Gifts Under $25 for Food Lovers

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Great Gifts for Foodies

Finding a gift for the serious food lover who uses only the best cookware and knows where to find amazing under-the-radar restaurants can be intimidating. But a frugal shopper can delight an epicure for $25 or less. A dash of budget-savvy imagination can lead holiday shoppers to gourmet ingredients and essential kitchen gear. 


Prices and availability are subject to change. 


Related: Gifts for Women Who Love to Cook

Electric Wine Opener
Amazon

Electric Wine Opener

$43 from Amazon
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Save loved ones from wrestling with stubborn wine corks. The Oster electric wine opener has won over thousands of consumers and averages 4.6 stars from more than 35,000 reviewers on Amazon. The opener is cordless and comes with a charging base. One charge opens up to 30 bottles.


Related: 19 Affordable Wine Clubs That Will Satisfy Even the Snobs

Blooming Lollipops
Uncommon Goods
OVENTE Electric Immersion Hand Blender, Red
Amazon

Immersion Blender

$13 from Amazon
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Handheld blenders are especially useful for cooks who love to save time cooking and minimize cleanup. As with most home appliances there are a lot of options for price points, but good quality option start surprisingly low.

The Ove Glove, Tan
Amazon

Oven Glove

$18 from Amazon
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Make cooking and serving more fun and safer with a heat-resistant ‘Ove’ Glove — an affordable present for cooks young and old. Cooks will enjoy the extra flexibility and dexterity the glove provides, which an oven mitt doesn’t.


Related: 26 Gift Ideas for Guys Under $25

Sagler Mortar and Pestle Set, Marble Grey
Amazon

Mortar and Pestle

$14 from Amazon
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One of the oldest and most widely used culinary tools, this ancient form of grinding and combining ingredients taps into a primal sense. Most cooks love getting involved with their ingredients, and some even have multiple mortars and pestles for different applications. A basic one in dignified gray marble is a good place to start.


Related: Best Gifts for Men Who Love to Cook

Recipe Binder
Amazon
Onion Goggles
Amazon

Onion Goggles

$24 from Amazon
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Teary-eyed cooks will happily don RSVP International's onion goggles. The handy accessory comes in different colors and has won hundreds of enthusiastic (and grateful) reviews online.

Gianna Dishes With Lid
CB2
Caravel Gourmet Infused Sea Salt Sampler Set
Amazon

Specialty Salt

$20 from Amazon
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This useful gift of small-batch artisan salts adds a brilliant pop of flavor to gourmet and everyday dishes. Sea salts are blended with herbs and spices to create varieties such as Hawaiian Bamboo Jade and Garlic Medley.

Spicy World Black Peppercorns Whole, 1 lb.
Amazon

Tellicherry Peppercorns

$9 from Amazon
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What's salt without pepper? Tellicherry black peppercorns deliver a deep, complex flavor with a bite. A pound should last about a year.

Menus: A Book for Your Meals and Memories By Jacques Pépin
Amazon

Menus: A Book for Your Meals and Memories

$12 from Amazon
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This “dinner diary” is a place for frequent entertainers to record the guests in attendance, dishes served, and music played at events they’ve hosted, making it easy to recreate their most successful soirées — or simply relive them.


Related: Clever and Creative Gifts for Book Lovers

Joseph Joseph Handi-Grate 2-in-1 Mini Grater and Slicer
Amazon

Mini Grater and Slicer

$12 from Amazon
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This two-in-one tool is a space saver and multitasker for cooks. The handheld device grates everything from cheese to citrus zest and slices small fruits and veggies (similar to a mandoline but on a smaller scale). The flat design makes it easy to store or take along for gourmet picnics that call for freshly grated cheese.

Guanciale - Cured Hog Jowl
princigalli/istockphoto

Guanciale

$10 and up from Olio&Olive
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Bacon now enhances a wide array of foods, from cupcakes to beer. Cooks often use pancetta, pork belly, or the standard smoked variety, but guanciale — cured meat from the jowl of a pig — makes a singular gift for a pork-loving foodie. Popular in central Italy but little known on this side of the pond, guanciale is leaner and boasts a more pronounced flavor than bacon.


Related: 18 Places to Order Pork, Steaks, and Other Meats Online

JYPHM Apron
Amazon
Jacques Torres Classic Hot Chocolate
Jacques Torres
Truffle Oil
Amazon

Truffle Oil

$17 from Amazon
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Truffle flavor is incorporated everywhere from pasta and pizza to fries and even high-end sushi. Truffle mushrooms are expensive, because they must be sniffed out by trained hogs or dogs, but truffle oil is a cheaper alternative.

