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Thoughtful options to give this holiday season.
Credit:Better Homes & Gardens
Do you choose a basket of gourmet snacks to share together on date night?
Or a box of high-quality chocolate they can savor for weeks on end?
Consumers are looking for something that is unique and special.
Credit: Better Homes & Gardens / Laura Miller
If there are no terms and conditions, there is going to be a problem.
For more information on how we tested gift baskets, check outour testing processbelow.
Boarderie Happy Holidays Cheese & Charcuterie Board
Everything on the board is pre-arranged and ready to eat.
Credit: Better Homes & Gardens / Laura Miller
The serving board didnt feel high-quality.
We thought the food items in the basket were very high quality and delicious, particularly the cheeses.
The board is made fresh daily and offers free overnight shipping, which is rare for many gift baskets.
Our package arrived in perfect condition and the contents were still cold when we received it.
We thought the premade charcuterie board was ideal for quickly preparing for a holiday party or gathering.
The serving size is also generous, and the small board could easily serve four to six people.
It only includes four different flavors.
For the sweet treat connoisseur in your life, you cant go wrong with a box of cookies.
These cookies from Levain Bakery satisfied our sweet tooth, and we even had leftovers to save for later.
Each cookie is about the size of your palm, so they are large enough to share.
The smell of fresh cookies hit us before we even unwrapped the cookie bags in the tin.
During testing, we noted that the cookies were dense and tasted very fresh.
We found the chocolate flavors to be especially moist and delicious.
There are 10 assortments to choose from on the website, including a vegan and gluten-free option.
The products may vary depending on seasonal availability.
The flavor was light and not overly sweet.
We felt that the shipping fee was also reasonable, although it varies based on location.
Great American Popcorn Co. Staff Favorites Box
The brand offers affordable flat-rate shipping for the gift box.
The ingredients arent listed for each flavor, so it isnt ideal for people with dietary restrictions.
Our non-perishable popcorn shipped quickly and even arrived a day early.
Thanks to flat-rate shipping, we also thought the price was also very reasonable.
We thought the popcorn tasted very fresh and had a better flavor than store-bought popcorn.
Plus, each piece was flavorful and well-seasoned.
The popcorn is neatly packaged in resealable bags so you dont have to eat it all at once.
Harney & Sons Best Sellers
The teas are flavorful, and there is plenty to share.
It doesnt include a decaf option.
The Harney & Sons gift basket is perfect for the tea lover in your life.
We loved sampling the four tea options and having enough left over to share with guests.
Northbay Creameries Cheeseboard Basket
The basket offers an impressive variety of high-quality cheeses and snacks.
The shipping is costly in most states.
If youre looking for a splurge-worthy gift, this cheeseboard basket from Northbay Creameries is a great option.
The basket was also presented nicely with tight plastic wrap and tied with a bow.
Our basket also included a cheese knife, although this isnt listed in the product description.
The jam was not overly sweet and paired perfectly with the cheese.
The pancake instructions are not printed on the jar, so they are easy to lose.
This Stone Hollow gift box offers a curated selection of artisanal items to incorporate into your breakfast.
Credit: Better Homes & Gardens / Jessica Comstock
The basket was well-packaged in bubble wrap to protect the glass jars, so nothing arrived damaged.
We loved trying the jelly on crackers and toast to elevate an otherwise simple breakfast.
The box arrived with an ice pack, which kept the chocolates in perfect condition.
Credit: Better Homes & Gardens / Jessica Comstock
The box isn’t decorated like a traditional gift basket.
We were impressed with the quality of both the crumbly biscuits and the flavorful cheese.
Our box arrived within a week of ordering.
It looks more like a meal delivery kit box.
The wines are on the dry side.
Thiswine-and-cupcakes setis a fun and delicious gift for anyone with a sweet tooth.
The gift set includes six large cupcake jars in two different flavors: red velvet and chocolate ganache.
In our taste test, we thought the cupcakes were decadent, but not sickeningly sweet.
Both flavors were very moist with a rich flavor and creamy frosting.
We thought the cupcakes tasted fresh, like they were just baked.
The wine was just dry enough to balance out the sweetness of the cupcakes, so they paired perfectly.
However, the wine was not as sweet as we expected, particularly the moscato.
We were impressed by the quality and balance of flavors in each cupcake jar.
The cupcakes are large enough to share since each jar contains the equivalent of two regular-sized cupcakes.
The jars are reusable, and the box even comes with spoons to enjoy the cupcakes.
However, delivery is not available on Saturdays or Sundays.
