You may have noticed the anticipation for the holidays starting sooner and products selling out well in advance of the big day. Here’s a little something to help kickstart your holiday shopping and get you on track.
Every year, our team recommends gift items for the Foodies on your list – and usually, they’re taken from their lists! Of course, you can also add them to your own list, and we never judge when it comes to buying gifts for yourself. Who knows what you like better than you do?
There’s a great mix of items here; some are right on-trend for 2021 and beyond, while others are timeless. And some are just cool!
So give a gift with outstanding taste this year — and happy holidays to all our friends!
(And remember to get orders in early as COVID continues to mess with the supply chain.)
However and whatever you celebrate, Happy Holidays to you and your loved ones from everyone at Nourish!
For the Socially Conscious foodie
Gifts of Goodness are curated, socially-conscious gift boxes crafted by Canadian Women In Food. Each box tells a story and is filled with fabulous food faves and unique finds. Some of the themed boxes include the Coffee Lovers Gift Box, the Travel Around the World Box, and the Flannel Favourites Box.
Browse the boxes: Canadian Women in Food
For the budding mixologist
Remember the paper placemats “fancy” restaurants once used, with pictures and descriptions of cocktails you could order? This item recaptures a bit of that vibe but upscaled and modernized. It’s a fun art piece to hang over the bar cart that brings colour to the space. Plus, you can choose from printed and framed or an instant digital download if you’re short on time. Print it, frame it, wrap it. Done!
Pour over the possibilities: ArnandMarley
For the cinephile with all the streaming services
What’s better than a movie marathon on a chilly winter day? Recreate the movie theatre popcorn experience at home with the WhirleyPop Old Fashioned Popcorn Maker, including a stovetop popper, kernels, and buttery seasoning. The sounds, the smells, the flavours — everything but the inflated price!
Pop over to this link for a look: Bed Bath & Beyond
For the ultimate locavore
Shorten the farm-to-table journey with The EVE home herb, fruit, and veggie garden from Canadian hydroponics company Just Vertical. Unlike some others on the market, it neither takes up valuable counter space nor looks like an Ikea DIY hack gone wrong. And, while some people decry home food growing systems that "lock" you into buying their seeds, pods, and nutrients, COVID has proven that subscription-based services make routines easier to stick with.
Check out hyper-hyper-local farming solutions: Just Vertical
For the social BBQer
Want perfectly cooked proteins without being tied to your grill? The trick is cooking to temperature, not to time. The Meater Plus is a rechargeable Bluetooth leave-in thermometer that lets you know the temperature inside your cooking food plus the ambient temperature for total control. The data broadcasts to your smartphone for remote monitoring, freeing you up to socialize. Never overcook your meat or miss the party again!
“Meat” the future of grilling: Meater
For the aspiring cheesemaker
This deluxe set from U MAIN includes everything needed (except the milk) to make six kinds of cheese: mozzarella, ricotta, paneer, queso blanco, halloumi, and cheese curds. Great fun for home chefs, home entertainers, or anyone who loves cheese as a snack.
Give a cheesy gift: Simons
For the Sushi fanatic
Online classes have been a huge hit during COVID, especially in the early days when we were largely stuck at home. Keep the journey of learning going with access to a pre-recorded sushi-making course from Roll This Way. Choose from a variety of options, including just the class or with food and tools included. They even have a vegan menu if that’s how you roll. Give the gift and then hope for a dinner invitation!
Get real with virtual learning: Roll With It
For the eco-conscious eater
If you love take-out pan-Asian cuisine, you know that at least one set of single-use chopsticks is in the bag with every order. And, even if they’re not plastic, it still adds up to a lot of waste. Chop Value has the solution with their Zero Waste Kit. This kit contains a cheese board, coasters, keychains, toothbrushes, and chopsticks, all made from reclaimed and recycled wood and bamboo. Plus, if you fill up the box with your disposable wooden chopsticks and bring it back, Chop Value will trade you for a new item made of recycled material.
Go from ‘vicious cycle’ to ‘delicious cycle’: Chop Value
For the Canadian naturalist
Know someone who dreams of living off the grid and thinks our hunter-gatherer ancestors were “really on to something”? Give them a taste of the wild courtesy of Wild Flavours. This curated collection includes Canadian-made products crafted from all-natural ingredients, including Newfoundland sea salt, dried wild BC mushrooms, and more.
Forage for a great gift: Simons
For the kitchen knife enthusiast
Many of us know this person. They speak enthusiastically about full tangs and Granton blades, and we just smile and nod. And then, they sadly hide their knives in a block or — worse — a drawer. This magnetic knife holder from Beaugrain keeps prized knives on display, at the ready, and protected from the dulling effects of storage. Plus, it looks beautiful in your choice of Cherry, Walnut, or Maple.
Cutting edge gifts this way: Beau Grain
For the meal planner
Meal planning got a major boost during the pandemic. As we head into the new normal and lives get busy again, we don’t see that slowing down. Innovative products from shape+store make portioning, freezing, and reheating easy and — dare we say it? — kind of fun! For the hyper-prepared foodie in your life, this is a piece of hexagonally-shaped heaven.
Put a lid on your shopping: shape+store
For those celebrating at a distance
Not everyone is ready, willing, or able to celebrate the holidays in person, and that’s ok! Here are some great places for locally-sourced Canadian gifts you can send to let someone know they matter to you.
Caribou Gifts, Craig’s Cookies, La Grande Gourmandise Boutique
For anyone who’s maxed out on stress
And finally, a self-care item for the host or hostess or the person who’s been cooking for you at home — or for yourself, because you’ve earned it! Draw a bath, light a special candle, and pour a glass of wine or nog to go with a good read on the Aquala Bathtub Caddy.
Soak away the stress of gift-hunting: umbra
