The Best Unique Food Gifts for Food Travelers [Updated 2022]

It can be hard to find unique food gifts for the ones we love.

But, if there’s one thing that will be sure to delight, it’s food.

Even though the world has slowed, we have not lost our love for food, drink and travel. Many of us are cooking more at home, buying food products from local producers and traveling the world through local recipes.

If you are looking to please food lovers with a curiosity about the world, you’re in luck. This guide is full of unique food gifts and experiences from around the world. 

No matter the occasion or the person you are shopping for, there is a food experience gift that will make their day. 

With any of these unique food gifts, bring the best of the world to someone you love. 

1 – Unique Cooking Classes Food Gifts

Cooking classes are fun gifts for people who love to travel. Exploring the local cuisine is often the best part of travel for food lovers.

With food experience gifts like cooking classes, surprise loved ones with online cooking classes or classes at a destination.

For online cooking classes, see the range of iconic dishes available from The Chef & the Dish. 

And, for authentic cooking classes around the world, Cookly offers hundreds of classes in different cities around the world.

AUTHENTIC FOOD QUEST TIP: Taking cooking classes is a great way to taste the local culture. For resources about cooking classes around the world, see Your Guide To Taking a Cooking Class On Your Travels

Online Globe-Trotting Cooking Classes with The Chef & The Dish

Finding unique gifts for travelers when traveling is limited can be challenging. Fortunately though online cooking classes, travel lovers can still explore the world in their kitchens.

While recreating a favorite dish at home is not a substitute for being in the country, it is a great way to remember a past trip. 

Or, if your food traveler has their sights on visiting a particular destination, why not start by tasting it at home?

The Chef & The Dish allows you to video call a chef directly in your home kitchen. The travelers in your life who love food will learn to master iconic dishes from around the world.

The classes are interactive and they take place via Skype, with chefs who live in the country of the recipe. This unusual food gift is a fun and interactive way to bring the taste of travel for people who love to travel.

Choose online cooking classes from countries such as Spain, Italy, Vietnam, or more. Or better yet, give a gift card and let your traveler explore the world.

READ MORE: Why Vietnamese Classes With The Chef and The Dish Are Fun

Cooking Classes at a Destination with Cookly 

For those traveling and seeking to dive into the local food culture, taking a cooking class is a great food experience gift.

Cooking classes make unforgettable travel experiences for friends and family. 

Cookly is dedicated to authentic cooking classes around the world with a celebration of local culinary culture and history.

We have taken several cooking classes with Cookly on our travels and have loved the variety of classes and experiences.  

What’s great about Cookly cooking classes is the range of cooking experiences offered. From cooking at a local’s home to family-owned or large cooking schools, the choice is yours.

Browse Cookly for locations and cooking class experiences and share this unique gift for people who love travel.

2 – All-Inclusive Cooking Vacations

If you want to give your loved one an experience of a lifetime, give them the gift of a European cooking vacation. 

In an all inclusive experience, spend several delicious days with a chef getting immersed in the local food culture. 

From visiting local markers, producers and learning to make local specialties, your food lovers will love the experience.

Below are a few experiences that will give your loved ones a chance to discover real “Europe food experiences” many tourists miss.

Italian Cooking Vacations

Imagine spending 8 glorious days in Tuscany on an all inclusive cooking and wine culinary getaway. Stay at a BnB in the town of Lucca and spend the week cooking with Rita and Alex. 

Rita has studied the ancient secrets and techniques of traditional Tuscan cooking. And, during your stay, you’ll bring the recipes to life in four cooking classes.

Visits to wineries, cheese tastings, local markets and places of interest are also included.

This is a popular mother and daughter culinary trip, though suitable for any traveler who loves food.

READ MORE: 9 of The Best Cooking Vacations in Tuscany You Should Consider

Greek Cooking Vacations

Enjoy a private and authentic culinary experience in Greece. Over a 12-day period explore the culinary delights of Athens, Peloponnese and Crete. 

Take hands-on cooking classes, olive oil and winery visits, and foodie walking tours in Athens and Crete. 

Exploring the food in Greece also means diving into the history, mythology and culture.

As such, this culinary experience includes guided tours to the Acropolis, Olympia, Knossos, and more.

French Cooking Vacations

Ready to dive into a new world of flavors and techniques in France? Then consider this 16-day culinary adventure throughout France. 

With two award-winning English-speaking chefs, you’ll develop your culinary skills in some of the most enchanting places in France. 

Blending culture and food, you’ll visit Normandy and explore local cheeses and famous ciders. In the Loire Valley, you’ll take hands on cooking classes. And, in Vovray, you taste the range of delightful white wines. 

Explore regional dishes like cassoulet in Provence and relax at the beachfront in Nice while enjoying Michelin-starred restaurants.

Your trip to Lyon will take you deep into chocolate at Valrhona while exploring the rich historic city. 

Paris will be your departure point after an exclusive food tour throughout the best Paris pastry, cheese, charcuterie, and chocolate shops. 

READ MORE: 9 of The Best Cooking Vacations in France To Explore The Local Cuisine

3- Food Experience Gifts – Tasty Global Treats

For the foodies you love, why not surprise them with the joy of receiving monthly snacks from around the world?

With a subscription box featuring surprising treats from around the world, this travel gift keeps giving in new and exciting ways.

Universal Yums – Snacks From Around The World

We love Universal Yums and have enjoyed receiving their snacks from a surprise country each month.  The way it works is very simple. Each month, Universal Yums sends a variety of authentic snacks from a different country.  

Every subscription box is packed with sweet and savory treats from around the globe. Also included is a guidebook that includes recipes, trivia, cultural facts, games. and much more.

