From coffee beans and exotic spices, to bread recipes, cheese and craft beer, these are the best subscription boxes for foodies – perfect if you’re looking for a unique gift for a friend or family member.
We’ve all struggled over the last few years with not being able to see friends and family for special occasions. It’s been a weird time. But it’s taught us that there are still plenty of ways to celebrate your best friends even if you can’t see them in person. There are lots of lovely ways to mark their special day with a gift in the post.
I was inspired by the present a friend of mine gave me for my last birthday: a 6-month rum subscription. At the start of each month, a perfectly-packaged little box arrives in the post, containing two 50ml bottles of rum. There are stories to go with each bottle, as well as tasting notes and suggested pairings.
Not only has it taught me more about one of my favourite tipples, I’ve discovered a few new favourite bottles and enjoyed a lovely feeling of excitement when it arrives.
What I’m trying to say is subscription boxes make GREAT presents. I’ve also bought a monthly cooking subscription for my fiancé, and enjoyed a lovely coffee subscription too, which delivered fresh beans through the letterbox once a month.
Subscription box gifts have grown in popularity over the last few years. While once upon a time they were mainly wine subscriptions organised via the broadsheets, they’re now specialising in anything and everything! Got a friend who loves gin? There’s a gin box subscription that’s guaranteed to a put a smile on their face!
How about your friend with a sweet tooth? Order them a monthly sweet box as a gift, or a baking subscription box uk. Or maybe your parents are partial to cheese. Don’t worry – there’s a subscription box for them too!
Time to round up the best subscription boxes for foodies, drink lovers and anyone who loves to cook. There are gift ideas in here to suit absolutely everyone…
25 Best Subscription Boxes For Foodies
All of these deliver to addresses in the UK, and some ship worldwide, depending on the type of food or drink option you’re choosing.
Best Spice Subscription Boxes: The Spicery
I bought a 12-month subscription from The Spicery for my fiancé for Christmas and we’ve absolutely loved it. The Spicery gift boxes contain the recipe and all the spices to make unique meals every single month. All you need to add are the fresh ingredients.
The thing I love is that the recipes aren’t for standard dishes you’d have tried before. Last month we made a curry from a specific region of Northern India, and our next is this potsticker recipe set from China’s Sichuan Province. You login to redeem your voucher each month, and select the menu you’d like to have delivered.
The recipe kits arrive each month through the letterbox, and there are options of 3, 6- and 12-month subscriptions. It’s a great subscription box for cooking addicts, or those who love to try foods from around the world.
We really enjoyed the curry subscription boxes, but I’ve got my eye on this 12-month Food Truck set next. The recipes look really interesting and varied with recipes including LA style Korean tacos and Malaysian fried chicken with a chilli honey soy sauce.
Best Gin Subscription Box: Little Gin Box
You’ve heard of my passion for my monthly rum subscription, but I know many people are more partial to a G&T. Little Gin Box offer a great subscription where you receive three 50ml bottles of artisan gins each month. You’ll also get a little booklet filled with informative tasting notes plus some recommended garnishes to complement the gins. I mean, what could be better than a load of gin arriving by post each month?!
If you find one you love, you’ll also have a handy 10% discount towards a full bottle! This is a really great gift for any gin lovers in your life.
Best Cheese Subscription Boxes: Cheaze and Cows and Co
My love of cheese grows by the year. At the moment I’m going through a phase of indulging in a baked camembert at the weekend, and cheese and biscuits just before bed. I’m happy to admit I’m a total cheeseaholic!
Cheaze
There’s a great story behind Cheaze. Since 1884, Bradburys Cheese has been sourcing the highest quality cheeses from around the world. Like many other cheesemongers, once the pandemic forced restaurants and businesses to close, Bradburys launched Cheaze; a subscription box service and cheese box service offering cheesemakers a route to market to help them keep their businesses rolling.
I sampled their cheese subscription box recently and can vouch for the fact it’s great! Rather than offering cheese from one country or region, these cheese boxes give you flavours from around the world, and often feature creations by award-winning British and international cheesemakers. The box I received contained a great mix of five different cheeses, including a nutty Reblochon, a creamy Harrogate Blue and an interesting Spanish cheese called Cinco, which is a more complex alternative to a traditional Manchego.
The Cheaze subscription box also contained some quince and crackers, to really add to my cheese board setup! The packaging and info supplied was great too – I definitely felt like I was learning as I was eating.
