10 Best Gourmet Gift Basket Ideas

Everyone loves receiving pretty gift baskets filled with edible and drinkable goodies, so these ideas are sure to please, whether you make things from scratch or only have time to dash to the store.

Quick, inexpensive, imaginative, and fun ideas for your family and friends!

Pick and choose among the suggestions for these baskets depending on how much you want to spend and who the recipients are. All of the things may be purchased, but some may be homemade for a special, personal touch.

And feel free to use these ideas as springboards for your own imaginations. This just scratches the surface of the edible gift-giving possibilities!

Coffee/Tea Break Basket: Chocolate or other biscotti, a bag of Fair Trade organic coffee, and a café au lait bowl. Or tender shortbread cookies, a box or tin of special tea, and a pretty mug, or one of those teacup-and-teapot combinations. Packets of organic sugar.

Special Hot Chocolate Basket: A bar of good-quality Mexican or Spanish chocolate, jar of organic ground cinnamon, little bottle of organic vanilla extract, a molinillo (the wooden tool you use to mix and foam the chocolate), recipe.

Under the Tuscan Sun Basket: A packet of organic pasta, jar of good organic pasta sauce, wedge of artisanal grating cheese, bottle of fine olive oil or special infused oil (garlic and rosemary or basil are perfect), head of organic garlic, polenta, bottle of red wine, packet of expresso, red and white checked tablecloth, assorted biscotti, print-out of favorite Italian recipes.

A Year in Provence Basket: Loaf of crusty French bread, assortment of French cheeses, bottle of wine, jar of Herbes de Provence (a lovely spice mix that includes lavender), jar of ratatouille, pretty flowered Provencale napkins, garlic press, bag of French sea salt, bow-tied bundle of dried lavender or thyme, bottle of fine balsamic vinegar or herb-infused vinegar, print-out of favorite French recipes.

Rule Britannia Basket: Wholegrain bread or crackers, assorted English cheeses, jar of pickled gherkins, bottle of imported British ale, tin of fine tea, tea-ball, pretty cup and saucer, plum pudding in a tin, hard sauce, Christmas crackers.

South of the Border Basket: Special dried or canned chiles, jar of salsa, fine Mexican cornmeal, dried beans, bottle of lime juice, Tequila and margarita mix, tin of margarita salt, organic taco shells, print-out of favorite Mexican recipes.

Taj Mahal Basket: Homemade or purchased garam masala and other curry spice mixes, papadums, tamarind paste, coconut milk, pretty mirrored, iridescent, or Indian print tablecloth, print-out of favorite Indian recipes.

Chocolate-Lover’s Basket: Chocolate truffles, Chocolate chocolate chip cookies, chocolate ganache torte in a pretty tin, chocolate sauce in a jar, chocolate candies, hot chocolate mix.

Bean Soup Medley: Simple, but sure to be appreciated. Buy an assortment of different dried beans, mix them together, and package them in pretty glass jars with a ribbon, along with bottles of dried mixed soup herbs and your favorite bean soup recipe.

Furry Friends Basket: Let’s not forget our companion animals! A basket could include homemade dog bones and organic catnip, as well as assorted pet-safe toys.