Gift guide Gifts for vegan foodies
Gift guide · Vegan
Quick answer: The best gift for a vegan foodie is a full board they can eat: 15 Show-Stopping Plant-Based Boards (paperback $18.99) has fifteen boards with no meat and no dairy. Add a vegan cheese worth serving, like Boursin Dairy-Free, and a jar of Castelvetrano olives.
Giving a paperback? Amazon shows the delivery date at checkout. For Christmas, aim to order by mid-December.
Vegans spend a lot of parties eating the grapes off someone else's cheese board. A plant-based board gift says you thought about them specifically. Everything below is vegan; we've left honey off the list on purpose.
Prices are typical ranges, checked October 2026. We have no paid relationship with any brand below. We wrote the Charcuterie Lab books. Always check labels; recipes change.
| Pick | Best for | Price |
|---|---|---|
| 15 Show-Stopping Plant-Based Boards | Best overall | $18.99 |
| Boursin Dairy-Free Garlic & Herbs | Best vegan cheese | $6–9 |
| Mezzetta Castelvetrano olives | Best jar | $5–9 |
| Dalmatia Original Fig Spread | Best spread | $6–9 |
| Marcona almonds | Best snack | $8–14 |
| Tony's Chocolonely Dark Chocolate 70% | Best sweet | $5–8 |
| Slate cheese markers with a chalk pen | Best for the host | $8–14 |
| An acacia wood serving board | Best board | $20–35 |
| A 3-piece cheese knife set | Best tool | $12–20 |
| A set of small dip bowls | Best practical | $14–22 |
Best overall
Paperback $18.99 · ebook $9.99
Fifteen boards with no meat and no dairy, each with a shopping list, a step-by-step build and the pairing science, so the board looks as full as any other. More about the book
Best vegan cheese
Typically $6–9
Our top-ranked vegan cheese for a board: spreadable, garlicky and close to the original. Best vegan cheese, ranked
See it on AmazonBest jar
Typically $5–9
Our top-ranked olive: bright green, buttery and mild enough for people who say they don't like olives. Best olives, ranked
See it on AmazonBest spread
Typically $6–9
Our top-ranked fig jam: thick, seedy and not too sweet. Best fig jam, ranked
See it on AmazonBest snack
Typically $8–14
Spain's rounder, softer, butterier almond, fried in olive oil and salted. Best Marcona almonds
See it on AmazonBest sweet
Typically $5–8
Our top-ranked dark chocolate for a board. Break it into shards next to the blue cheese. Best dark chocolate, ranked
See it on AmazonBest for the host
Typically $8–14
Little slate flags to label each cheese, so guests stop asking what everything is.
See it on AmazonBest board
Typically $20–35
Dense, affordable hardwood with a warm grain. Look for 16 inches or longer. Wood vs slate vs marble
See it on AmazonBest tool
Typically $12–20
One soft-cheese knife, one spreader, one pointed knife for hard cheese. That covers every cheese on a board.
See it on AmazonBest practical
Typically $14–22
Jam, mustard, olives and nuts need small bowls, and most kitchens have two at most.
See it on AmazonAbout $50–72
A board, a vegan cheese worth serving and fifteen boards to build around it.
A plant-based board book, a vegan cheese worth serving, good olives, fig spread, Marcona almonds or dark chocolate. Check labels, since some chocolate and spreads contain milk or honey.
In our ranking, Boursin Dairy-Free Garlic & Herbs. Violife Mature Cheddar is the best value, and Rebel Cheese Brie is the splurge.
Usually. Dalmatia Original Fig Spread is figs, sugar and pectin. Some jams use gelatin or honey, so check the label.
Many dark chocolates are, but not all. Some contain milk fat or are made on shared lines, so check the label before you give it.
Yes: 15 Show-Stopping Plant-Based Boards has fifteen boards with no meat and no dairy, available as a paperback and an instant ebook.
Free printable
Tuck it inside the book. There's a space to write which board you'll make together, so the gift comes with a date on the calendar. Two cards per page, prints on plain paper or card stock.
Enter your email and the download appears on the next page. You'll also get the Lab Report newsletter; unsubscribe any time.
