Food54, Omsom, Diaspora Co
Unlike other food gifts such as fruit baskets or baked goods, elevated pantry staples have a long shelf life, allowing a recipient to enjoy them at their leisure. They’re influential in the kitchen without taking up too much space, and giving a loved one cool pantry items encourages them to get creative at mealtime and try new recipes or styles of cooking.
In addition to being delicious, an elevated pantry item is one of the most versatile gifts you can give. For foodies and home chefs who go through ingredients quickly, it’s practical. For new homeowners or someone that just moved and is re-stocking their kitchen, it’s helpful. For minimalists who don’t like extra non-consumable stuff, it’s functional. And for in-laws, office Secret Santas, and anyone else you’re stumped shopping for, it’s an original present that isn’t too personal or assuming. No one is going to be weird about you giving them some fancy salt. (And if they are, I can assure you, they are the problem.)
To help you find the best non-perishable food items that make perfect holiday gifts, we called our favorite chefs, food stylists and cooking content creators to make the ultimate elevated pantry shopping list. Many of them have cookbooks available, which also make for great presents. (Wink, wink.)
HuffPost receives a share from retailers on this page. Every item is independently selected by the HuffPost Shopping team. Prices and availability are subject to change.
1.
Diaspora Co.
Diaspora Co. Chai Masala
"Diaspora Co's Chai Masala is one of the best things I've tried recently. It's boldly fragrant, spicy enough to tickle the back of the throat, and just so soothing, too — it's the gift of deliciously activated senses." — Lukas Volger, author of "Snacks for Dinner"
"Chai masala from Diaspora is life-changing. So is their turmeric, and their aranya black peppercorns. ... [M]ost of their spices have a chance of changing your life." — Tamar Adler, chef, food writer and author of the forthcoming cookbook "The Everlasting Meal Cookbook"
"Chai masala from Diaspora is life-changing. So is their turmeric, and their aranya black peppercorns. ... [M]ost of their spices have a chance of changing your life." — Tamar Adler, chef, food writer and author of the forthcoming cookbook "The Everlasting Meal Cookbook"
2.
BjornQorn
Bjorn Qorn popping kernels
"I am obsessed with Bjorn PopQorn. It's currently making up about 50% of my diet. Bjorn Qorn's perfect kernels pop into a very, very satisfying-to-eat butterfly shape, and every kernel pops every time! Who doesn't love popcorn? I also love the packaging—whoever designed it has an amazing sense of humor. But I won't spoil the surprise for you... you'll just have to order it to find out." — Samin Nosrat, author of "Salt, Fat Acid, Heat"
3.
Food52
José Gourmet tinned fish gift set
"Love, love, love, the packing of José Gourmet tinned fish that are illustrated by João Machado. They’re so beautiful you don’t need to wrap them." — Odette Williams, chef and author of "Simple Pasta"
4.
Food52
Haku Japanese Shoyu
"Haku Japanese Shoyu are beautifully bottled, making them a perfect gift. My favorite flavor is the Black Garlic, which adds a soy flavor without the concentrated salt bomb of normal soy sauce. It's even delicate enough for salad dressings." — Tara Lazar, chef and restaurateur behind F10 Hospitality and HIGH-Pie in Oceanside, California
5.
Yunhai
Amber River soy sauce
"This is my favorite soy sauce and it’s made with native Taiwanese black beans. It’s soooo good." — Frankie Gaw of Little Fat Boy and author of "First Generation: Recipes from My Taiwanese-American Home"
6.
Trade Coffee Co.
Coffee subscription from Trade Coffee Co.
"I'm gifting the coffee lovers in my life Trade Coffee's three-month subscription service." — Cy Nguyen, home cook and founder of Cy Loves Frogs
7.
Jacobsen Salt Co.
Jacobsen Salt Co. sea salt slide tins
"These mini flakey sea salt tins make for a great stocking stuffer — I like to carry one with me in my knife kit (or purse) wherever I go." — Karen Rosenbloom, chef and content creator
8.
