9 Best Food Subscription Boxes to Give As Gifts
Updated: Apr. 09, 2024
From smoothies to sweets, here are the best food subscription boxes to give to a foodie friend—or yourself!
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Maybe we’re biased here at Taste of Home, but ask any of our staffers, and we’ll agree that food is one of the best gifts. Food, tailored to the recipient’s preferences or passions and regularly delivered to their doorstep, is even better. That’s why food subscription boxes are our latest gift obsession. They’re fun and they’re practical, and they can help your friends discover new favorite snacks, drinks, ingredients and recipes.
Along with providing the joy that comes from unboxing food every month, these subscriptions also save the recipients time by shipping straight to their door. Read on to find our top picks for food subscription boxes. We have ideas for every set of taste buds.
Annamarie Higley/Taste of Home
Best Overall
Goldbelly
When thinking about gifts for our foodie friends (or, let’s be honest, ourselves), what matters most is letting the taste buds in question experience the best of the best. Hello, Goldbelly subscription. Goldbelly is a platform that lets eaters order from some of the nation’s top restaurants so they can try iconic, coveted bites without having to hop on a plane. The monthly Goldbelly food subscription boxes are the epitome of that promise: a curation of “legendary” items every month.
In the past, subscribers have received lobster rolls from Maine, smoked BBQ ribs from Memphis and artisan ice cream from San Francisco. This food-of-the-month club is an easy way to grow as a foodie—and get to know the folks behind some of today’s most popular culinary creations.
Pros
- Food from top restaurants around the country
- Unmatched variety of food types
- Each box contains enough food to serve at least 4 people
- Available for monthly, 3-, 6- or 12-month subscriptions
Cons
- Monthly deliveries cannot be modified if there are allergies or personal dislikes
- It’s on the pricier end—you’re paying for access to these restaurants
TMB Studio
Best for Snackers
Universal Yums
Snack around the world with Universal Yums. Every month, Universal Yums sends you a box full of snacks from a different country, packed with sweet and savory options that capture the best—and the weirdest—of that region. Each box is stocked with selections sourced from manufacturers based in the country for an authentic culinary adventure. (Trust us—we’ve tried it!)
But snacks are only one part of the fun. You’ll also receive a 12+ page guidebook that walks you through the snacks and the culture so you can learn more about each country. It also includes interactive games. Explore other gift-of-the-month clubs.
Pros
- High-quality international snacks
- Included educational materials
- Kid- and adult-friendly
- Affordably priced
- If you find something you love, you can buy individual products from the online store
Cons
- Boxes cannot be tailored to different food allergies
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Best for Carnivores
Porter Road
The secret to the perfect hamburger? Getting the meat fresh from the farm. Most of us can’t do that—so that’s where Porter Road comes in. The company partners with small American farms to offer high-quality, local meat to customers across the country.
“Cage-free” doesn’t even meet Porter Road’s standards—the animals on these farms are pasture-raised without hormones or antibiotics, and they’re fed a healthy diet. Porter Road’s butchers then hand-cut each and every item. The company offers six preset food subscription boxes, including beef-only, top Porter Road picks, breakfasts and weeknight family dinners.
Pros
- Some of the best quality meat you can buy
- Option to order individual cuts
- 2-, 4- or 8-week delivery options
- You can add additional cuts or items to your subscription box
Cons
- More expensive than the grocery store (about $5 per serving)
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Best for Wine Lovers
Firstleaf
Make it the happiest of hours with Firstleaf, a wine subscription box that selects wine based on the customer’s specific tastes. You’ll start with a quiz about your preferred vino. You’ll answer questions about sweetness levels, varietals and your wine knowledge. Pair it with a cheese-of-the-month club so you’re always prepared for wine-and-cheese nights.
After the first box, you’ll rate the bottles, then successive deliveries will continue to be customized based on your ongoing input. The quality is high for the price point, and there’s a lot of flexibility to ensure you get your go-tos as well as new options in each box. Firstleaf also has a wine store, where you can buy individual bottles or bundles. The fine wine collection is definitely worth the splurge.
Pros
- Affordably priced (about $15 per bottle)
- Complimentary wine concierge
- Tasting and pairing cards included
- If you receive something you don’t like, they’ll refund you for the bottle
Cons
- The award system is a little confusing—we recommend navigating by flavor preferences rather than awards
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Best for Bakers
Bake Eat Love
We like pretending we’re on The Great British Bake Off. Anyone else? Well with the Bake Eat Love subscription box, you get a new recipe monthly, along with the pre-measured nonperishable ingredients, video tutorials and a baking tool. Oh, and a handshake from Paul Hollywood in your imagination!