Cows and Co
Cows and Co subscription boxes include several British cheeses each month so you’ll definitely fill up your cheese box with some tasty delicacies you haven’t tried before. Usually they feature some classics, such as a vintage 18-month matured Cheddar as well as some newer varieties such as their new goats milk brie, aptly named ‘Nanny McBrie’!
You can select how long you’d like the subscription to run for (there are options of 2,3, 6, 9 or 12 month subscriptions).
Cows and Co cheeses have won numerous awards. They also only use vegetarian rennet and the milk comes from their own herd of Ayrshire cows, so you’ll be supporting a British business while giving a great gift! I think this is one of the best food subscription gifts in the UK right now.
Best Italian Subscription Box: Pasta Evangelists
If you know someone who loves fine Italian food, this is the perfect subscription box for them! Each month, a box arrives through the post containing everything you need to prepare two incredible pasta dishes. Let’s face it, fresh pasta is extremely fiddly and time consuming to make, but wow does it taste a million times better than the packet stuff!
Inside the box you’ll find a recipe card, pre-prepared and portioned pasta, sauce and garnish which can be cooked in minutes. Recent dishes include wild mushroom ravioli with truffle butter and hazelnuts, and a beef shin and barolo wine ragù with mafalde. MMMMMM how delicious do they sound?
You can pick from 1, 2, 3 and 6 month subscriptions. This is such a fun way to learn about Italian cuisine – ideal for any foodies in your life.
Best Sri Lankan Cooking Subscription Boxes: Little Big Flavour Kits
If you haven’t tried Sri Lankan food before, you’re missing out! We went on our honeymoon in Sri Lanka and one of the biggest highlights was the cuisine. This lovely British company specialises in Sri Lankan recipe boxes, delivered straight to your door. They contain all the spices needed as well as coconut milk and an optional chilli pack so you can make it as spicy as you like!
The menus are really intriguing. From pepper beef curry, beetroot curry and aromatic red lentils, to coconut rotis and punchy sambals, the menus sound very enticing! It’s a really great gift for any food lovers in your life, offering them the opportunity to eat their way around Sri Lanka from the comfort of home!
Best UK Coffee Subscriptions: Coffee Factory Coffee Club & Batch Coffee
Coffee Factory Coffee Club
I received a 3-month coffee bean subscription at the start of this year as a present, and it was such a treat. Each month a bag of fragrant coffee beans arrived in the post – like a little birthday every month! Even though I knew they were coming, it felt like a surprise when I saw them.
The Coffee Factory Coffee Club offers a range of subscription options, and you can pick from whole beans or ground coffee. Each month they send out two different high-quality bags of coffee to try, which are roasted at the company’s roastery in Devon.
From Brazil to Ethiopia, and Burundi to El Salvador, this is a really lovely way to explore the world through its coffee beans too.
Batch Coffee
While The Coffee Factory roast coffee that’s sourced from around the world, Batch Coffee shines a light on the amazing independent coffee roasters based in the UK. Did you know that there are well over 400 of them?! I didn’t until I got my first Batch Coffee subscription!
Each month you receive two bags of coffee (beans or ground) that are not only sourced from two different origins, but also roasted by two different independent roasters in the UK. It’s amazing the variety in flavour from different styles of roasting. One of my favourite parts about the Batch Coffee subscription is the QR code on the front of each bag. Scan it with your phone and you’ll be able to find out loads of info about the cup of coffee you’re brewing.
Best Meat Subscription Box: Meatbox
Meatbox offer several different subscription boxes for foodies, containing tasty salamis, hams and other cured meats, all produced right here in the UK. As well as some standard deli subscription box options, there are a few themed boxes too.
There’s a South African meatbox, containing the likes of biltong and droëwer, made using the very best of British meats. There’s also spicy meatbox, containing hot chorizo, chilli beef bites and searingly hot biltong.
There’s even a protein box which is packed with items that are high in protein and low in calories, great for those following a strict diet or exercise regime. What’s more, you can get £5 off your first order if you use the code ‘wanderlust‘ at the checkout (min spend £25).
Best Kids Cooking Subscription Box: Little Bakers Box
This is the kind of gift I would have loved receiving as a kid. The Little Bakers Box offer fun subscription boxes containing ingredients, recipes and activities for all the family. All the recipes have instructions that are really easy to follow and there’s often a slight healthy twist too.