Some items in the gift box were left out or substituted.
Thisluxury chocolate gift setoffers a variety of chocolate-dipped fruits and nuts that are suitable for vegan diets.
The box includes chocolate-dipped apricots, pineapples, coconut pieces, orange slices, almonds, and pecans.
The chocolates tasted fresh, flavorful, and high-quality.
The dark chocolate was sweet rather than bitter, and it paired nicely with the fruit varieties.
The chocolates were sizable but still bite-sized.
The chocolates were shipped with three reusable gel ice packs to keep them cool and prevent melting.
In our gift box, these items were substituted for candied ginger.
There was also no guide in the gift basket to identify the chocolates.
We werent impressed with the packages presentation, and we wish shipping were included in the price.
But once we opened the box, the desserts inside were ice cold.
Once wedug into the ice cream, we were impressed with its rich flavor and satisfying texture.
However, we appreciated how easy it was to recycle the box and contents once we were done.
Some of the candied fruit tasted lackluster.
The gift basket appeared identical to the photos online.
The dried fruit looked appetizing and bountiful, and the items were beautifully arranged on the tray.
We loved the flavor of the nuts and most of the dried fruit.
The nuts added saltiness to balance the sweet fruits, and the dried fruit was very flavorful.
The fruits were fresh, sweet, and left us wanting more.
However, we thought the dried apricots tasted somewhat lackluster and weren’t as flavorful as the other options.
Credit: Better Homes & Gardens / Laura Miller
The basket also included aresealable bagto keep the dried fruit and nuts fresh.
You cant choose which sweets are included.
TheCheryls Cookies gift boxis a crowd-pleaser for both large and small groups.
Credit: Better Homes & Gardens / Laura Miller
We loved the variety of cookie flavors and range of box sizes.
The gift box comes with an assortment of cookies, including five classic flavors.
However, we received 12 frosted cut-out cookies instead of 16 and 16 sugar cookies instead of 12.
The gift basket comes in several sizes, ranging from 12 to 200 cookies.
However, the pop in of cookies cannot be customized.
The cookies are individually wrapped, so they are easy to share with family and friends.
Each cookie was clearly labeled with its flavor and ingredients on the package.
Since they are individually wrapped, they can stay frozen until you are ready to eat them.
When ordering the gift box, we could select a delivery window but not a specific delivery date.
None of the cookies were crumbled or damaged when the box arrived.
Barnetts Deluxe Biscotti Gift Box
Coffee and tea drinkers will appreciate this addition to their morning routine.
Theres an additional shipping fee.
Theres nothing like enjoying a slice of crunchy biscotti alongside a steamingmug of coffeeor cup of tea.
Murray’s Cheese Greatest Hits
The cheeses are high-quality and pair well with the speciality jam.
It doesnt include any meat or fruit.
TheMurrays Cheese Greatest Hitsgift box is a dream come true for the cheese-lovers in your life.
It includes a generous portion of four different cheeses: gruyere, manchego, brie, and cheddar.
The cheese varieties were flavorful and distinct from one another, ranging from hard to soft cheeses.
All of the products tasted fresh, and we thought the cheese was very high quality.
With 1.5 pounds of cheese, the basket can easily serve six to 10 people.
The preserves had a delicious flavor that complemented the other food items in the basket, especially the crackers.
We enjoyed eating the crackers alone or with the cheese and jam.
The basket was packaged well to prevent damage to the items during shipping.
The pre-packaged items were labeled with nutritional information.
The cheeses are cut fresh from a deli, so they do not include nutritional information on the package.
he shipping fee raises the price of the box.
With a variety of exotic fruits, we thinkMelissa’s fruit basketis the best option for a flavorful gift.
This basket is perfect for the adventurous giftee to try fruits that are only available in tropical climates.
The box includes 7 to 8 pounds of fruit in total.
Since the fruits are perishable, the box must be shipped via second-day air.
Credit: Better Homes & Gardens / Erin Mayer
All of the fruits arrived intact except for one small piece of fruit that was cracked.
The pamphlet also explains how to eat the fruit and provides ideas on how to cook it.
Once the fruit ripened, it was very fresh and high quality.
Credit: Better Homes & Gardens / Erin Mayer
The fruit comes in a decorativewoven basket that can be reused and repurposedafter the fruit is eaten.
The decorative basket and the fruit were well protected with bubble wrap inside the shipping box.
It has more crackers and salami than cheese.
TheItalian Market Snacks Toteincludes a variety of flavorful items fit for a charcuterie board.
