Here's a secret (not really) about food lovers: eating is about the experience. They want the story behind the sauce, the craft behind the chocolate, the tradition baked into every bite. So, when you're shopping for the foodie in your life this Christmas, forget the generic gift basket from the big box store. Instead, lean into what makes North Carolina special.
Because let's be honest—NC doesn't just do food. We do it with soul, history, and an unhealthy dose of regional pride. From the vinegar-based BBQ debates that can end friendships to the craft chocolate scene thriving in the mountains, our state serves gifts that are as distinctive as they are delicious.
This year, I'm sharing ten gifts that celebrate North Carolina's culinary heritage. These aren't just products—they're connections to place, to makers, to the people who turn local ingredients into something memorable. Whether your foodie leans sweet, savory, or somewhere in between, these picks will make them feel like they're unwrapping a little piece of NC itself.
1. Sam Jones BBQ Sauces & Spices Gift Set
Price Range: $30–$50
Where: Raleigh & Winterville
Let's start with the most North Carolina thing possible: BBQ. But not just any BBQ—we're talking Sam Jones, the whole-hog legend himself. This gift set captures Eastern NC's vinegar-based glory with sauces, rubs, and spices that'll make even a weeknight chicken feel like a pit-master special.
Why this matters: The Jones family has been perfecting their craft for generations. When you gift this set, you're not just handing over condiments—you're sharing a piece of NC's BBQ soul. And yes, it'll spark the Eastern vs. Western debate at your holiday table. Consider that a bonus.
Pro tip: Pair it with a handwritten note about your favorite NC BBQ joint. Make it personal.
2. Cheerwine in Glass Bottles
Price Range: $20–$30 for a 12-pack
Born: Salisbury, 1917
If you grew up in North Carolina, Cheerwine is nostalgia in a bottle. This cherry-flavored legend tastes like summer cookouts, Christmas gatherings, and every celebration in between. The glass bottles make it feel special, almost ceremonial. Your foodie can sip it straight, mix it into cocktails (hello, bourbon and Cheerwine), or even bake with it. Cheerwine cake is a real thing, and it's glorious.
Insider move: Grab a holiday bundle that includes koozies or other merch. Because nothing says "I get you" like branded swag for a cult-favorite soft drink.
3. Poppy Handcrafted Popcorn
Price Range: $15–$40 per tin or set
Made in: Asheville
Popcorn might not sound fancy, but Poppy isn't playing around. We're talking gourmet flavors like Salted Caramel, Pimento Cheese (yes, really), and seasonal stunners like Peppermint Bark. All made with natural ingredients, all crafted in Asheville—the city that basically wrote the book on artisan everything.
This is the kind of gift that disappears faster than you'd think. One handful turns into "just one more," and suddenly the tin is empty. It's snack-board-friendly, movie-night-approved, and conversation-starting.
Pairing suggestion: Match it with a local NC beer. The Pimento Cheese popcorn with a crisp lager? Chef's kiss.
4. Big Spoon Roasters Nut Butters
Price Range: $25–$45 for a gift pack
Handmade in: Hillsborough
Nut butter doesn't have to be boring. Big Spoon Roasters proves it with flavors like Bourbon Pecan (maple syrup and bourbon, need I say more?) and Chai Spice. These are small-batch, made with regional pecans, and so good you might catch your foodie eating them straight from the jar with a spoon.
This gift works for the baker, the toast enthusiast, or the person who just appreciates good ingredients done right. It's sustainable, it's local, and it connects to NC's nut farming roots.
Bonus idea: If your foodie also loves bourbon, tie this into a mini NC distillery tour suggestion. It's a whole vibe.
5. Spicewalla Spices Grill & Roast Gift Set
Price Range: $30–$50
Based in: Asheville
James Beard-nominated chef Meherwan Irani created Spicewalla, and this gift set is a masterclass in flavor. Premium spice blends for grilling, roasting, seasoning—basically everything your foodie wants to make their dishes taste better. Some sets even include a gift card to his Chai Pani restaurant, which is a whole experience on its own.
Asheville's food scene is all about fusion and creativity, and Spicewalla embodies that. Indian-inspired meets Southern comfort, with zero compromise on quality.
Content idea for your foodie: Challenge them to create a holiday dish using one of the blends. It's a gift that keeps on giving.