Your little one could be baking anything from tasty cupcakes to brownies and healthy flapjacks. You just have to pick up a few basics such as eggs, butter and milk. There are even variations for gluten-free and dairy-free kids!
Best Beer Subscription Box: Beer For a Year Membership
I’ve bought beer subscriptions for a few of the men in my life, and they’ve gone down a storm. Best of British Beer offer a great club membership, where they send out four cases of 12 bottles of fine British beers across a year.
Each of the four collections has been put together to complement the season. One of the best things is that all of the beers are created by independent microbrewers. That means you’ll get to try something new and exciting throughout the year!
This is an amazing present for any beer lovers in your life!
Best Brownie Subscription Box: Brownie Club by the Shortbread Gift Company
Imagine waking up to find a delivery of a delicious flavoured brownie every month for a whole year? This is a thoughtful gift for anyone who loves sweet treats. The Brownie Club is good fun too, as the flavours are unlikely to be like any brownies you’d find in shops.
How about a Jaffa Cake brownie or a chilli chocolate brownie? The salted caramel brownie has got my name on it as has the mint choc chip brownie! No doub
The luxury gourmet baked brownies are baked to perfection. And don’t worry, they don’t arrive in a smashed up heap. They’re packaged carefully to protect the tasty cakey goodness. This subscription is also available as a gluten free option too.
Best Rum Subscription Box: Little Rum Box
One of my favourite gifts in a long time, I love spotting my rum subscription on the doormat when I get home! Each month I receive 2 x 50ml bottles of different rums through the post. The rums are made from all over the world and have a range of flavour profiles.
My personal favourites have been the spiced rums from the Caribbean – perfect for a dark n stormy! I like that each bottle comes with a special card featuring tasting notes, how to serve it and a section to write your own tasting notes too.
Best Chocolate Subscription Box: Letter Box Hampers Chocoholics Set
This sounds like a dream gift to receive in the post! Once you’ve joined you’ll receive a carefully chosen selection of milk and dark chocolate bars and treats from the UK’s best independent chocolatiers.
They include luxury bars from chocolatiers in Edinburgh, Devon, Cornwall and Bristol. One month you could be eating yummy milk chocolate buttons or vegan salted caramel dark chocolate… the next you’ll be munching on deliciously roasted and cacao dusted cashews or dark chocolate orange quality chocolate bars. It’s all wrapped up in a beautiful gift box, making this ideal for the chocoholics in your life. I’m not sure a box would make it far from the letterbox before I’d devoured the contents!
Best Bread Baking Subscription Box: Honeywell Biscuit Co. Bakers Club
Another amazing letterbox-friendly gift idea – The Honeywell Biscuit Co have launched a bread-making subscription box. You don’t need any previous experience to make the recipes. All the dry ingredients arrive each month by post along with an easy-to-follow recipe. You just need to add a few fresh ingredients like eggs and butter.
Rather than standard loaves, you could be making some interesting bread-based recipes including hot cross buns, bao buns, sourdough, pretzels and vivid rainbow bagels!
Best Sweets Subscription Box: Sweet Kreations
This is another of the best monthly subscription boxes in the UK right now, and it’s right up my street as I am a total pic’n’mix addict. You know, those delicious candies, jellies and boiled sweets you get at the cinema? There’s something about eating my way through a tub of cola bottles, foamy mushrooms and long gummy snakes that takes me back to being a kid.
These sweet subscription boxes arrive by post. You can select from 3, 6 or 12 month subscriptions. Each month a delicious box of sweeties is sent out containing a few classic varieties of sweet, plus something more unusual that you’ll probably have never tasted before. It’s reasonably priced and bound to put a smile on the recipient’s face.
The Best Green Subscription Box: Green Chef Box
Green Chef is a great option if you’re looking for a cooking box subscription that caters to specific diets. These meal kit subscription set offers 6 dietary preferences: Keto, Lower-Carb, Vegan, Vegetarian, Pescatarian and Flexitarian.
For however long you subscribe, you’ll receive ingredients to your door ready to make healthy diet-friendly meals! The company prides itself on being 100% carbon and plastic neutral, plus there’s zero waste as you use all of the ingredients you’re sent. I think this is a fab option for people who want an easy and healthy meal plan, and who are ethically and environmentally minded.
Best Cookery School Subscription: Smart School Of Cookery
This one doesn’t exactly squeeze into a box, but it’s the most amazing gift for any food lovers you know. I personally love attending cooking classes (I’ve done lots on my travels!) This subscription includes unlimited live stream sessions over three months from the top-rated Smart School of Cookery.