California Olive Ranch
California Olive Ranch 100% California extra virgin olive oil
"I always keep this olive oil in my kitchen at home and we use it in our restaurants as well. It's a great gift for anyone that likes to cook as it's something they'll use everyday." — Dan Kluger, chef and owner of Loring Place in New York City
9.
iGourmet
Mitica Orange Delights
"My family always gives those weird chocolate oranges that you have to whack to separate the segments. This is the fancy version of that — real candied orange dipped in dark chocolate. I eat them all year." — Abra Berens, a Michigan-based chef and author of forthcoming "Pulp: A Practical Guide to Cooking with Fruit"
10.
Kim'C Market
Grand Noodle colored noodles
"I love these artisan-made noodles from Korea. [They come] in five flavors and colors and makes a gorgeous gift to anyone who loves food. Handmade by a noodle master, these Korean noodles are not only delicious, but also beautiful, and do not lose their vibrant color even after cooking. I like to keep the preparation simple to really showcase the noodles themselves — toss them in flavorful oil (I love small production perilla oil, sesame oil or even French walnut oil), good black pepper and sea salt. Top them with sesame seeds and dried seaweed." — Chef Ji Hye Kim of Miss Kim in Ann Arbor, Michigan
11.
Momofuku
Momofuku chili crunch
"This stuff is quickly becoming my 'I put that shit on everything' sauce. This blend of chilli, garlic, shallots (and more) from the fine folks at Momofuku adds a kick to pretty much anything you'd like. There's also black truffle, hot honey, and extra spicy variants. The hot honey is phenomenal. No bullshit." — Chef Reactions, chef and content creator
"This chili crisp by David Chang is one of my favorites. It adds just the right amount of heat to any dish and it fits perfectly inside a stocking." — Kluger
"This chili crisp by David Chang is one of my favorites. It adds just the right amount of heat to any dish and it fits perfectly inside a stocking." — Kluger
12.
We Dat's
We Dat's Wuzzam Buffalo wing sauce
"Cuz it's hot fire and ready to coat wings and other things right out of the bottle. I keep the pantry stocked with a ton of hot sauces, and the chicken wing is my favorite cut of meat out there, so naturally I'm a fan of Buffalo sauce. New Orleans makes the best chicken and the best hot sauces I've ever had, and We Dat's is a prime example of New Orleans doing it right." — Mason Hereford, author of "Turkey and the Wolf: Flavor Trippin' in New Orleans"
13.
Burlap & Barrel
Burlap & Barrel Fundamentals Collection
"Burlap & Barrel is an NYC-based spice company that sources sustainably grown products directly from small farmers. Their spices are incredibly fragrant and flavorful- some of my favorites are the cured sumac and black urfa chili. I recommend browsing the Gift Collections on their website, where you will find several thoughtfully curated variety boxes. You can also build your own gift set or treat a loved one to a quarterly spice subscription!" — Madeline Sperling, executive chef of Zou Zou’s in New York City
14.
Fandango Olive Oil
Fandango 2022 Olio Nuovo
"I love this family farm — co-owner Caroline always includes a handwritten love note to each customer. Their exquisite olive oil has won 85-plus awards, and rightfully so. There is a limited supply of their Olio Nuovo, harvested by hand and pressed on November 18, 2022! Peppery, green-grassy, delicious." — Divya Alter, an Ayurvedic educator, author and chef behind Divya’s Kitchen in New York City
15.
Masienda
La Familia Masa mundle
"Masienda masa is the corniest-flavored, most delicious masa I've ever tasted. I haven't bought premade tortillas since we started just following the ratio of water to masa listed on the bag and pressing our own. I love the blue and the yellow, especially. Their beans are mind boggling, too." — Adler
16.
Omsom
Southeast Asian Omsom sampler
"I'm a big fan of gifts in twos, [so I'm also giving my loved ones] a couple of sauce and seasoning kits from Omsom, a wonderful Vietnamese-owned brand. They're affordable and very personalized. Plus, you get to support local businesses and chefs." — Cy
17.