6. French Broad Chocolate Truffles or Bars
Price Range: $20–$60 for collections
Crafted in: Asheville
If your foodie has even a passing interest in chocolate, French Broad will blow their mind. Bean-to-bar, ethically sourced, and made with the kind of care that turns a simple truffle into an event. Holiday editions might feature peppermint or nut-infused options, and the packaging alone makes you feel fancy.
Asheville's craft chocolate movement is legit, and French Broad is leading the charge. This isn't gas station candy—it's the kind of chocolate you savor slowly, maybe with a glass of wine, definitely with intention.
Deep dive: Include a note about NC's growing chocolate scene. Your foodie will appreciate the context.
7. Piedmont Pennies Cheese Snacks
Price Range: $10–$25 per bag or box
Made in: Matthews/Charlotte area
These bite-sized, crunchy cheese pennies are the kind of snack that disappears at parties. Made from local Piedmont cheese and available in flavors like herb-infused or original, they're perfect for charcuterie boards or wine pairings.
Southern hospitality in snack form, basically. They're savory, they're addictive, and they represent the kind of regional pride that makes NC food special.
Serving suggestion: Pair with a NC wine (see #10) for a complete local experience.
8. Mrs. Hanes' Moravian Cookies
Price Range: $20–$50 for tins and gift packs
Made in: Clemmons
Here's where tradition gets real. Mrs. Hanes' has been hand-rolling Moravian cookies since 1920—and I mean actually hand-rolling them. "Artists in Aprons" using rolling pins and cookie cutters to create paper-thin cookies that practically melt on your tongue.
These are a North Carolina Christmas staple, with the bakery producing over ten million cookies annually, working through flavors like ginger, sugar, chocolate, butterscotch, lemon, and black walnut. The ginger crisps are the local Christmas favorite, but honestly, every flavor tells a story.
What makes this gift special: You can actually visit the bakery and watch through the viewing window as they roll out hundreds of pounds of dough daily. It's mesmerizing, it smells incredible, and you'll leave understanding why nothing beats handmade. This is a seventh-, eighth-, and ninth-generation family business working from a secret family recipe. That's not marketing—that's heritage.
Holiday bonus: These tins start getting packed in July because Christmas demand is that intense. Your foodie will get why the second they taste one.
9. Chef Alyssa's Kitchen Cooking Class Gift Certificate
Price Range: $75–$150 per class
Located in: Charlotte
Here's where we shift from products to experiences. A cooking class gift certificate from Chef Alyssa's Kitchen gives your foodie hands-on time with NC ingredients—seasonal veggies, fresh seafood, Southern flavors done right. It's educational, it's social, and it's way more memorable than another kitchen gadget.
Charlotte's food scene is thriving, and classes like these spotlight what makes NC produce special. Your foodie walks away with new skills, new recipes, and probably a few new friends.
Experiential > material: Sometimes the best gift is the one you do, not the one you unwrap.
10. Shelton Vineyards Wine Selection or Gift Certificate
Price Range: $25–$60 per bottle or set
Estate: Yadkin Valley
Let's close with wine, because NC's wine industry is having a moment. Shelton Vineyards offers estate-grown reds and whites, plus gift certificates for tastings and meals at their Harvest Grill restaurant. (Fun fact: they're famous for sonker, a traditional NC dessert that's like a deep-dish fruit pie.)
The Yadkin Valley AVA is gorgeous, the wines are legit, and this gift opens the door to a whole wine-and-travel conversation. Your foodie might just plan their next road trip around it.
Next-level move: Pair the wine with a suggestion to explore the Surry Sonker Trail. Food, travel, discovery, come on, it's all connected.
So, What’s the Story?
Here's what all these gifts have in common: they're rooted in place. They tell stories about the people who make them, the regions they come from, the traditions they honor. In a world of mass-produced everything, that matters.
Your foodie doesn't just want to eat—they want to connect. To understand where their food comes from, who grew it, who crafted it, why it tastes the way it does. These ten gifts give them that connection, wrapped up with a bow.
So this Christmas, skip the generic and go local. Support NC makers, celebrate regional flavors, and give gifts that actually mean something.
Now here's my question for you: What does your foodie value most? Is it tradition, innovation, or the story behind the plate? Because once you know that, you'll know exactly which of these ten gifts will hit home.