Food related gifts have climbed in popularity over the last 5 years, and if you’re stumped or at risk of getting someone another forgettable tie or smelly drugstore cologne—let startcooking help you out with some interesting ideas.

I’ve tried all of these vendors, and had great success. Where possible, we’ve even provided you with some money-saving discount codes that should work until Christmas 2007. So, don’t forget to cash in before you check out. (Please note: We do not make any commissions or money from any of these vendors, should you decide to purchase from them. We’re only providing this as a resource!)

1. Cookies:

• The Nutty Cookie: Home baked cookie and brownie treats that are sure to delight anyone with a sweet tooth. Use the discount code NJ10 and save yourself 10% off your order!

2. Popcorn:

• Popcorn Factory: Whether you believe it or not, people love getting huge tins of popcorn as a gift. You can really go gourmet, with a variety of popcorn flavors in interesting containers. Code NXTJ saves you 10% off of a $50 purchase.

• Hampton Popcorn: These guys have popcorn that is certified kosher for those of you giving Hanukah gifts. They’ve got great flavors, including chocolate. Code NJ7 gets you 10% off, plus free shipping.

3. Fish:

• Seabear Wild Salmon: For friends and family that are crazy about wild caught fish, try these folks out. They’re in Washington State. Salmon is the specialty of the house, but halibut, tuna and others are also available in a variety of styles including smoked.

• Lobster Gram: This is a truly memorable food gift with a set of lobsters delivered live directly to your recipient’s door with precise directions on how to cook them. Discount code NEXTJUMP saves you 10% off your order.

4. Cake:

• Cakes Across America: Who doesn’t like cake? If you can’t be at Aunt Polly’s holiday dinner in Memphis, then send her a cake with your very own sentiment on it. You can customize many of the cakes offered by this company. Heck, you can even put your own picture on it—Aunt Polly might love that! Discount code NJCP1006 scores you 10% off.

• Bake Me a Wish: Their Triple Chocolate Enrobed Brownie Cake is just $40, and you’re also doing good in the world, since 5% of your order is donated to the Make A Wish Foundation in the name of your recipient. You get 10% off simply by using the link we’ve provided.

5. Olive Oil:

• Alejandro & Martin Oils: If you’ve got a would-be chef on your list, then this is a lovely gift which will leave them thinking of you whenever they use it. They have lots of choice when it comes to bottle sizes and country of origin, including Greece, Spain, France, Australia and California. Exquisite and unique!

• Temecula Olive Oils: Temecula is a fascinating company that will ship a host of products made from olives, including food oils, spreads and soaps. For those with a serious olive passion, there is an oil-of-the-month club, too.

6. Chocolates:

• Nirvana’s Belgian chocolates are hot right now with many dark chocolate varieties that are heart healthy. These chocolates are so pretty that each one is a gift in itself. Save 15% by using discount code 25425.

7. Coffee/Tea:

• Specialty Coffee Roast: You can’t go wrong selecting some interesting coffees for those with a real taste for the organic bean. You can even enroll them in a coffee club for a few months, too. Use discount code ADA61BF6 to save yourself 20%.

• SpecialTeas: If you know someone who is a fan of loose teas, then this site will be one you’ll want to search for gift ideas. They have teas from all over the world, and offerings come in flavored, blended, and even decaf. Free shipping on all orders. Republic of Tea is another great source.

8. Wine:

• Every year, I get someone a wine gift, and My Wines Direct offers a nice selection. Get 15% off your order plus free shipping by using promo code Perks15.

• Wine.com: Another vendor I’ve used with great success, and code PERKS10 gets you 10% off your purchase. I’m particularly fond of their wine clubs, where you can give 3 months of wine for under $90 bucks to a lucky person on your list.

9. Cheese:

• Cheese of the Month Club: This gourmet club offers delightful cheeses from all over the world for that person that enjoys entertaining and has a penchant for gourmet goods. For under $30 bucks per month (minimum is 2 months), you can offer a really unusual gift.

10. Fruit:

• Edible Arrangements: It’s not your boring old fruit basket by any means. After getting one of these as a gift myself, I was shocked at how delightfully fresh, sweet and delicious the fruit was. I now give them to friends and family all the time—especially those that are health conscious or watching their weight. Don’t skimp on getting someone the chocolate covered fruit (particularly the strawberries!) They’re delicious! Coupon code BURK1231 saves you $3 off your gift.

11. Jellies & Jams:

• Granbury’s Best: For just $4.95, you can give someone a fresh, homemade jam from the state of Texas that totally rocks. There’s no preservatives or artificial flavors lurking around here—just all-natural goodness. I love blackberry jam, but hate to deal with the seeds. Granbury’s has a version with or without seeds. A mixed 4-pack is only $22.50.

12. Ice Cream:

• Dip & Ship: Packed in a specialized freezer box, you CAN give ice cream as a fun gift (just make sure to alert your receiver that a special surprise is coming on a designated day so it doesn’t sit out all day if you are shipping to warmer places.) Buckeye Blitz is loaded with peanut butter, nuts and chocolate. Yum! Graeter’s specializes in the French pot process, so you’re getting creamy goods.

13. Spices:

• Gourmet Salt: You wouldn’t believe the sheer variety of salts out there in totally groovy flavors. If you’re still using that tiny grained kitchen salt that you buy in the supermarket for sixty nine cents you are truly missing out on some killer flavor. Cool containers starting under $10 are offered here in wild colors: red, pink and black too!

• Spice Barn: You can put together a fantastic basket with the neatest spices and extracts on earth. I don’t make my banana nut muffins without a hint of their butterscotch extract for just $5.99. For $3.39, Spice Barn’s dill pickle seasoning rocks on microwave popcorn.

• HotSauce.com: If you know someone with a hankering for heat, then this site is for you. Everything having to do with hot and spicy sauces is housed here in one wonderful place. You can purchase anything from completely mild and benign to the craziest of extreme.

14. Cookbooks:

• eCookbooks.com: I can peruse this amazing site for hours on end with wild fascination at the number of cookbooks out there and available to us mere mortals. Everything from African cuisine to Amish desserts to Allergy-Free cooking is covered here at 20-30% off list price. Luckily, cookbooks make great gifts. Don’t forget to inscribe yours to the recipient, and hope they invite you over for dinner when they make something!

15. Restaurants:

• Restaurant.com: In the end, if you’ve got a family member or friend that just wants to eat, then you can choose from over 5,000 restaurants and get them a gift certificate for a meal where someone else can wash the dishes. Don’t be fooled into thinking that everything here is a chain. There are plenty of independent restaurants here to make anyone happy. The terrific thing about this site is that you can choose places by zip code, so if you’re buying for someone outta town, you’re set. And there are reviews, so you can make sure you’re selecting a solid local fave.

Happy gift giving!

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