Cook Smarts’ 2017 Holiday Gift Guide: Gift Pairings for Every Cook
Find the perfect kitchen gift combo for the home cook in your life with our 2017 Holiday Gift Guide.
The season of giving is here and so is our 2017 Holiday Gift Guide! Every year, we love testing out and searching the internet for the best kitchen items that will make cooking a whole lot easier for you or the cook in your life.
Here’s what we’ve come up with so far:
- 2013 – colorful cooking items to add fun pops of color to anyone’s kitchen
- 2014 – practical, useful tools that will help anyone cook efficiently
- 2015 – kitchen gifts for all levels of cooks, whether you’re a cooking novice, a pro, or a little helper
- 2016 – fun items that make cooking more enjoyable, whether you’re a parent, a foodie, or a small space dweller
- 2017 (Part 1) – practical gift ideas right from our own Cook Smarts Shop, featuring handy infographics and super fun veggie tote bags
This year, we’re doing something a little different – gift pairings!
We love the idea of gifting items that complement each other and make life in the kitchen so much more efficient. For example, an air fryer is already an awesome gift, but adding a cookbook about air frying makes it so much easier for your recipient to start air frying foods!
We’ve come up with gift pairings for Kitchen Heroes, Gadget Lovers, Cooking Enthusiasts, and Hosts / Hostesses – so really, any type of home cook in your life! And if you want even more ideas, you can always check out any of the gift guides listed above.
Now here is our 2017 Holiday Gift Guide. Happy gifting!
Cook Smarts’ 2017 Holiday Gift Guide
Make cooking a whole lot easier for the cook in your life with our favorite kitchen gift pairings.
Gifts for Kitchen Heroes
Cook Smarts Meal Plan Subscription + Global Chef’s Knife
We have every type of cook and eater in our Kitchen Heroes community so we honestly think our meal plan subscription could be a perfect gift for anyone – novice or experienced cooks, those cooking for one or a bundle of kids, paleo or vegetarian. Pair it with a sharp new chef’s knife (we’re partial to Globals) to make prepping and planning a breeze!
Cook Smarts 2018 Wall Calendar + How to Cook Without a Book
Our wall calendar features 13 smart infographics, so it’s like giving your gift recipient a mini cooking lesson every month of the year (for less than $11!). It’s practical and whimsical because they can use their favorite graphics for some future wall art too. Pair it with one of the most useful cookbooks out there – How to Cook Without a Book – for a full-on cooking lesson gift.
Cook Smarts’ Guide to Enjoying Veggies Tote Bag + Cook Smarts T-shirt
Everyone – young and old – will look great sporting our most colorful (and healthiest) tote bag and Cook Smarts t-shirt. These make great little stocking stuffers or use the tote bag as the gift bag itself!
Gifts for Gadget Lovers
Instant Pot + Dinner in an Instant Cookbook
The Instant Pot seems to be able to work miracles in the kitchen, turning out full dinners, braised meats and cooked beans in a fraction of the time it takes with regular cookware. Pair your gift with Melissa Clark’s Dinner in an Instant Cookbook or a Cook Smarts meal plan subscription – the Cook Smarts Instant Pot Facebook Group can help you and friends convert our recipes for IP usage (we have a lot of Instant Pot lovers in our community!).
Breakfast Sandwich Maker + Insulated French Press Coffee Maker
This gift pairing is perfect for those who love or hate mornings (so everyone). This dual breakfast sandwich maker has a separate compartment to cook each layer of a breakfast sandwich, so will make the breakfast-making routine a lot more efficient, fun, and varied. Pair it with an insulated French press coffee maker to ensure that cup of morning Joe stays hotter for longer.
Air Fryer + Air Fry Everything Cookbook
The air fryer is the perfect present for every busy parent. It functions as a hybrid between an oven and deep fryer creating crispy, juicy golden results. I love tossing a bag of frozen cauliflower or baby carrots mixed with some olive oil, salt and pepper into it for perfect “fried” veggies without any prep. I love my air fryer so much, I wish I had 2! (Learn more about air frying veggies in this blog post here.) Pair this gift with the Air Fry Everything Cookbook to get more mileage out of this versatile machine.
Gifts for New & Old Cooking Enthusiasts
Cast Iron Skillet + Cast Iron Skillet Brush
The cast iron skillet is a total kitchen workhorse and is the perfect cookware for making eggs, frying a steak, or even baking a casserole. New cooks will love it as an addition to their kitchen and seasoned cooks could probably use 2 (or more) in their collection. It’s indestructible so long as you take a few minutes to learn how to maintain it. Pair it with this special heavy-duty cleaning brush to keep it feeling new for a lifetime.
Carbon Steel Wok + Stainless Steel Wok Turner
This wok will be a special piece of cookware for new and experienced cooks. While it does require seasoning and a little bit of care to keep it non-stick, the extra investment will make it an even more treasured kitchen tool. Use it for any high-heat sauteing (not just stir-fries) and pair it with this authentic wok turner to make your gift recipient feel like a true professional.
Lodge Dutch Oven + All About Braising Cookbook
This Lodge Dutch Oven costs much less than a Le Creuset but still wins in the looks department. Choose from a variety of colors; it’s sure to add a vibrant touch to the stove top of your gift recipient. Pair it with this All About Braising cookbook to give them plenty of delicious ideas for their new favorite piece of cookware.
Gifts for Hosts & Hostesses
Marble Cheese Plate + Cheese of the Month Club
Every host can always use another cheese plate to add to their collection and this beautiful marble one will work in any spread. Pair this gift with a Cheese of the Month Club gift from Murray’s. Hopefully that earns you a once a month invite to try out their new cheese selections!
Vintage-inspired Pyrex Mixing Bowls + Spatulas
For the host(ess) with retro yet modern tastes, these Pyrex bowls will be the perfect addition to his / her kitchen. Stylish enough to be used for prepping or serving, they’ll provide years worth of use. Pair it with some durable spatulas for a pretty and useful gift.
Staub Baking Dish + Copper Trivet
Every host(ess) can always use another baking dish and this transitions easily from the oven to the table for a pretty addition to any spread. Pair it with this seasonal trivet so that he / she has a perfect landing place for all the delicious goodies that are sure to be made in this baker.
A little note: Some of the above links are Amazon affiliate links, which means we earn a small percentage from those sales. We use this affiliate revenue to support the continued growth of Cook Smarts. Thank you!
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