There’s something very exciting about receiving a hamper as a gift – opening it up and rummaging inside to unearth not one, but many gifts, all carefully thought out to complement each other.
With everything that’s happened this year, there’s no better time to show some love and send an extra-special gift hamper to the foodie in your life, and there are plenty of fantastic options to choose from. Whether sending for a birthday, anniversary or Christmas, we’ve picked some of the best hampers for food lovers, from chocolate and cheese, to specialist ingredients for home cooks and budding chefs.
Time to recreate those sunny Cornwall holiday memories. This box of treats from Trewithen Dairy seriously brightened our day, and is sure to do the same for any lucky recipient. Available to feed two or four people, the Cornish hamper comes with plain scones, Trewithen Dairy clotted cream, strawberry jam and Cornish teabags for the ultimate afternoon tea. We chose the option that also included two hearty Cornish pasties and were pleasantly surprised by their excellent quality, with classic crimping and a chunky, well-seasoned peppery filling.
Snowdonia Christmas star hamper
For that truly decadent festive feeling, the best Christmas hampers come tucked in a wicker basket you can keep, and this chic black hamper from Snowdonia is no exception. There’s plenty to unwrap here, starting with the top layer of four wax-sealed cheeses, plus a slate to serve them on. The treats keep coming, with this generous hamper including everything from crackers and three mini jars of chutney (the caramelised onion was our favourite) to accompany your cheese, to chorizo and salami, chocolates, olives and olive oil – plenty to keep you going over the festive season. Plus, it’s all finished off with a bottle of red wine. Check out the rest of our cheese hamper recommendations for 2021 here.
Macknade Christmas favourites
One for the traditionalists, this Macknade classics hamper is sure to please. Make your own mulled wine with the fragrant pouch of mulled wine spices, serve up the Macknade Christmas pud on the big day itself and choose between the Turkish delight, glacé fruits or Sipsmith gin truffles to pass round after dinner. With mince pies, panettone, bubbly and more (all in a wicker basket you can keep for years), there’s not a festive treat missing.
Chococo assorted Christmas chocolate hamper bag
A tote bag packed to the brim with chocolate is the ultimate gift for a chocoholic. There’s something for all ages in this selection – kids will love the milk chocolate reindeer lolly, the fun slab of ‘fizzy pudding’ chocolate with popping candy or the tube of chocolate snowmen. For grown-ups, there’s the juicy chocolate-dipped orange segments and the dainty box of nine beautifully decorated Chococo truffles from its festive collection. The unique ‘gold’ caramelised white chocolate goldfish are sure to be a talking point.
Lakeland foraging hamper tote
We love the idea behind this unique Lakeland selection. Tucked in a sturdy illustrated tote bag is an eclectic selection of British foraging-themed gifts, from dainty jars of wild garlic pickle, nettle jelly and blackberry jam, to buttery rhubarb crumble biscuits and rich raspberry fudge. As a finishing touch, a packet of seeds is included to grow your own wildflowers and attract bees and insects. At under £30, this is a great budget-friendly hamper option.
Petersham Nurseries rose bellini hamper
Bring a touch of luxury to someone’s Christmas with this hamper from Petersham Nurseries. A bottle of prosecco, rose syrup, sweet crystallised rose petals and two beautiful crystal prosecco glasses arrive in a large box tied with grand ribbon for a real treat to unwrap. Bring on the bellinis!
Sous Chef ultimate Middle Eastern pantry
Know someone who’s cooked their way through Ottolenghi’s cookbooks? This Middle Eastern hamper is loaded with storecupboard ingredients you won’t find on the high street that will be sure to keep the cooking journey going. Serve up a banquet from across the Middle East, using za’atar from Palestine, sticky pomegranate molasses from Lebanon and more. Savoury dishes can be given a flavour boost with the tamarind, date syrup, preserved lemons or harissa, while the orange blossom water makes fragrant desserts.
Quicke’s festive feasting box
A cheese hamper that offers more than just cheese alone. The trio of Quicke’s cheeses (the goat’s milk clothbound cheese is our favourite) will get a cheeseboard started, but there’s a whole host of extras to build the ultimate grazing platter, from charcuterie and a generous pouch of olives, to crackers, peanuts and even a Christmas fruit cake.
Bullards rambling strawberry cocktail hamper
Go bigger than gifting a bottle of gin alone (although we’ve rounded up the best gins to give in 2021 if that’s what you’re looking for) with this themed selection from Bullards. Containing everything you need for a ‘rambling strawberry’ cocktail inside a wicker hamper, it includes a full-sized bottle of Bullards strawberry and black pepper gin (in a bold red bottle), plus sugar syrup, soda water and lemon juice to shake up a perfect cocktail. The box also includes a glass and clever gin stones to keep your drink cool without diluting it.
Serious Pig serious snack selection box
For snacking on the go or serving up unique nibbles, this quirky savoury collection from Snacking Pig makes a change from normal crackers, for anyone who loves a salty snack. There’s a selection of crunchy ‘snacking cheese’ in three different flavours, plus croutons, ‘snackalami’ and nuts.
Brindisa artisan selection box
For someone who didn’t get abroad this year, this hamper from Brindisa delivers a luxurious taste of Spain, with something to appeal to everyone in the generously packed box. Tapas is sorted with salted Marcona almonds, chilli olives and Iberico ham, while a selection of Ortiz tinned fish will stock the storecupboard for winter. With chorizo, cheese, honey and a generous box of sobrasada to round out the collection, this is the ultimate cook’s treat.
Yorkshire Rapeseed Oil the ‘petite’ hamper
Family-run Yorkshire Rapeseed Oil produces award-winning, cold-pressed rapeseed oil, which it also uses in its range of mayonnaises and dressings. The petite hamper includes its impressive original and oak-smoked rapeseed oils and creamy Yorkshire mayonnaise, alongside two salad dressings.
Abel & Cole artisan Christmas hamper
Abel and Cole’s organic Christmas hamper is an indulgent celebration of artisan treats from independent makers. You pay for the privilege, too – at £125, this hamper is pricey, but worth the money. The chilled items and accompanying bottles steal the show. Chilled items arrive within an insulated, sustainable pouch and were fridge-cold on unpacking. Three cheeses, chutney, thick-cut rosemary & thyme roasted ham, Severn & Wye smoked salmon and a selection of biscuits to pair them with is enough for four to share as a Boxing Day bite, or to enjoy as nibbles across a long Christmas evening with some added sweet treats.
This page was last updated in October 2021. If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability, please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.
