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The holidays are here and if your gift list is longer than Santa’s, we’re here to help. The 2017 LLC Gift Guides will help you find the best gifts for everyone on your list leaving you time to spare to enjoy the twinkling lights and holiday festivities.  Today we’re satisfying the cravings of all the foodies on your list with our ideas for gifts for foodies.

Gifts for Foodies

Whether the foodie in your life loves to eat, bake or drink their obsession we have something for everyone on the list, most can even be sourced locally! Read on for some tasty food finds.

Gifts to Drink:

Craft sodas, tees and fermented beverages are all the rage right now. Have a foodie on your list that likes retro styling and interesting flavors, then Ginger Beer from Brooklyn Crafted should be in their stocking. Featuring the hot flavor of the moment: ginger, these small-batch, hand crafted drinks offer unique flavors to at least pique the interest of any foodie.

Available in four delicious flavors – Traditional, Earl Grey, Lemon & Lime and Mango – each authentic ginger beer variety is made with 100% fresh, unfiltered ginger pieces you can actually SEE. And while BEER is in its name, it’s in the sense of being brewed like a root beer, as these are non-alcoholic. My tween son is obsessed with craft sodas and thought the mango was refreshing.

Find them at Brooklyn Crafted.

Can’t get your hands on them? Check out the pantry at Cacao Treats & Sweets. The last time I was there she had a wide variety of hand crafted sodas and brewed drinks in stock.

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Gifts for your Healthy Friend

We all have that one friend who is “off  sugar” or trying to eat healthy. Good Zebra’s Spirit Animal Cookies have no refined sugars and 12 g of protein per serving. Even better they are so yummy! I love cookies, and I want them to taste like cookies, and these do not disappoint. Even the kids ate them and didn’t even know they were healthy! I’ve been keeping them in my purse to snack on at all the holiday potlucks to avoid the sugar-filled snacks.These aren’t your usual animal crackers either these are spirit animals — bears, owl, butterflies, etc.

Good Zebra Spirit Animal Cookies come in vanilla, chai and lemon and can be purchased online at GoodZebra.com and Amazon, as well as in specialty retailers nationwide, including Peet’s Coffee & Tea.

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For the Chef

Give their cooking a flavor boost with a gift box from Raw Spice Bar. With sets starting at $26 you can send them on a global adventure trying different curry (pictured), chilies, grilling or Asian sets. If your foodie is more of a baker, they have sets for that, too. You will also find starter kits for new chefs just building their pantry stock, too — a great gift for newlyweds. For a gift that keeps on giving beyond the holiday, sign up for a quarterly spice kit. Every three months the recipient will receive six freshly ground, seasonal spices and blends plus easy recipes.  Choose from Eat Anything, Healthy and Light, Vegetarian & Vegan or Paleo.

Heather reviewed Raw Spice Bar last year if you want to learn more about them.

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Quality Oil: Oh, Olive! {Libertyville} is your one-stop shop for foodies with a wide selection of olive oils, teas, and more. Not a foodie yourself? The staff here will steer you in the right direction and even help you create your own gift basket. The balsamic vinegar here will up your salad dressing game forever.

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For the Team

Send the school staff or your favorite teen who is always hungry the gift of snacks. Nature Box curates healthy and interesting snacks and sends them out on the schedule you choose. Choose how often, how many snacks and what types. A great gift for the school office or your work team.

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For the Localvore

For the foodie who likes to shop local:

Local Beer

Lake County is home to a great number of really amazing local breweries. No matter what your style, you are sure to find something that will surprise the receiver.

Want a great selection without driving all over Lake County? Check out the Craft Beer Store in Libertyville.

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Local Treats

Uniquely Sweet in Grayslake (also sold at Something’s Brewing) will satisfy the sweet tooth of anyone on list. From decadent chocolate treats to hand-dipped confections, there is something for everyone. The holiday shop here features decorative totes and trays as well as gift baskets and special boxes for shipping.

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For the gift to grab when you’re already out:

Specialty Sweets

Starbucks in Gurnee Mills has some unique flavored caramels that the foodie is sure to enjoy!  When you’re there for your mid-day pick up, grab a box to treat someone you love this season!

What are you grabbing for the foodie in your life this year?

Disclosure: Some links provided in this story are affiliate links. Little Lake County will earn a portion of sales made through these links and use them to run the site. Thank you for clicking! We were received samples of some featured products in order to facilitate the reviews mentioned in the story. All thoughts and opinions are our own. Placement in this guide was not paid for.