No matter if you’re a baking whiz or newer to the kitchen, this subscription kit will have you whipping up mille-feuille and apple twists as though you went to pastry school. One thing we love most about this box is the sheer variety of Instagram-worthy goodies you get the chance to make; you’ll expand your baking repertoire and create delectable desserts. Try these cookie-of-the-month clubs to satisfy your sweet tooth with a little less effort.
Pros
- 12-20 servings per box (about $3.33 per serving)
- Great for kids and adults
- Easy-to-follow recipes for bakers of all experience levels
- Recipes include video tutorials
Cons
- No gluten-free option
- If you have an allergy to anything featured in a box, you’ll have to skip that month
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Best for Veg Heads
Daily Harvest
Daily Harvest is one of the names synonymous with one-step prep and healthy meals, and the association is well-deserved. Shipping between 9 and 24 items a week, Daily Harvest food subscription boxes deliver full meals to you (or your giftee), making it easy to eat well in a pinch.
Daily Harvest offers more than 100 good-for-you meals, including deliverable smoothies (which you’ve probably seen all over Instagram) and grain bowls. It doesn’t sound too bad to start your day with a Dragon Fruit and Lime Smoothie and end it with a Butternut Squash and Chimichurri Harvest Bowl, now does it?
Pros
- Everything is vegan and gluten-free, with no additives or preservatives
- Items come frozen and easy to prepare
- They offer boxes for specific needs and diets, including the Mediterranean diet and Whole 30
- Gives back to a farmer-led partnership called The Almond Project
Cons
- The meals might not satiate everyone, depending on appetite
- Relatively expensive
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Best for Little Chefs
eat2explore
Presenting: dinner and education in a box. With each eat2explore delivery, you’ll receive three kid-friendly recipes from a different country to get your inquisitive little one into the kitchen. It helps them learn how to cook, stimulates their curiosity and knowledge of different cultures, and sneaks some math, science and social studies into mealtime.
Older kiddos can cook more independently, but there are plenty of opportunities for younger ones to get involved and help too. Along with the three recipes, each box contains spices and sauces, a shopping list, cooking tools, collectibles, brochures and activity sheets.
Pros
- Gluten-free and vegetarian options
- Ultra-safe (each recipe rates how much adult involvement your child will need)
- Highly educational
- A fair amount of content in each box
Cons
- It doesn’t include all ingredients, so grocery shopping is required
- Picky eaters might not love the different flavors (though it’s a great way to introduce them!)
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Best for Coffee Enthusiasts
Trade Coffee
Trade Coffee first came into my life as a gift, and it remains one of my favorites to send to others. It’s perfect for hard-to-shop-for friends and parents. Because coffee is sacred to so many, Trade starts your journey with a questionnaire about preferences to evaluate tastes and coffee habits.
A freshly roasted bag of coffee is delivered every 1 to 3 weeks. Giftable subscriptions allow you to send between 3 and 12 bags of coffee. There’s no denying this coffee subscription box makes recipients’ mornings brighter.
Pros
- The first bag is free
- Entirely customizable
- Subscriptions can be paused or cancelled anytime
- Curated gift boxes, some with chocolate, to make gifting easier
Cons
- Pricey, starting at $15.75 a bag
- If you go through coffee quickly, you’ll have to supplement with additional bags
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Best for Home Chefs
Blue Apron
Designed by professional chefs for home chefs, Blue Apron is the ideal gift for those who love spending time in the kitchen. Every week, the company delivers 2 to 4 recipes with pre-portioned ingredients to your doorstep. To get started, pick out your preferences, including plant-based, easy-prep or healthy meals.
You can also customize how many meals and servings of those meals that you want each week. There are options to further customize based on specific dietary preferences. Curious about what kind of meals are on the menu? Browse past meals on the website of the meal delivery service to get a sense of the variety coming your way.
Pros
- Designed by professional chefs
- Meals are pretty affordable—they start at $7.99 per dish
- You can cancel or skip any time
- Simplifies meal prep and grocery shopping
Cons
- Can be more expensive than grocery shopping
What to Look for When Buying Food Subscription Boxes
When buying a food subscription box as a gift (or, for yourself), the most important factor is to make sure you’re choosing something that will be used and enjoyed.
Subscription boxes are a great opportunity to explore different types of foods, hobbies and ingredients. Just make sure that the box you choose features goods that you or your giftee will use and resides within your budget. Not a cook? Look for something with pre-made food options. More of a tea drinker? Steer clear of the coffee subscription for now.
How We Found the Best Food Subscription Boxes
To hunt down the best food subscription boxes, we reviewed numerous options in each category, considering cost, flexibility and quality. We tested some of the options ourselves and ensured that our selections reflected a variety of taste preferences, lifestyles and hobbies. Mostly, we wanted to ensure that, whether you’re sending a box as a gift or ordering one for yourself, it would deliver quality and enjoyment.
Originally Published: July 29, 2021
