Asparagus candles, tea sets, olive napkins, and more utterly delightful gifts for everyone.
Holiday gifting has a sweet spot: where you’re not pinching pennies to fit within the White Elephant’s meager spending limit, but also not splurging so much that the shopping becomes stressful (i.e., the pressure to get someone their very first stand mixer). This is the zone for friends who are close enough to give a gift but don’t quite have all the lore to mine like a best friend, and family members who already have everything they need but require some nice token of holiday recognition anyway. For those people, we’ve got food-themed puzzles you’ll actually want to put on the wall, smile-inducing candles, and fancy soaps that’ll hopefully lend conversation fodder for the future.
The best edible gifts under $50
Bowlcut Masterclass sauce set
There are a lot of chile crisps out there, but Bowlcut’s is actually worth adding to your collection, with a flavor so savory that it’ll make you inhale a bowl of noodles you might have otherwise slurped half-heartedly (thanks to coconut aminos, yeast extract, and seaweed powder). This set also includes the company’s new sauces, for easy meals with a squeeze.
Pistakio spread
Pistachio’s prominence persists. This cool new pistachio paste — rich, sweet, with just a hint of salt — is ready to be added to the rotation of things eaten with a spoon at midnight while standing next to the sink and wearing pajamas.
Potluck Market combo pack
Pantry staples so well-designed that they shouldn’t be hidden in the pantry (or even covered with gift wrap). Get this pack of gochujang and ssamjang for the cook who’s been working their way through their copy of Korean American.
Brightland pizza oil
This jalapeno- and herb-infused oil, in a handy nozzled bottle, was developed for drizzling onto pizza, but it’s good on just about everything.
A Penzeys spices and seasoning gift box
This gift set from the beloved (and political) Wisconsin-based spice brand is an introduction to their array of popular blends, from a humble jar of Cinnamon Sugar to taco seasonings, along with a lapel pin and kitchen towel sure to convince the recipient that this collection of blends comes from the heart.
A premium tea set
Becoming a “tea person” can feel daunting. Strainer versus gaiwan? Does that temperature-programmable kettle really matter? Simplify the process slightly with these sachets of Té Company’s flavorful Taiwanese teas.
Yun Hai selection dried fruit gift box
Dried fruit is like nature’s gummy candy. This snackable set from Yun Hai includes tropical options like green mango and guava is a big upgrade from the dried fruit snacks you might have eaten as a kid.
Rose LA edibles
Your favorite food person’s favorite edibles company, Rose makes gummies in flavors so good you’ll wish your tolerance was higher. Rose works with chefs often; this collab with Fadi Kattan, Samin Nosrat, Reem Assil, and Andy Baraghani features Palestinian ingredients.
BjornQorn Build-a-Box
Nutritional-yeast popcorn is incredibly easy to make, yet BjornQorn still wins out over homemade: never greasy and full of nooch dust in every little nook. The mixed 12-pack comes with plain popcorn, so the move is to assemble your own selection since the flavors — including the rare non-cloying truffle flavor — are the standouts.
Ghia The First Sip kit
Sometimes you want a fun little drink and alcohol is kind of besides the point. Ghia feels like a cool aperitif but with zero ABV. Add it to seltzer for a spritzy situation that you can still sip during the workday (or just drink the cans straight).
Mommenpop apéritif in Seville orange
This orange-flavored aperitif lends a bright, spiced hint of citrus to any drink — pair it with soda in the summer or mulled wine in the winter. Plus, the bottle looks great.
The Best Gifts * Not For Eating * Under $50
Flamingo Estate heirloom tomato dish soap
What is one to make of Flamingo Estate, the posh yet perplexing lifestyle brand that, at one point, sold a $75 bag of bougie manure and $80 fruit snacks? With this luxe dish soap in an on-trend tomato scent, send your giftee down the rabbit hole too; then you can text about whatever ridiculous items they sell next.
Debaser fig-scented buffing bar
Fig season is sadly over, but this exfoliating soap offers the illusion that it isn’t. Scented with DS & Durga’s hit fragrance Debaser, this scrubby fig-and-coconut milk soap bar is like a summer getaway.
Food-themed Magic Moment puzzle
Isn’t it the worst when you finish a puzzle and realize, after all that hard work, you have no idea what to do with this ugly print now. Piecework puts an end to that problem with actually cool designs, most of which are food-themed.
MOLD Issue 6: Design for a New Earth
MOLD is a food magazine-meets-coffee table book with gorgeous designs and a somewhat esoteric yet always eye-opening approach to dining- and agriculture-centric storytelling. This issue marks the magazine’s last print edition.
