family-foodieThe best holiday gifts are often those that encourage their recipients to pursue a passion or favorite hobby. Tickets to a ballgame might be right up a sports fan’s alley while the family globetrotter would no doubt love a contribution to his or her travel fund.

When gifting the family foodie, that one person who loves to cook or simply can’t get enough of his or her favorite cuisines, shoppers have a host of options at their disposal to ensure this holiday season brings a smile to their favorite foodie’s face.

· Spice rack: Few home cooks can get by without a vast selection of spices, so a spice rack that includes all the essential spices makes perfect sense for the family foodie. Some spice racks even come with several years’ worth of free spice refills, so do your homework and find one that will have your friend or family member spicing things up for years to come.

· Cooking lessons: Cooking lessons can be a great way for men, women and even children to cultivate their love for food. If your friend or family member prefers a specific type of cuisine, then find him or her cooking lessons where he or she can learn how to prepare and not just eat some favorite dishes. Cooking lessons also make a great opportunity to bond with a loved one. If you, too, want to expand your cooking horizons, buy your own lessons and go with your friend or family member.

· A night out: If your favorite foodie prefers his or her meals made by someone else, treat that friend or family member to a night out at his or her favorite restaurant. You can give a gift card to the restaurant or take this special someone out yourself and enjoy a great meal and great company to boot.

· Serving dishes: Many foodies not only love to eat but also love to serve up their favorite foods to family and friends. If your friend or family member has played host to guests many times in the past, surprise him or her with some new serving dishes. You probably have a sense of their serving style already, but if you don’t, make a mental note the next time you visit or simply buy them a gift card so they can buy whichever dishes they need to make their next soiree a success.

· Wine rack: A great bottle of wine completes a great meal, so why not buy your family foodie a place to store all of his or her bottles of wine? Wine racks can range from the simple, inexpensive standup models to more complex or expensive models that need to be installed. If the eventual recipient of your thoughtful gift rents rather than owns his or her home, avoid buying a wine rack that needs to be installed, as that might cause damage that will cost them some money when the time comes to move out. But if your friend or family member owns their home, then look for a wine rack that fits in with their established décor. You even can christen the new wine rack by supplementing your gift with a few bottles of your loved one’s favorite vintages.

With so many potential gifts to choose from, shoppers often find foodies are fun to shop for come the holiday season.