Christmas 2024: Food and drink gifts to suit every budget from cookware to alcohol

Christmas food drink gift guide (Image: Getty, L’OR, John Lewis, Hotel Chocolat, Selfridges, Procook)

Indulging in food and drink is one of the best parts of Christmas and even better when it's a thoughtful gift.

Whether you're looking for the perfect present to please coffee lovers or a custom hamper full of sweet treats, there's something for everyone.

If you're looking for a festive tipple, browse our pick of limited edition alcohol and alcohol-free bottles or consider a quirky selection of beers and cocktails.

For the budding home cooks on your gifting list, there's a great range of discounted cookware in sleek designs, such as cast iron pans and air fryer accessories.

There's something to suit every budget, with each Express.co.uk gift recommendation at £85 or under.

Festive hampers with cheese and wine are perfect for a festive gift (Image: Snowdonia Cheese Co.)

For foodies

Yiayia And Friends olive oil from Selfridges (£5.99 to £35.99)

Beautifully designed bottles encase authentic Greek olive oil. Choose from the original extra virgin olive oil option or one of Yiayia’s infused offerings (lemon, basil, chilli, truffle and garlic).

Matte black Cast Iron Casserole Dish by Procook, £59

A classic round casserole dish perfectly designed for all your cooking needs, with a matte black finish and molten iron for incredible strength and optimal heat distribution. The dish is enamelled inside and out with a self-basting lid to lock in flavour and moisture.

Cheese hampers and gifts from Snowdonia Cheese Co, from £3

Snowdonia Cheese Co won six gold stars at the 2024 Great Taste Awards for its expertly crafted, premium cheeses. The retailer has gift ideas and hampers from just £35, plus individual cheeses and chutneys – an ideal stocking filler – from just £3. They even offer gift cards, perfect for Secret Santa.

Hay Hampers Pub in a Box from Lakeland, £84.99

Crammed with beers including pale ale, bitter, larger and cider, plus savoury snacks like cheese, pâté and crisps. Pre-order the hamper with free delivery from Lakeland.

Deer & Oak Premium Pizza Peel and Rocker from Amazon, £27.95

The complete pizza set includes a 12” x 14” aluminium pizza peel with a foldable wooden handle, stainless steel dough scraper, and a pizza rocker for all your homemade pizza and baking needs.

Luxury Cheeseboard Gift Hamper from hampers.com, £70

Complete with a luxury cheeseboard and cheese knives; the hamper includes four specially selected cheese truckles, crackers, pickled onions in balsamic vinegar, and chutney. There’s even a luxury slate cheeseboard with cheese knives packed neatly into the beautiful bamboo tray.

Great British Bake Off apron by Redbubble, from £17.15

Choose from a selection of simple, comedic Bake Off-themed aprons decorated with catchphrases and famous faces from the hit Channel 4 show.

Red Cast Iron Fondue Set by Procook, £45

This six-person fondue set is made from durable cast iron for long-lasting heat retention. Its enamelled interior makes it easy to clean. Crafted in a timeless red design, it has a 25-year guarantee.

Automatic pan stirrer from UncommonGoods (£27 to £36)

Pick the battery-powered or rechargeable option, which lasts 3.5 to nine hours, depending on speed, and takes about four hours to charge back up. Place it in your pan with simmering or low-heat liquid while completing other tasks.

The Real Cure British charcuterie signature hamper from Not on The High Street, £45The Real Cure uses traditional, artisan methods of curing, smoking, fermenting, and air drying to create a unique, award-winning range of cured meats. The charcuterie selection arrives beautifully packaged in a hamper, and a personalised message can be included at the checkout if this is a gift. All packaging is fully recyclable.

Edinburgh Gin has a festive Christmas flavour this year too (Image: John lewis)

Drinks gifts

L'OR Barista Sublime Piano Noir coffee machine and pods from L’OR, £59.99

This bundle contains a L'OR BARISTA coffee machine and 100 capsules, as well as single and double espresso packs, to make single and double coffees. Compatible with all L'OR capsules, Nespresso capsules and most other compatible capsules.

Gold Cocktail Gift set by Procook, £20

This luxury gold-coloured finish cocktail set Includes a 750ml cocktail shaker, spoon, jigger and strainer. It’s the perfect gift for the budding mixologist to start mixing professional cocktails at home, and it even has a one-year guarantee for peace of mind.

Whittard Luxury Syrup Gift Set by John Lewis, £12

This affordable gift set features four 50ml Whittard syrup flavours, perfect for the coffee and hot chocolate lover in your life. The autumnal-flavoured syrups have warming tones of cinnamon, gingerbread, rich maple and unique black forest gateau. 

Bialetti Coffee Maker & Perfetto Coffee Gift Set by John Lewis, £36.80

This six-cup Moka Hob Espresso Coffee Maker & Perfetto Coffee Gift Set is ideal for coffee lovers. The set is from the famous Italian brand Bialetti and includes a six-cup coffee maker and a 250g packet of gourmet Perfetto Classico ground coffee. The design features the brand's l'Omino (the little man) cutout, widely recognised as Bialetti's original symbol of quality and authenticity.

Whittard of Chelsea The Tea Discovery collection by Whittard of Chelsea, £30

From Chinese green teas and black tea grown in Assam to house blends, there’s plenty to discover in this hand-picked collection of Whittards tea, with 20 traditional teabags each of Jasmine, Afternoon Team Marrakech Mint, English Breakfast, Earl Grey, English Rose, Mango and Bermagot and Tippy Assam.