Bear Paws The Original Shredder Claws, Black
Amazon
Spiralizer
Amazon

Spiralizer

$16 from Amazon
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Every kitchen lover should have a spiralizer that turns vegetables into noodles of different shapes and sizes. While the larger versions cost closer to $35, handheld versions such as this OXO offer a high-quality handheld introduction to the world of spiralizing.

Jumbo Silicone Ice Trays
Amazon

Jumbo Silicone Ice Trays

$9 from Amazon
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Inexpensive silicone ice trays, such as a jumbo cube version, make a thoughtful gift to enhance the quality of drinks all year round. Given the price, consider giving a couple of sets.


Related: Best Whiskeys Under $50

Real Cooking Chocolate Pen
Amazon
Slate Cheese Board
Crate & Barrel

Slate Cheese Board

$10 from Crate & Barrel
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This specialty item adds class and sophistication to any spread. Surprisingly inexpensive, the slate cheese board is cheap enough to give a set of two. Complete the gift with some chalk for labeling the cheese on the board.

Hotpop Silicone Baking Mats
Amazon

Hotpop Silicone Baking Mats

$19 from Amazon
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These colorful baking mats get stellar reviews from buyers, and come in multiple sizes and buying options. Made of silicone, these make popping cookies, macarons, and more in and out of the oven a breeze.

Escuminac Extra Rare Organic Maple Syrup, Amber Canada Grade A
Amazon
Angostura Aromatic Bitters
Target

Aromatic Bitters

$11 from Target
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Mostly known as a cocktail flavor enhancer in the United States, aromatic bitters are actually considered a food flavoring in most of the world. Recommended uses on the classic Angostura label include adding a few dashes to soups and sauces or morning coffee. A secret blend of botanicals gives it a unique flavor and it makes a low-cost option for foodies. They're a handy gift for someone who likes to keep a well-stocked bar.


Related: Spirits and Mixers Every Home Bar Should Have

ThermoPro Digital Instant Read Meat Thermometer for Grilling
Amazon

ThermoPro TP03 Digital Instant Read Meat Thermometer

$12 and up from Amazon
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Whether you're baking, grilling, or frying, an instant-read thermometer will guarantee that food comes out perfectly cooked every time. This one's a top seller among Cheapism readers.

Bacon Bin Silicone Grease Container
Amazon

Bacon Bin Silicone Grease Container

$16 from Amazon
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Every bacon lover knows what a pain it can be to clean up after cooking a batch of bacon. Don't pour that grease down the sink! Pour it into this 1-cup silicone Bacon Bin and save it for later use. 


Related: The Craziest Bacon Products You Can Buy

Simply Gourmet Stainless Steel Measuring Cups and Spoons, Set of 12
Amazon

Stainless-Steel Measuring Cup & Spoons Set

$34 from Amazon
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Good measuring cups and spoons like this highly rated set are invaluable for prepping dry ingredients. Reviewers love the sturdy handles, which don't have any crevices where sugar and flour can collect.


Related: Expert Tips for Making Doughnuts at Home

Cheddar Cheese Powder
Nuts

Cheddar Cheese Powder

$9 from Nuts

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Shake it on popcorn. Make your own Kraft-like mac and cheese. Sprinkle it on broccoli or baked potatoes. If your giftee is obsessed with Cheeto dust or cheese in general, he'll wonder how he lived without this big, fun bag of cheddar powder.


Related21 Fun Facts You Didn't Know About Mac and Cheese

Norpro Ceramic Butter Warmers
Amazon
Wine Gummies Trio
Uncommon Goods
Oliver Pluff & Co Sangria Spice Blend Kit
Oliver Pluff & Co

Sangria Spice Blend

$20 from Oliver Pluff & Co
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This simple blend of cinnamon sticks, cloves, allspice, and star anise turns a regular red wine into a Spanish getaway in a glass. Each container yields 3 gallons of sangria.

Color Themed Snack Box By SentWithCareUSA
Cratejoy

Color Themed Munchie Crate

$34/month and up from Cratejoy
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If international or healthy snacks aren't your thing, Munchie Crate sends an assortment of over 15 snacks each month that you'll almost certainly recognize: Pringles, Cheez-its, Skittles, Oreos, Swedish Fish … you get the idea. Each month all snacks correspond to a color theme.


Related: Awesome Gifts for Couch Potatoes and TV Lovers

Grill Masters Club
Grill Masters Club

Grill Masters Club

$41/month and up from Grill Masters Club
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This subscription will deliver a pitmaster-curated selection of rubs, spices, sauces, wood chips, grilling accessories, and more each month, and each shipment also includes a new recipe.