Ghetto Gastro
Ghetto Gastro OG Stack
"Pancakes are back on the map in our house thanks to Ghetto Gastro and their Wavy waffle and pancake mix. Paired with their Sovereign Syrup sorghum, Ghetto Gastro created the perfect gift for any ingredient and taste-focused friend or family member. Depending on the day, we like to work in some coconut cream, cashew butter, or banana, and will often go the savory route with a fried egg, basil and finishing oil." — Hana Dreiling, baker and founder of Holey Grail Donuts
18.
The Mala Market
The Chinese Essentials pantry collection from The Mala Market
"This pantry collection has everything you need to get started with Chinese cooking, perfect for any wok enthusiast. You’ll find key ingredients like Chinese light and dark soy sauce, aged black vinegar, Shaoxing wine, oyster sauce, sesame oil, and dried mushrooms — all premium and heritage brands that The Mala Market imports from China." — Bill, Judy, Sarah and Kaitlin Leung from The Woks of Life Family
19.
Amazon
Chile Crunch
"My other go-to's include Chili Crunch, which is a total must-have staple. Chile crisps are everywhere, but this one is the OG of crispy delicate chile crunch." — Lazar
20.
Truff
Truffle Lovers gift set from Truff
"If you love hot sauce and truffles and you haven't tried Truff products out yet, you are absolutely missing out. This kit comes with a delicious truffle hot sauce, truffle oil, and truffle pasta sauce. It's the best combo to make a spicy and savory pasta dish, or just use them on eggs, sandwiches, pasta, and more." — Remi Cruz of Cooking With Remi
21.
Amazon
Mother In Law's Gochujang paste
"One of the Korean mother sauces, gochujang (fermented chile paste) is a must-have pantry item. This one is great because it's fermented slowly to develop deeper flavor than mass produced versions. Its versatility is amazing, and I use it for marinades, bibimbop sauces, dips and dressings. And as a secret ingredient to add a bit of kick and sweetness to my marinara sauce." — Kim
22.
Amazon
Trader Joe's Italian Bomba Hot Pepper Sauce
"I also love Trader Joe's Chile Bomba, fermented Sicilian chiles that are a perfect addition to penne alla vodka." — Lazar
23.
Red Boat
Umami Spice by Chris Cosentino
"I adore this collaboration from Red Boat Fish sauce and chef Chris Coentino. The umami spice is great on so many things. I love it on an omelette or anything right off the grill. It's a go-to gift for my cooking friends. Except Chris. I can not send it to him." — Chef Jamie Bissonnette of JK Food Group and Faccia a Faccia in Boston
24.
Amazon
Maldon smoked sea salt flakes
"Maldon Smoked Salt is the unsung star of flaky salt. Perfect on the rim of a cocktail and next level with grilled corn and butter." — Williams
25.
Kettl
Kettl Soba Cha tea
"My go-to gift is Kettl's Sobacha tea. It's part of my own nighttime ritual, and is a very unique toasty, almost nutty, comforting (caffeine-free) tea that really is a lovely end to a dinner party, coffee alternative in the morning, or before bed with a little something sweet. It's also fantastic iced. It's so delicious, I also sometimes use it as a topping for cakes, or sprinkled on yogurt and fruit." — Jessie Damuck, author of "Salad Freak"
26.
Selo Olive olive oil
"When people think olive oil they think Italy, Greece or Spain. I may be biased because of my heritage, but I believe some of the worlds best olive oil comes from Croatia. In the coastal areas of Croatia, about 4,000 metric tons of olive oil are produced every year — about 1% of Spain's output and .1% of the total output in the world. Try this stuff, you won't be disappointed." — Chef Reactions
27.
Dandelion Chocolate
Dandelion Chocolate hot chocolate mix
"Dandelion's Mission hot chocolate mix is the perfect, unique and versatile gift for people who don't yet realize they love hot chocolate. Packaged in a beautiful corked jar, the blend of single-origin 70% chocolates and spices is becoming a part of our routine, and I tend to enjoy it similarly to a really great espresso. I often mix the two!" — Dreiling