We thought the gift basket had a mix of salty and sweet items during our taste test.
During our taste tests, the artisanal crackers were crispy, thin, and flavorful.
The gift basket comes with two jars of spreads to try on the crackers.
Although we werent informed of the substitution before the basket arrived, the brand says substitutions may occasionally occur.
The mixed nuts were also very fresh and crunchy, complementing the saltiness of the caramels.
The sun-dried tomato spread was mild and smoky with a slight hint of tang.
The salami was hearty and had hints of garlic and fennel flavors.
The gift basket was well arranged, and the presentation was elegant inside the reusable container.
Overall, we liked the quantity and assortment of items included in the basket.
With seven different food items, the basket could serve four to six people.
The box is randomized, so you cant guarantee the products it includes.
ThePearl River Snack Attackmakes a great gift for people who like to try new foods from around the world.
The gift box offers Asian snacks with a range of flavors from sweet to savory.
During our taste tests, we loved the contrast between the fruity candies and spicy or salty snacks.
The wide variety of foods makes the gift box perfect for kids and adults alike.
With more than 10 items, the box includes enough snacks to share with family or friends.
The individual treats were also small enough to enjoy in one sitting, so they didnt go stale.
While we loved the variety of products, the box is not customizable since the items are randomly selected.
The chocolate brownies are slightly dry.
TheMagnolia Bakery Sampler Packincludes enough treats to serve an entire party for a birthday or other event.
The variety pack includes three flavors of pudding, four chocolate brownies, and four buttery blondies.
The pudding was the standout item of the basket.
We thought each flavor tasted fresh and gourmet due to the pleasant texture and rich flavor.
The treats looked just as appetizing as they appear in the photos, especially the pudding.
Overall, the price is spot on for the quality and quantity of food included in the basket.
The products were well-packagedin a cooler, and everything arrived intact.
Although its a bit of a splurge, we felt that it was worth it.
The protective wrapping made a mess when we initially opened the basket.
The only downside is that when we unwrapped the cellophane, it sent brown paper shreds everywhere.
But the protective wrapping did its job because none of the fruits were bruised in transit.
All the fruit was fresh and ready to be eaten right away.
Otherwise, some fruit may be overripe by the time your recipient gets to it.
Credit: Harney & Sons
Extreme weather might make these pears smaller than usual this year.
When is a box of pears more than a box of pears?
When it arrives at their doorstep fromHarry & David.
Credit: Better Homes & Gardens / Jamie Weissman
These sweet, juicy pears are an absolute delight.
Each pear in the 5-pound box is hand-picked and wrapped in tissue paper.
During the ordering process, we noted whether the shipping cost was clearly stated on the website.
We also looked for any additional or hidden fees.
When the baskets arrived, we assessed the quality of the packaging and presentation of the basket.
We noted if any products were damaged and if perishable items were still fresh.
We looked for baskets that had customization options like different sizes or flavors.
Additionally, some gift baskets may substitute items if something is out of stock.
Frazier recommends checking the companys policies on substitutions so you know exactly what you could receive in the basket.
The freshness of the food or beverages is crucial to the quality of the basket.
Particularly during holiday seasons, delivery may be delayed or take longer than usual.
Although the gift lacked presentation, it included an assortment of flavors that would satisfy an ice cream lover.
We were not impressed by the quality of the snacks in the basket, either.
The snacks arrived stale and didnt have a good flavor.
Additionally, the snacks we received were different from what was listed on the product description.
The offerings were high quality and delicious, but the crate broke in transit.
The box felt flimsy and cheap, making the gift less presentable.
We also liked the reusable basket and large jar of chutney it included.
However, we thought some of the prepackaged snacks were bland, particularly the almonds and cookies.
We didnt include it in our list due to the lower quality and freshness of some items.
Luckily, the food was all shelf-stable and safe to eat.
While this kept the popcorn fresh, it made it more difficult to share.
Your Questions, Answered
Can you return a gift basket?
Can you customize gift baskets?
Other brands will have preset options to choose from, so they arent as individualized.
Can food spoil in a gift basket?
Gift baskets should be shipped quickly enough to prevent spoiled food or reduced quality of the products.
In most cases, you’re able to return [a gift basket], Frazier says.
Its best for the consumer to take a picture to validate the problem with the gift basket.
Who We Are
Molly Blancois the senior writer forBetter Homes & Gardens.
What Is BHG Recommends?
Next to all of the products on this list, you may have noticed ourBHG Recommends seal of approval.
In these cases, we use the same testing criteria we use to test the purchased products.
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