The best foodie stocking fillers for Christmas 2023

Popham’s x Selwyn House dough scraper
If you know a bread baker, then this from London bakery and pasta restaurant Popham’s is an excellent tool to pop into their stocking. A sleek, stylish and functional dough scraper, from people who know more than a thing or two about handling laminated and enriched dough… Available from Popham’s home (£28.50).

Almond croissant tree decoration, Sous Chef

So many retailers are selling foodie tree decs now, and it’s easy to see why the kitsch adornments have caught on: they are just so cute. We particularly love this almond croissant option from Sous Chef and Fortnum and Mason’s are also top quality, with many made in Amsterdam by Vondels, including a beautiful glass fig one, so you can be sure they’ll last a lifetime. One of these inside a stocking is a certified mood-lifter on Christmas morning. Available from Sous Chef and Fortnum and Mason.

Fly by Jing condiments
This tasty trio would make an epic gift that a recipient could try on Christmas morning. Our highlight: the tangy Zhong sauce, is traditionally for dumplings but spectacular on scrambled eggs or ramen too. The chili crisp is wonderfully tingly and the Mala spice blend brightens fried chicken, roasted veg and popcorn. Available from Whole Foods Market (£18.99).

Tajín margarita rim tool
This from cult Mexican spicy salt brand Taijin is incredibly clever. It’s a lime squeezer with salt inside, so you can squeeze your lime juice into the salted implement and create the perfect rim for your margarita cocktail. Nifty, and something the recipient definitely WON’T already have. Available from Mex Grocer (£3.33).

Crispy Caribbean Chilli Crack

For the lover of all things spicy who has tried every hot sauce, this from DELLI is available for Nationwide delivery and takes the best of Chinese chilli crisp and Caribbean seasoning to create an excellent condiment indeed. Try it on pizza, salads, grilled vegetables, meat and fish. Available from DELLI (£6 for 240g).

Pasta baubles
Pasta lovers will be keen on these excellent tree adornments from Pastaio, designed by artist Jenny Dyson! Choose from “Deck the halls with ravioli” or “Have a very penne Christmas” and smile all season long. Available from Pastaio (£15).

Rita’s spice rubs

The hot new(ish) London restaurant of 2022, Rita’s in Soho does Americana fare with precision and aplomb, and can now be brought home with you in the form of these wonderful spice mixes. Whip them out to marinate meat and fish in, or use to season your roasted veg. The Old Buoy Seasoning is wonderful added to chillies and tinga taco dishes, or even to pep up your devilled eggs. Available from Rita’s Dining (£19.50 for 3).

Tinned smoked oysters

There’s tinned fish, and then there’s these: smoked oysters from the estuaries of Galicia. Don Reinaldo only harvest if the season has been good, so it’s top marks for sustainabiliy. The flavour is rich, subtely smoky and super smooth, without any of the scary salt-water panic of eating an actual fresh oyster. These would be a delight to find in a stocking on Christmas morning, and are perfect eaten on delicate canapés with a cream cheese base, or stirred through pasta with olive oil and herbs. Available from The Tinned Fish Market (£14.80).

ProCook’s measuring spoons

ProCook’s golden measuring spoons will bring the bling to your recipient’s cooking sessions. At just £6.95, they’re a great stocking filler. Available from ProCook (£6.95).

Two Hot Asian’s Papa Yeoh’s Sambal

This sambal (a spicy Malaysian condiment) is made lovingly by Two Hot Asians (Ana Da Costa and Emily Yeoh) in their home kitchens. Their big claim, that they make “the only hot sauces you need in your life” might sound like a stretch, but this is incredibly moreish, savoury and delicious on everything from meat or rice to pasta. Available exclusively on DELLI Market’s app (£7), whose mission is to help everyone buy from local, independent food makers.

Pistachio oil

There is no base oil in this French pistachio oil from La Tourangelle. It is made simply with virgin and refined pistachio oils making it fantastic for dressing dishes, including salads, grilled meat and fish and also for use in pistachio sauces like this pesto with roast chicken or in place of some olive oil in this pistachio cake. Slip one in their stocking, you know you want to! Available from Whole Foods Market and Sous Chef (£15.59).

Stambecco amaro miniature with glass

You can’t say fairer than this diddy portion of Stambecco cherry amaro with a gorgeous bubble effect cocktail glass at such a bargainous price. The spirit makes for the perfect Manhattan, just add a maraschino cherry. Available from Amazon (£6.99).

Pastaio tee shirt
Roll up one of these into your foodie loving friend’s stocking and they’ll be your biggest fan. Designed by independent artists and available in multiple different pasta-themed designs, these tee shirts are as soft and sustainably made as they are pretty. Available from Pastaio (£29).

Leone Gianduiotto Cremoso
Nutella fans: listen up. There is only one word to describe the joy when we tasted this hazelnut spread from Leone, and it’s: OMG. The hazelnut chocolate spread cream tube gets its flavour from Piedmont hazelnuts which make up 45% of the spread, with the other 55% coming from Leone’s own chocolate. Made in Turin, this is truly a superior topping with which to adorn your toast, but we’ve also heard a little bit is delicious squeezed into your coffee, if you can stop yourself from just tasting it straight from the tube! A top tier stocking filler. Available from Sous Chef (£6.50).

Fruu… lipbalms
Pucker up on Christmas Day with these gorgeous lip balms from Fruu… a pleasing stocking filler. Available in watermelon, mango, coconut, avocado and cherry flavours, they are made from unloved fruit byproducts from oils extracted from the seeds of fruits, meaning unsustainable petro chemicals often used in lip balm production are not needed. Imporantly, they are REALLY good lipbalms, that keep lips as smooth, soft and well-lubricated as more widely available lip balm brands. And they smell fab too. What’s not to love? Available from Fruu… (£4 each).

Horoscope tea tin

These from Bird & Blend are a bit of fun – a tin of tea designed for your horoscope sign. Each tin offers a different flavour, with either a black, rooibos, herbal or green tea base. Available from Bird & Blend (£20).

Hermanos Coffee Roasters Tasting Kit

Hermanos coffee roasters support Colombian farmers and communities and this collection of six of their best beans (whole or ground) will let joe drinker in your life explore their full gamut of flavours. Available from Hermanos Coffee Roasters, £28.