Alcohol-free

Craft Beer Gift set from Bottle In A Box, £19.99

Send someone the great taste of craft beer without the alcohol by gifting them this fantastic Alcohol-Free Craft Beer Gift Set. It features award-winning craft beer and includes beer snacks encased in a festive box.

Spirits Gift Box Set from Dry Drinker, £66.69

Dry Drinker's Alcohol-Free Spirits Gift Box offers a carefully curated selection of non-alcoholic spirits. Each elegantly packaged gift box includes Warner's Pink Berry Gin Alternative, Citizen Spritz Pink Grapefruit and Three Spirits Livener.

Cocktail Box from Nio Cocktails, £26
The Alcohol-Free Cocktail Box is deliciously refreshing. It features two Lemongrass Citrus cocktails and two of Nio’s newest creations, Violet Vamp.

Mocktail Pack from Bird & Blend Tea Co., £25

These delicious loose-leaf teas can be cold brewed to create tasty concoctions perfect for sipping through the day or bringing out at dinner parties. Each pack contains 50g pouches of:

• MojiTEA green tea
• Sangria fruit tea
• Champagne Supernova herbal tea
• Cococabana Coola fruit tea

L'OR Barista Sublime Piano Noir coffee machine and pods from L’OR, £59.99 This bundle contains: a L'OR BARISTA coffee machine and 100 capsules, single and double espresso packs, to make single and double coffees (Image: L'OR)

For those with a sweet tooth

Freshly baked cookies from Blondies Kitchen (£16.50 to £150)

All cookie treats from small batch bakery Blondies Kitchen are hand rolled, finished and baked fresh daily with quality ingredients. Enjoy next-day nationwide delivery on orders placed before 12pm and free delivery on those over £50 - there are plenty of personalised treats to choose from in their Christmas range.

Christmas Percy Pig Letterbox from Marks and Spencer, £20

Send a selection of festive treats to a Percy Pig fan with the M&S exclusive Christmas Percy Pig Letterbox Gift. This sweet selection contains Percy Pig Naughty and Nice Piglets, Merry Percymas Sweets, Phizzy Pig Tails, a Percy Pig printed tote bag, and a mini plush Christmas Percy. You can even add a gift message. Free delivery for all food and drink gifts at M&S; order by 6pm Monday to Friday for next-day delivery.

Afternoon Tea Delights Hamper from hampers.com, £35

The hamper includes macaroons, apple and custard biscuits, delightful almond thins and a delicious Dundee Cake, best enjoyed with a great cup of tea. There's even smooth clotted cream fudge and salted caramel chocolate to complete the set.

The Nice List Gift Box from Fortnum & Mason, £40

Inside, festive revellers will find a tin of our Christmas Green Tea, Reindeer Carrot Sweets, and a duo of sweet Chocolate Owls delicately crafted and enclosed in an adorable matchbox. The box is complete with Fortnum & Mason Orange and Dark Chocolate biscuits.

Cupcake delivery by Candy’s Cupcakes from £22.99

The independent cupcake brand has plenty of yuletide treasures in the form of cupcakes, cookies, doughnuts and even a festive sheet cake that you can send to loved ones nearby. Candy’s freshly baked cupcakes are perfect for any celebration, and your order will arrive beautifully packaged and ready to eat, lasting up to one week. You even get a gift tag to leave a personal message. Place your order online before 3pm (Monday to Friday) and have your cupcakes delivered the next day.

Build your own Pick’n’mix with Sweetzy, (£3.99 to £30.99)

Choose from five to 55 fillings in your custom pick’n’mix pouch. Sweetzy has over 80 different sweet selections and five different pouch sizes. Each filling is approximately 50g.

Gifts £10 and under

Maldon Salt - Gift Pack 125g Original from Amazon, £10

Treat culinary enthusiasts to a present that will inspire creativity and add a touch of gourmet flair to their meals. This premium set, featuring the world-renowned 125g Original Maldon Sea Salt alongside the savoury depth of 100g Garlic Sea Salt and the fiery kick of 100g Chilli Sea Salt, is the ideal choice for anyone who loves to cook and explore new flavours in the kitchen.

Two Air Fryer Silicone Muffin Moulds from Lakeland, £9.99

Made from flexible silicone with handles on either side, these air fryer accessories are easy to lift out of your air fryer to retrieve your food. They also help to protect the surface of your air fryer basket by reducing the risk of utensils damaging the non‐stick coating. They're safe to use in your air fryer or oven up to 230C and microwave-safe.

Hotel Chocolat Kirsch Cherries: Cherry Liqueur Chocolates, £10.95
These whole pitted cherries soaked in kirsch and enrobed in layers of milk and dark chocolate have 280 five-star reviews online, with buyers praising them as “a great gift to give or receive.” Buy two for £20 with the ‘mix and match’ offer on Double Chocolate Cherries, Dark Chocolate Covered Ginger, and Rum Soaked Sultanas.

Christmas Hot Chocolate Tin Trio Gift from Next, £10

This hot chocolate trio stacking tin is the perfect gift for any hot chocolate lover. It comes in three flavours: gingerbread, caramel, and chocolate orange.

Set of Six Christmas Candy Floss Drinks Toppers from Next, £8

These candy-floss toppers help those who love cocktails elevate their home creations. Includes six candy floss toppers in three flavours (Candy Cane, Blueberry and Apple).

Quality Street Coffee Creme Cracker (290g) from John Lewis, £5.50

Perfect for chocolate lovers who are the first to pick out the coffee creme sweets in the Christmas Quality Street tin.

Truffle Hunter Crisps from John Lewis, £5

Treat the crisp lover in your life to some luxury crisps. Choose from 100g tins of White Truffle & Lobster or Black Truffle flavour crisps.