You’ll receive an email before each class with a list of ingredients to buy. You can follow the classes easily from the comfort of your home. There’s a chance for a Q&A session at the end too, so you’ll definitely improve your skills as you cook.
Best Tea Subscription Box: Blue Coffee Box
This three-month tea subscription is ideal for those who love a good cuppa! Each month you’ll receive three bags of luxury loose leaf tea, prepared by UK tea merchants. Each one is selected for your taste preference and fits perfectly through your letterbox.
You’ll have options including black teas, fruit teas and green teas. If you’re stuck in a tea rut, you’re guaranteed to discover a new tastes you like too!
Best Japanese Subscription Box: Bokksu Snack Subscription Box
When it comes to the best subscription boxes for foodies, this one is seriously special! If you’ve ever travelled to Japan, you’ll know how weird and wonderful the items are in the grocery stores. Bizarre flavours of crisps, strange sweets and odd snacks. Lots of it is super tasty, but it’s got that level of unusualness to intrigue you too.
Bokksu offer Japanese subscription boxes packed full of authentic and interesting snacks. Items in the first box (which showcases Japan’s four seasons) include:
Handmade Yuzu Sake Candy
Seaweed Tempura
Red Bean Crackers
Matcha Chocolate Stick Cake
Mochi Puffs
This is a great gift for any friends who love Japan, Japanese culture, or travel in general. Prices are in USD, but that can be changed at the top of the page and they ship to the UK for free.
Best Home Baking Subscription Box: Bakedin Baking Club
If you’re looking for a gift for someone who loves baking or cooking, then you’re in luck. This is one of the most popular baking subscription boxes available in the UK right now. The Bakedin Baking Club subscription boxes include a great recipe (approved by Michel Roux no less!) the exact dry ingredients and extras such as baking paper. It takes away the hassle of shopping for obscure ingredients, and saves time measuring everything out.
Forget basic Victoria sponge recipes, the baking club recipes are a lot more fun and creative.
Previous recipes have included chocolate honeycomb cake, whoopie pies, chocolate and caramel eclairs and banoffee cookies! Yummy!
Best Cocktail Subscription Box: Taste Cocktails Cocktail Kit
One of my best friends received this last year and recommended it. We’ve always loved making cocktails. They’re fun, creative and there are so many creations to choose from.
The Taste Cocktails Cocktail Kit includes a premium or craft spirit and a recipe booklet. There are instructions on how to make two classic cocktails, and a few other modern twists based on the classic.
Cocktails you could be shaking include: Espresso Martini, Margarita, Old Fashioned, Manhattans, Bramble, Long Island Iced Tea, Gin Martini and Mojito.
Best Wine Subscription Box: Marchtown Wine Subscription
When I think back to the first subscription boxes I remember hearing about, they were all wine clubs run by newspapers. My parents’ friends were members and talked about coiffing interesting wines from the ‘New World’ and ‘vintage Beaujolais’. I was too young to appreciate what they were talking about, but now I’d be first in line for a monthly wine subscription!
Marchtown (with their HQ up in Glasgow) is one of the best I’ve come across so far, offering a unique and diverse selection of wines from around the world. Each month you’ll receive 6 full size bottles of fine wine with personalised tasting notes and a guide written by their head of wine. Learning while drinking, what could be better? If you find some you really like, you get a 10% discount on future bottles too.
Brixton Wine Club
If you’re looking for a trendy style of wine, perhaps for someone a little younger, then definitely check out this fun canned wine subscription box! You can pick from 3, 4 or 6 cans per month, to be delivered over a 3-month period.
You can even select if you’d rather have a mixed case, or just red, white, rose or bubbles! With their great flavour and fun packaging, these wines are leading the way with a new generation. They’re also ideal when you just fancy a glass rather than cracking open a whole bottle!
Best Cookery Magazine Subscription: BBC Good Food Magazine
Time for something a little different! Rather than sending out a package of goodies each month, how about sending the gift of a food magazine subscription? This way your loved one will be armed with all the delicious recipes they need to cook up a storm!
BBC Good Food Magazine is one of the best out there. It’s released every month and has lots of seasonal recipes too. I think a subscription like this is ideal for food-lovers as each issue is packed full of inspiration.
I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about the best subscription boxes for foodies in the UK. Which one would you love to sample? Let me know!
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