Looking for a special gift idea? Consider locally grown and produced Idaho Preferred® gifts that are not only unique, but also support local agriculture and the economy.

DIY Baskets: Specialty food baskets are the perfect gift because they can be personalized for each person on your shopping list. Create a unique basket with Idaho specialty foods including jams, jellies, syrups, honey, soup and baking mixes. A breakfast basket including Cowboy Tom’s Flapjack mix, homemade jam or fruit syrups from D’arcy’s,   The Berry Ranch or Baker Ranch , huckleberry cocoa mix from Homemade by Dorothy and healthy, hearty Backcountry Bars will be sure to please the “morning person” on your gift list.  Create a more savory basket with Idaho Preferred Wagner mustard, Treasure Valley Salsa, hearty Barley Soup mix from Kauffman Farms and Zacca Hummus.  Don’t forget, local honey makes a great gift and ships well to friends and family from out of state to give them a sweet taste of local! Find a list of Idaho Preferred honey producers here.

For Beer Lovers: Why not get a little crafty yourself and put together a holiday gift basket that includes a six-pack of their favorite micro-brew from Sockeye, Edge or Payette Brewing, along with some local meats and cheese? Each brewery features a unique variety of craft beers including seasonal flavors. They also offer the option of filling a growler of beer currently on tap – make a growler basket your friends and family will enjoy refilling all year long!

The Wine & Spirit Enthusiast: Another great gift idea is an all-Idaho wine basket. It is easy to create a collection to please even the most discerning palate – from award-winning Riesling to rich and complex Tempranillo.  For a list of Idaho Preferred wineries click here or go to www.Idahowines.org.

If your adult friends and family are not wine and beer drinkers, consider an Idaho whiskey from 8 Feathers Distillery or a huckleberry vodkas from 44 North Vodka – perfect for holiday celebrations.

Cheese: Nothing quite completes a holiday gift basket like delicious Idaho cheese. Pair a block of cheese with any Idaho foods and beverage basket, or give an all-cheese basket like one of these special gift selections from Ballard Family Dairy and Cheese. For something unique, try the Idaho Golden Greek Grilling cheese. This delicious Halloumi-style cheese will brown in a skillet without melting and goes great on local bread drizzled with Idaho honey or a dollop of Baker Ranch raspberry jam. Try making this Grillin Cheese Appetizer for your own holiday party or include it on a homemade recipe card in your gift basket! Ballard’s also offers a wide range of other cheeses such as Idaho White Cheddar, Truffle Salt Cheddar, Pepper Cheddar, Swiss, Gouda, Feta, and several flavors of fresh cheese curds (squeaky cheese) that can be found at retailers throughout the state. You can find a complete list of these cheese here. Idaho cheese is also available at local retailers including Walmart and Whole Foods Market.

Bread: Let’s face it, we all love carbs. Breads and pastries also make excellent gifts during the holidays. Add some carbolicous local goodies to your basket with some delicious freshly baked bread from Zeppole, Alpicella or Great Harvest Bread Co.!

Chocolate: How could we forget chocolate?! Find decadent chocolate toffee from the Toffee Cottage in Emmett or amazing specialty chocolates made with Idaho ingredients from Weiser Classic Candy.

For the Suzy Homemaker: Do you have someone that loves to cook or bake on your list? Start with the Idaho Preferred cookbook that features over 100 recipes that use Idaho ingredients all grouped by season. Add some ingredients to their basket like Idaho flour from Idaho Grain and Flour Mills or Harvest Ridge Organics, local eggs from Vogel Farms, local honey, Idaho sugar, local apples, sweet potatoes and dairy products from Cloverleaf Creamery,  Darigold or Boise Milk. Add a touch of fancy and consider including Idaho sturgeon caviar, American style Kobe beef from M&N Cattle or 100% grass-fed and finished beef from Desert Mountain, lamb from Lava Lake Lamb or Gutierrez Family Farms.

Last Minute Local Gifts: No time to build a basket and need a gift in a pinch? Let Vogel Farms Country Market do it for you! Check out their fantastic selection of all-Idaho gift baskets here. Not really a gift baskety giver? Who doesn’t love a good gift card?! Run out (or even call, some restaurants take payment by phone) and grab a gift certificate to a locally owned restaurant that features seasonal, Idaho ingredients on their menu. Restaurants all over the state are supporting Idaho farmers and ranchers by serving local foods on their menus. Visit our list of local restaurants that serve an abundance of Idaho-grown foods. Do you know of a restaurant in Idaho that does an amazing job of sourcing local foods that you don’t see on our list? Please let us know by contacting Idaho Preferred Christmas Elf.

This year, give thoughtful gifts made from the highest quality foods and beverages, produced locally by Idaho farmers, ranchers, winemakers, brewers and specialty food producers. Happy holidays and local gift giving!

Order the Idaho Preferred Cookbook