Synonym Mag Issue 1: Pantry
Support new voices in independent publishing by grabbing a copy of this vibrant magazine about immigrant foodways, full of thoughtful writing and whimsical, frame-worthy photos.
Cake Zine Candy Land issue
Everyone cool reads Cake Zine. Your giftee is probably cool too. This issue is all about candy, but their whole back catalog is pretty sweet.
Delfonics ramen planner
Despite the rise of productivity apps, nothing beats a paper planner — especially for anyone who self-identifies as a planner person. And planner people know: Japanese stationery is the best. Why settle for a plain design when this ramen print is so cute?
Chef Anie Martini olive cocktail napkins
Maybe we’ve hit Peak Martini, but these cocktail napkins will continue to be stylish, each of them designed to look like a giant, pimento-stuffed olive.
Great Jones Little Sheet & Little Chill set
A plain baking sheet and cooling rack would be useful if a bit boring, but Great Jones’s bold colors make the combo instantly giftable. This mini set will be especially handy for the home cook who’s only crisping, roasting, baking, and frying for one or two.
MoMA Design Store rainbow chopsticks
This advice from Eater’s Jaya Saxena continues to be relevant: “Buy All Your Dishes at the Museum Gift Shop.” This rainbow set of chopsticks from the MoMA Design Store is a good enough reason to have a sushi party; keep them in color pairs, or explore their mix-and-match potential.
Dusen Dusen set of 4 napkins
Cloth napkins level up any table, and this colorful, striped set from Dusen Dusen will help any host add a little eclecticism to their spread.
Le Creuset heart salt & pepper shaker set
Gift these heart-shaped salt and pepper shakers to the Le Creuset collector in your life, or the person who just wants some subtle whimsy.
Helga wood wine stopper
For the friend who already has everything, why not opt for the unexpected: a wine stopper shaped like the head of a woman wearing a big hat? Made out of nice wood in shades of blonde and honeyed browns, consider it a silly, new family heirloom.
Recreation Center grid mug in yellow
Josephine Noel’s ceramics always incorporate a lively mix of speckles, bright colors, and patterns. This yellow-handled mug gets the day off to a sunny start.
Staub snail animal knob
Everyone already knows how much they need a Dutch oven. But do they realize that their Dutch oven could be even cuter, thanks to these customizable animal-shaped knobs? The snail’s a favorite, but Staub makes other shapes too.
Benedita bow ceramic stoneware platter
Bordered by black bows, this platter calls to mind last year’s coquette food trend, but with a reminder that ribbons, despite the memes, are timeless. The Lana del Rey fan in your life will love it.
‘Maison Balzac asparagus bunch candles
Hyper-realistic vegetable candles are still having a moment. These, shaped like asparagus stalks, often a playful alternative to the typical taper. Unlike the real thing, there are no weird scents here.
Sabre spreader knives
Is a full Sabre flatware set out of budget? (Same.) No problem; this set of spreader knives is enough to bring a touch of that French feeling to the table.
Dansk butter warmer
Whether you use it for butter, syrup, or individual servings of soup or stock, this classic Dansk piece promises to make popcorn nights and pancake mornings feel a little more special.
Schoolhouse scallop trim runner
One of the wildest things about adulthood is realizing how expensive nice tablecloths are. This runner from Schoolhouse adds a pop of color to the table for a more reasonable price.
The Original Tinned Fish Candle
Almost too cute to actually burn, this tinned fish candle doesn’t actually smell like fish, but the Fishwife fan in your life will probably love it even more because of that.
Tiny nesting cabbage bowls
Going full-on cabbageware is a vibe, but if that seems “impractical” or “a little much” for everyday, these tiny nesting bowls shaped like leaves lean into a little of the same kitsch.
Butter toast candle + holder
Yes, the candle is designed to look like a tablespoon of butter and it sits on a piece of fake toast. That’s the best part of gift-giving: letting someone else relish in the joy of the thing that feels too goofy and frivolous to buy for yourself.
Tart Vinegar cycling cap
This cycling cap from the vinegar brand Tart has a cheeky illustration of a topless cyclist on the side and says “vinegar” when you flip the bill. Hopefully, it’ll make even your most sour friend smile.
Red cast iron fondue set
We’re so back, by which we mean, fondue. Since most of our grandparents likely already passed off their old ones to Goodwill, this affordable fondue set will make a great gift. Think of the dinner party potential!
De Buyer crepe kit
This crepe kit from Williams-Sonoma is perfect for the friend who recently watched the entirety of Emily in Paris in a single weekend. What you’re really giving here is a new Saturday tradition: cozy mornings of hot coffee and chocolate-filled crepes, CGI Parisian skyline not included.
