From smoothies to sweets, here are the best food subscription boxes to give to a foodie friend—or yourself!
Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. We may earn a commission from your purchases.Learn more.
From smoothies to sweets, here are the best food subscription boxes to give to a foodie friend—or yourself!
Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. We may earn a commission from your purchases.Learn more.
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
Cons
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
Cons
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
Cons
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
Cons
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
Cons
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
Cons
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
Cons
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
Cons
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
Cons
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.
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.