If You Are What You Eat,
What Kind of Food Hamper Makes the Best Gift?

Food hampers are a great gift to receive. There are many varieties out there so you are sure to find something to suit everyone's tastes. They are perennially popular at Christmas when food and drink is central to every social occasion but they can also make great gifts at other times of the year; Easter, Valentines, birthdays, weddings, thank you, get well soon, congratulations, corporate and leaving gifts.

They vary from hampers containing a selection of food and drink items, usually luxury items specially sourced for their quality. The recipient may not buy these items every day but it is this fact that bestows 'treat' status onto food hampers. A recipient can't help but feel special if they are presented with fantastic items such as champagne, wine, truffles, smoked meats, fine cheeses, spirits and liqueurs. If you are unsure as to the recipient's personal tastes it is a good idea to go for a hamper with a wide variety of items. If you know your recipient is a connoisseur of a particular item you can purchase themed hampers that focus on one product or a small number of complimentary items, for example wine and cheese, chocolate, whiskey and cigars. You can find hampers that only contain organic foods, savoury or sweet items, or seasonal treats commonly eaten at Christmas.

Some companies will allow you to make up a hamper to your own specifications, this way nothing will go to waste if you can exclude items someone may dislike or may even be unable to eat due to dietary restrictions. They may also supply ready made vegetarian, diabetic or coeliac friendly hampers. If you are sending a food hamper as a gift for someone who is recovering from illness you might like to consider a fruit hamper which will supply an abundance of nutritional benefits. Valentines hampers should of course contain plenty of food with aphrodisiac qualities such as caviar, chocolate, figs, ginger, honey and truffles. If you are giving a birthday hamper don't forget to include a birthday cake! Or send someone back to their childhood with a retro sweets hamper full of boiled sweets, space dust and sherbet.

As a luxury gift food hampers should be presented beautifully, the best ones come in a high quality basket or box and all the trimmings. If you are making up a bespoke hamper some companies will be able to brand the packaging with your own logo, for example if you were giving a corporate gift. You could go out on a limb and give a hamper full of luxurious and exotic items your recipient may never have tried before. The pleasure will be in discovering something different and acquiring new tastes. An adventurous aspiring foodie might appreciate this type of hamper.

If you are what you eat, the perfect hamper should try to reflect the recipient's personality, provide a touch of luxury and fun and cater for any dietary requirements they may have, but they are a treat and an indulgence so don't worry too much about the calorie count!