Gifts For Food-Loving Graduates

With high school and college graduations in full force throughout May and June, it can get a little overwhelming trying to pick out the perfect gift(s): one that's going to be fun, yet useful, and also incite excitement about the future prospects and adventures that lay ahead. Well, if you have a graduate who happens to love food (or want to adequately prepare a high school graduate for college dorm life), then stress no more. We've rounded up some gifts that we think would be best for all kinds of food lovers out there.

From basic cookbooks to cool kitchen gadgets for more advanced cooks, we're positive you'll find the perfect gift(s) to give this graduation season. (They also work for birthdays too!)

Basic Cookbooks

The Joy of Cooking by Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker, and Ethan Becker: Whether it sits pretty on the bookshelf or gets covered with sauces and food, this is a classic book that deserves to be in every kitchen. 

How to Cook Everything by Mark Bittman: A fantastic reference, this cookbook provides easy-to-follow recipes and cooking ideas for both novice and advanced cooks. For vegetarians, try Bittman's  How to Cook Everything Vegetarian.

On Food and Cooking by Harold McGee: A good choice for the science-oriented food lovers.

Martha's Baking Handbook by Martha Stewart:  Let the baking queen teach beginners how it's done.

More Advanced and Specific Cookbooks

The One-Block Feast by Margo True and the staff at Sunset Magazine: Perfect for the D.I.Y. graduate who wants to learn how to raise cows, chickens, and make their own honey — best if they live in California. (Plus delicious recipes like the one pictured left.) 

My Bread by Jim Lahey: Great recipes from New York's bread and pizza master. 

The Essential New York Times Cookbook by Amanda Hesser: Released in 2010, this massive book is a collection of over 1,400 recipes plushed in the Times since 1850. Included in it are recipes like Alice Waters' Baked Goat Cheese Salad.

Salted by Mark Bitterman: A passionate manifesto about salt, this fabulous encylopedic-like book also comes with fantastic recipes like the one pictured left. (You can also pair this gift with the salts from his store listed below.)

Tender by Nigel Slater: For eaters whose diets are mostly based on vegetables, this book from English writer Nigel Slater is perfect. Beautiful writing, stunning photography, and fantastic recipes make this book a great gift — just be warned that it's quite heavy and large.  

Plenty by Yotam Ottolenghi: Fresh, creative vegetarian dishes from the UK writer, this cookbook is perfect for both vegetarians, carnivores, and locavores. 

For the Aspiring Food Writer or Blogger

The Art of Eating by MFK Fisher: A compilation essays by M.F.K. Fisher, this book is a must-read for any food lover or writer.

Home Cooking by Laurie Colwin: An exceptional food writer, almost any book by her will be a pleasure to read.

Tender at the Bone by Ruth Reichl: A humorous memoir from the former Gourmet Editor-in-Chief, Reichl vividly describes her childhood and her relationship with both food and her mother in an almost addicting way. (A quick read mostly because it will be hard to put down once you start.)

Canon Rebel T1i: A good quality camera that's on the lower end of the high-end camera market, this one is recommended by our Photo (and Drink) Editor and is a great gift for anyone wanting to start their own website or blog. 

For College Dorm Rooms

A compact refrigerator makes a great gift for dorm rooms so that students can store snacks and food in their room without fear of it being eaten in the common room fridge. 

When you're away from home without mom or dad to take care of you, an electric tea kettle comes in handy to quickly heat up some water for tea, but it also works well to quickly heat water when steaming vegetables or boiling water for pasta. 

can openers are necessary for opening canned products like beans or corn. (Photo courtesy of Wikipedia Commons/Evan Amos)

Simple plates, bowls, mugs, glasses, and cutlery: Buying these basics from somewhere like Target makes for a great gift.

 Microwave or Toaster Oven: If allowed in his/her dorm room, either of these is a clutch piece of equipment to have. 

First Apartments

Many of the above gifts for high school graduates also apply to college grads first apartments, like the electric tea kettle, plates, bowls, glasses, cutlery, toaster oven, etc. But here are a few more to add to that list.

: With a chef's knife, paring knife, and serrated utility knife, this high-quality Japanese set of knives will start your aspiring cook on the right foot. (Photo courtesy of Williams-Sonoma)

All-Clad 12-Quart Pot: One that comes with a steamer basket so that it can be used for pasta, cooking vegetables, or making soup is key. This multi-purpose tool comes in handy especially with the size of most first-year-out-of-college apartments. 

All-Clad Delux Slow Cooker: The best part about a slow cooker like this is you can literally throw a bunch of ingredients in the pot in the morning, turn it on, and have a delicious dinner when you return home. Perfect for grads who would otherwise be ordering in or getting fast food takeout after a long grueling day (cut them some slack, they just graduated college and probably aren't used to working life quite yet). (Photo courtesy of Williams-Sonoma) 

Cast-Iron Skillet: A chef-recommended tool, this pan retains heat well, is a great heat conductor, and can be used on the stovetop and in the oven.

An Anthropologie apron: OK, maybe this might be more suited for girls, but you can definitely find some aprons that are male appropriate out there.

Microplane: Great for zesting citrus or grating cheese, this tool will be used often in the kitchen (and is quite durable).

Premium Margaritaville Frozen Concoction Maker: Turn on some Jimmy Buffet and get the housewarming party going, there's no doubt that this machine won't go to waste.

More Advanced Cooks

For the graduate who was the cook of the house during college and already has a reputation to uphold, try some of these fun tools and kitchen appliances.

Salts from The Meadow: Paired with the Bitterman's book above, these salts range in color, smell, and taste. Order them online, or if you happen to be in either Seattle or Manhattan, step into the store to pick from one of over 120 salts sold there. (Photo courtesy of The Meadow)

Vita-Prep Blender: With a motor so strong that it can 'cook' a soup, any experimental cook will have fun with this piece of equipment. 

Bamix Immersion Blender: Instead of having to transfer soups to a blender during cold winter nights, the recipient of this lovely machinery will be able to perfectly purée soups in the pan, cutting down on time and dishes. (Photo courtesy of Williams-Sonoma)

Le Creuset Square Grill Pan: Perfect for grilling indoors, this tool makes cooking chicken, steak, fish, or vegetables easy. (Photo courtesy of Williams-Sonoma)