2019 Foodie Holiday Gift Guide

Uncategorized — November 21, 2019

wellness
travel
recipes
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REVIEWS

I’ve never done a gift guide before but I’m so excited to recommend some of my favourite foodie things! This is a very personal gift guide because I own almost all of the items on this list. Nothing here is sponsored – just products I use and love and that I think would make great gifts!

Big ticket gifts:

Chef Services by yours truly!
~ Shameless self plug~ Did you know you can gift someone a meal prep service or private dinner party?! What better way to show someone you love than by feeding them delicious foods!

Austin Eats Food Tours
I’ve been on two of these tours (the luxe brunch and the east side tours) and I had an amazing time at both! There is so much food to eat, endless supply of beer/cider and fun tour guides. I consider myself someone who is very in-the-know when it comes to restaurants but there were some I’d never had or heard of before going on these tours. Highly recommend it!

Indoor Hydroponic Garden by AeroGarden
Joel just bought me this incredible indoor garden for my birthday and I’m so excited for my herbs to grow! There are tons of types of plants you can grow – lettuce leaves, tomatoes, flowers, peppers, and more! AeroGarden makes tons of different sizes and styles, too.

Advanced Water Filter by Berkey
I got this in January when I started my Hashimoto’s protocol because Berkey is one of the leaders in water filtration. I added on the fluoride filter. I think it tastes soooo much better than any other water I’ve had and I’ve become a bit of a water snob!

Espresso and Coffee Maker by De’Longhi
I have an older version but I really love how good the coffee is and the nice froth that comes out on top! The only downside is that the pods are a little pricey and you can’t get the kinds that you refill on your own.

Vacuum Sealer Machine by FoodSaver
Joel got this for me last year and I looooove this thing! It’s crazy how it really keeps the quality of the food even if it’s been in the freezer for months. The replacement bags are inexpensive so this thing is going to last a long time.

Dutch Oven by Le Creuset
I was very lucky to win this beautiful dutch oven on Instagram last year – it’s one of my favourite dishes to cook with! Something that’s this high quality is going to have a big price tag, but keep an eye out for those Black Friday deals! I’ve also seen Le Creuset’s at Marshall’s (they’re usually on sale if they’re from previous seasons but it’s still the same great quality).

Austin Food and Wine Festival
I’ve been to this festival the past three years and always have an amazing time! Pro tip: Go to all the food tents first because the lines get long and vendors run out of food toward the end of the day. Early bird tickets go on sale 12/3.

Gifts under $75

Marble Cheese Board from Anthropologie
We received this as a wedding gift and I absolutely love it! We always have it out on our kitchen table and it is beautiful when used as a cheese plate, too. Super great quality as well.

Dinner Plates from Anthropologie
This is another gift we received at our wedding and we use them almost everyday. They’re durable and beautiful!

Pizza Plates from Kate Spade
I loooove these adorable pizza-focused small plates from Kate Spade! A good friend saw these on our wedding registry and got these for us really early on. What can I say, we love our pizza!

Gin
Go big or go home with this huge bottle of amazing Hendrick’s Gin! I love this spirit so much and  yes I’m trying to make everyone a gin-lover like me. I also like Treaty Oak’s Old Yaupon gin for something a little different.

Air Fryer by Kalorik
I’ll be honest – I didn’t get the whole air fryer trend when it started last year. But I’m a true believer in it now. This thing crisps up bread, cooks chicken to perfection and basically acts like a mini oven (which is great in this crazy Texas heat). I don’t know what I’d do without it!

CBD from Restart CBD
This local company is creating high quality CBD products that I truly love! They have a lot of edible options (the caramel is fantastic).

Gifts under $30

Vegetables Unleashed by Jose Andrés

Date Night In by Ashley Rodriguez

Austin Food Crawls by Kelsey Kennedy

Black Stoneware Plates by Hearth and Hand
Joel bought us two of each of these – small bowls, cereal bowls, pasta bowls, small plate and large plate, so yeah we love this whole set. A LOT. They are durable, beautiful and incredibly priced!

Pasta Maker by Weston
Homemade pasta is so easy and it’s soooo much better than store-bought. Did you know I teach private pasta making classes? 😉

Wine Glasses from Anthropologie
We have a set of these beautiful pink glasses and not only are they dainty and elegant but as someone who breaks almost every wine glass I touch, these have stood up under accidental drops and falls!

Kitchen Towels from Anthropologie
If I could get all of the kitchen towels that Anthropolgie comes out with, I would totally buy every single one. We have a few at our home that are discontinued, but can I just say that it brings me so much joy seeing these beautiful prints in the kitchen! They’re durable, too.

Sustainable Food Storage by Bee’s Wrap
My sister got me a three pack and I love using these instead of plastic wrap or foil. They are washable and reusable but only for about a year because the material wears down.

Texas Wines
A nice bottle of wine goes a long way. Becker Vineyards, Fall Creek and William and Chris are all great Texas wines! 

Oils and Vinegars from Con’Olio
Support an amazing local business and choose from over 75 different oils and vinegars! It’s a fun, unique and tasty gift. I really love their fig balsamic and single origin EVOO.

Noodle Bowl by Crate and Barrel
Where my ramen lovers at?! Joel got a set of these and they’re awesome. I love using them for ramen, noodle soup or Asian-style noodle dishes I make!

Bamboo Cooking Utensils from Berghoff
I use these every time I cook (so basically everyday) for the last year and they’ve held up well and are easy to clean (hand wash only but it’s not that bad) plus it’s a great addition to making your kitchen a non-toxic space!

Non-Toxic Frying Pan by Ozeri
Using non-toxic cookware is so important. I use my Ozeri fry pan daily and it’s held up for the past several years.

Tiny Pies
This delicious local pie shop has an option to ship their pies so you can send a sweet gift to your loved ones!

**Gift cards to local restaurants are always a great gift! A few of my faves include Kerbey Lane, Lucky Robot, Cyclone Anaya’s, Forthright, Chilantro, Taco Deli, Intero, P Terry’s, District Kitchen and Micklethwait!

On my wish list:

Things that I don’t currently own but that I would loooove to have 😉

Stand Mixer by KitchenAid
I’m not a huge baker because it’s a very complicated science but I think I’d be into baking more if I had one of these. Isn’t that matte pink so pretty?!

Sous Vide by Anova
Every time I’ve had something made sous vide at restaurants it always comes out PERFECT. I’m curious about it and would love to experiment with it myself!

Wooden Tongs by Williams Sonoma
Keep the non-toxic kitchenware stride going with these beautiful wooden tongs.

Measuring Cups by Williams Sonoma
I have cheap measuring cups (I only use them when making rice or the rare chance I bake) but these glistening copper measuring cups are beautiful!

Rotary Cheese Grater by LOVKITCHEN
I love grating cheese from a block – it tastes better, melts better, and doesn’t have the anti-caking additive. I always do it by hand but I have a feeling this grater would save a lot of time!

Cheese Class by Antonelli’s
You can buy tickets to attend different cheese classes at this amazing local cheese shop!

Cravings by Chrissy Teigen

Mastering the Art of French Cooking by Julia Child

About Monique

As a private chef of 8+ years, Monique loves supporting local businesses, creating, and enjoying unique cuisines. You’ll find her original recipes, in-depth reviews of restaurants, local + international travel recaps, motherhood stories, and other lifestyle finds in this blog. 

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