. If you are looking for a present for a mom who has had kids at home all year, she might want and need all three!

Homemade Trail Mix

This one requires a little mixing and shaking, but really, that’s all it takes! We have a simple base recipe that provides you with a formula for creating the best ratio of nuts to seeds to fruit. Or check out our holiday trail mix recipe for a colorfully festive variation. Put it in a mason jar with a bow, or fill a clear bag and add a pretty ribbon for a fun presentation.

Homemade Edible Gifts that Require Minimal Cooking

We have many easy recipes on our website that are perfect for gifting! All of these recipes have a base recipe so that you can customize the flavors to your taste. But if you need some recipe inspiration, we have several To Taste-approved variations!

Choose festive packaging or put the treats into a container or tupperware that your giftee can keep and reuse. They will love munching on these healthy homemade food gifts! 

Homemade Granola

Homemade granola is not only easy, but it’s delicious too! Granola can last for a month in an airtight container. Take a look at our base recipe to learn how to create your own variety, or use these favorite recipes for tried and true variations!

Energy Bites

Energy bites are a perfect food gift for family or friends that are athletic, constantly on the run, or always in search of a good snack – you know the type! Our energy bites taste like a little bite of oatmeal and are easy to make. Check out the base recipe and all of our tasty variations! Cranberry almond energy bites are especially festive, but choose or create a flavor that sound best to you!

Dark Chocolate Covered Fruit Bites

If you know a chocolate lover, they will definitely appreciate this tasty treat! Chocolate covered fruit bites are like a healthy truffle, but they don’t taste “healthy.” Made with dried fruit, nut or seed butter, and dipped in dark chocolate, they are the perfect after-dinner treat.

Quick Bread Food Gift Ideas

Just like the name implies, quick breads and muffins are quick to make (and get eaten quickly too)! Quick breads are a great gift, and as an added bonus, they fill your kitchen with wonderful smells! A lot of people give cookies at Christmas time, but we like the idea of giving something a little different! A quick bread can be eaten at breakfast, for a snack, or as a treat. Use our base recipe as a guide, or try out our other variations!

We included Cranberry Zucchini Bread on our list, and while we realize that zucchini is not in season right now, its green color paired with red cranberries is perfect for Christmas time!

Try out these other delicious quick bread recipes, and be sure to watch and read our culinary tips for guaranteed recipe success!

Hopefully this list gave you some good ideas for homemade Christmas food gifts! Whatever you choose to purchase or make, remember that what matters most is the gesture and the sentiment that it was made with love.

Although we wish we could mail you all treats from our kitchens, we are happy to know that we can give you the gift of culinary skills and recipes!

Let us know in the comments what homemade food gifts you are making for family and friends this year!

Wishing you the happiest of holidays to YOUR taste!

Chef V