The boxes come in 3 different sizes, Yum Box, Yum Yum Box, and the Super Yum Box. See more in our  Universal Yums review.

If you are looking for unique gifts for travelers, the gift of Universal Yums will take them around the world, each month.

Japanese Tokyo Treats- The Best of Japan in A Box

This Tokyo Treat box is the perfect unique gift for travelers who love Japanese culture.  Every month a carefully curated box of Japanese treats brings the ‘Land of the Rising Sun’ to your home.

The Tokyo Treats box includes an assortment of 15 to 17 full-sized snacks and treats. From familiar snacks like Pocky, DIY candy, dagashi, a Japanese drink, and much more.

You can get a 3, 6, or 12-month subscription of exciting Japanese treats delivered to your home. A one-time gift option is also available if you don’t want the commitment.

A Tokyo Treat box is a fun and exciting gift box for the fans of Japan in your life.

RELATED: The 9 Best International Snacks Box To Taste the World

4 – Explore Drinks From Around The World

Like food, local drink specialties can also transport loved ones around the world. If you are looking for gifts for travel lovers, help them sip that destination from home.

Give them the gift of global flavors for their wine, tea, and coffee. 

French Wines with SomMailier

If you are buying gifts for travelers who love France, help them bring French wines home. 

With a subscription to SomMailer, your French travel lover will receive exclusive wines from handcrafted French vineyards sent to their doorstep. 

Choose 3 bottles or 6 bottles, and every three months you’ll receive the wines along with a wine card describing the wine region and stories about the wine and winemaker. 

Surprise the travelers in your life with the unique gifts of French wines delivered to their homes.

READ MORE: French Wine Club Review – Is Sommailier Worth It?

Global Teas with Simple Loose Leaf Tea

Looking for a unique food gift for tea lovers in your life?

How about helping them travel the world with delicious loose leaf teas. 

Depending on the kind of teas they like, you can choose a black, herbal, green or a sampler tea box. 

Each box comes with 4 different premium teas, linen filters, and tasting notes with the tea origins, brewing tips, and more. 

Take your travel loving friend, beyond the limited tea selection at the grocery store and help them discover new favorites teas from around the world.

While supporting local tea farmers, they will also discover new flavors with Simple Loose Leaf Tea. 

Bean Box Coffee – Worldly Coffee Beans Flavors

Give the gift of delicious coffee with this Bean Box subscription box. Even though the coffee lover in your life has familiar brands, introduce travel through coffee beans from the globe.

With a World Coffee Tour Box from Bean Box, travelers can wake up to artisanal coffee from the world’s best roasters.

On any given morning, the coffee lover in your life can wake up to coffee from Latin America, Africa and anywhere in between. 

Each box includes tasting notes and brewing tips and delicious bites of artisanal chocolates.

See more unique food gifts with this World Coffee Tour Box.

Portable Mini Expresso Machine

Espresso lovers will love this little gem of a machine that is perfect for traveling. It is compact and easy to pack for a  nearby vacation or camping trip. 

With this portable espresso machine, all you do is add a compatible capsule and hot water. After a few short pumps, delicious espresso can be sipped anywhere.

The machine is solidly constructed, does not take up much space, and is easy to use.

No more compromising, give your espresso-loving friends the gift of a portable espresso machine.

5 – Spices for Home Cooks – Global Flavors

Spices are one of those gifts from around the world food travelers will always love. Food flavors are enhanced and the colors and aromas can transform any dish.

If you are looking for gift ideas for travel lovers who love food, you may consider giving them new spices to add to their kitchen pantry.

For home cooks, especially those who love food and travel, will love this collection of international spices from Burlap & Barrel.

This Kitchen Fundamental Spice Pack which comes in a 6, 9 or 12 piece set contains spices sourced from small farmers around the world. 

Discover Black Urfa Chili from Turkey which is delicious on grilled meats and even chocolate desserts. Wild Icelandic Kelp adds savoriness to dishes and is a salt substitute. And Silk Chili will transform dishes like never before.

All the spice flavors are distinctive and will upgrade recipes in new and delicious ways.

Beautifully packaged and equitable sourced, this spice pack is the perfect gift for travel lovers who love cooking.

6 – Travel Themed Cookbooks With Simple Recipes From Around The World

The Food of Vietnam. Part travelogue, part recipes, this cookbook takes you on a culinary journey through Vietnam.  

Luke Nguyen travels through the country, from Saigon in the south all the way to Hanoi in the north.  Along the way, he shares insights about the city, cultural bites, and personal stories from the places he visited. 

This cookbook is complete with recipes and beautiful pictures. The perfect gift for those looking to learn more about authentic cuisine from Vietnam.

READ MORE: 10 Best Vietnamese Cookbooks to Have In Your Kitchen

Argentina Cookbook

Seven Fires Grilling The Argentine Way. Grilling lovers will love this cookbook from Francis Mallmann, whom we had the pleasure of meeting.  

This cookbook is filled with recipes and stunning photography of Patagonia, Buenos Aires, Uruguay The grilling methods are unpretentious with recipes adapted for home cooks.

An exciting read and inspirational for anyone looking to cross new frontiers with their barbecue and grilling techniques. 

USA – Immigrant Flavors of Houston

Cook Like A Local. For those looking to explore foods from different cultures, this cookbook is for them. 

Chef Shepard draws on inspiration from Houston’s diverse immigrant communities, teaching you to work their flavors with creativity and respect.

Full of stories and introductions to new ingredients, this is more than a cookbook, but a connection to culture.

For the travelers who love food, this is the perfect food gift. Cook Like a Local will undoubtedly be the best cookbook to explore new dishes and combinations of flavors.

What are your favorite unique food gifts? Please tell us in the comments below.

Savor the Adventure!

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