Best teacher gift ideas
Show a teacher your appreciation with a small gift like chocolate, coffee, or homeware. Alternatively, make your own present with our craft ideas.
Treat a teacher to something special at the end of the school year to show your appreciation for all their hard work. We've rounded up some of our favourite food gifts, including food, drinks, cookbooks and homeware.
Perhaps your little one wants to help make a present? Try one of our easy garden crafts to make a rustic photo frame, cheerful flower pot or an adorable painted rock. Or simply make a cute figure out of salt dough and hand-paint it.
Looking for even more gift inspiration? Cater to a teacher’s hobbies with our baking gifts, cheese gifts or chocolate gifts. If your teacher is eco-conscious, see our pick of the best sustainable gifts for homeware and kitchen essentials.
Teacher gift ideas
1) Keepr's honey gin
A unique bottle to say ‘thank you’. Keepr’s specialise in spirits infused with British honey sourced from more than 275 of their own hives. Among the range is a London Dry gin, spiced rum, bourbon, or our favourite, a British raspberry and honey gin. The taster gift box makes a lovely present to start experimenting.
Available from British Honey (£28)
2) Taylors of Harrogate tea selection box
Who doesn't love a nice warming cup of tea in the afternoon? This selection box from Taylors of Harrogate is a great gift as there’s something here for everyone. The box comes with English breakfast, earl grey, chamomile, peppermint and more. With 48 teabags at just £10, this is a great value for money.
3) Monin coffee syrup gift set
Make those early mornings a little sweeter for teachers with this set of five syrups, ideal for recreating coffee-shop favourites at home. With vanilla, hazelnut, gingerbread, caramel and amaretto syrups to choose from, there are plenty of opportunities for mixing it up.
Available from:
4) Fortnum & Mason sparkling rosé tea
For celebrating the end of the school year, there are great booze-free bottles available. This sparkling tea has ripe peach flavours, a subtle green-tea grassiness and very slight bitterness which adds complexity. A chilled glass would go down well on a hot summer's afternoon.
For more inspiration, see the best non-alcoholic drinks.
Available from Fortnum & Mason (£16.95)
5) Tiptree jams & marmalade tasting selection
Treat your teacher to a decadent jam selection so they can sample a wide range of flavours and find their favourite. Classic brand Tiptree offers a wide selection including strawberry, orange, raspberry, apricot and more. With twelve flavours, coming in at under £15, this gift set is a good-value option.
Available from Amazon (£14.85)
6) Union house blend ground coffee
If you know a teacher who’s a big coffee fan, keep them stocked up over the summer. Buy luxury grounds like this house blend from Union. It’s a bold drink with a deep natural sweetness that every coffee lover is sure to enjoy – and budget-friendly, too, at under £5.
7) Willie’s Cacao Sea Salt Caramel Pearls
You can’t go wrong with a box of choccies and these beauties are caramel-filled, seasoned with flakes of Cornish sea salt and wrapped in 70% dark chocolate.
Available from:
8) S'well reusable water bottle
A thoughtful gift for anyone who lives life on the go. Not only is this reusable water bottle super-stylish, its clever design means it keeps drinks cold for 24 hours and hot for 12, without creating condensation on the outside. We love the speckled moon design, which mimics the look of ceramics, or this cheerful floral print, but there are plenty more to choose from on the S’well website.
For more products, see the best reusable water bottles.
Available from:
9) Green & Black’s organic tasting collection
This tasting selection provides a great chance to sample the extensive range of flavours offered by prestige chocolate brand Green & Black’s. Flavours include toffee, ginger, almond, sea salt and hazelnut & currant. We particularly love the butterscotch flavour, which is full of toasty, sweet notes. The gift box includes a larger dark chocolate bar, tasting notes, and recipes to use your chocolate.
Available from:
10) Baking subscription
Know a teacher who’s a keen baker? Whether they love making bread or cakes and other sweet treats, we have a range of baking subscriptions to fit their interests. Try a three-month deal from BakerBoxx (£35) or BakedIn (£35) to keep them busy over the summer.
See our baking subscription review
11) Anthropologie bistro tiled coaster
Spruce up someone’s desk with this gorgeous tiled coaster from Anthropologie. The monogram on the front is a nice personal touch, plus they’ll always know which mug is theirs in the staff room! The art deco style is a timeless and stylish design, sure to take their cuppa to the next level.
Available from Anthropologie (£10)
12) Upcycled hydro-herb kits
Science teachers will love these hydro-herb kits made from upcycled wine bottles. The slim, vertical design will fit on a desk or classroom windowsill. Plus, the lack of soil guarantees a mess-free experience. Choose from a variety of garden herbs, including basil, dill, parsley, thyme, mint, oregano, tarragon and coriander. This gift is equal parts fun and educational.
13) Crosstown Doughnuts
Reward a teacher with a sweet tooth with a decadent box of Crosstown doughnuts – that they don’t even have to share with the staff room! Take your pick from different selection boxes of 6 or 12 doughnuts, including the favourites, classics or vegan selections. We love the peanut butter and jam, but the unusual lychee and raspberry or chipotle mango mean there is a flavour for everyone.
Available from Crosstown Doughnuts
14) Oliver Bonas cocktail shaker
Stand out from the crowd and present this elegant cocktail shaker that adds a touch of luxury to Friday night drinks. Made with patterned glass and a gleaming golden lid, this is for a glamorous teacher.
See more cocktail gifts including glasses and pro tools.
Available from Oliver Bonas (£22.50)
15) Chocolate subscription
A subscription service is the ultimate treat for a chocacholic. We break down the best from fan-favourite brands like Cadbury to Green & Black’s and more. We’ve included options with customisable plans so you can decide the length of subscription to best suit your budget.
See our chocolate subscription review
16) The Goodness Project healthy snack & tea box
A nice pick-me-up gift for anyone who enjoys herbal teas and healthier snacks (think fruit & nut bars and healthy flapjacks), this letterbox-friendly package contains five teas and five snack bars. All the products are free from dairy, gluten and refined sugar, and are vegetarian and vegan-friendly. We especially love the Ombar ‘mylk’ chocolate bar and DragonFly calming bedtime tea.
Available from The Goodness Project (£9.95)
17) Fortnum & Mason sundae teabags
Let your teacher be the envy of the staff room with these sundae teabags from Fortnum & Mason. Fragrant green tea is combined with strawberry, mango and pineapple for a unique cuppa.
Available from Fortnum & Mason (£6.95)
18) Cake or Death vegan brownies mixed box
Who doesn't love brownies? You’d never guess that these super-fudgy squares are vegan, too. The mixed box includes two sea salt, two peanut butter and two Lotus Biscoff brownies, and comes in a gorgeous (and letterbox-friendly) pink animal-print box.
For more treat ideas, see the best brownie, cookie and cake deliveries.
Available from Cake or Death (£19)
19) Joyhill eco lunch bag
Teachers will love to pack their lunch in style with this ec0-friendly lunch bag. It’s insulated so great for keeping food fresh, including tall items and sandwiches – just pop an ice block in with the food on a hot day. It’s a present they’ll be sure to use over and over again.
20) Mojave glaze grey mug
Bring a little joy to your teacher's tea or coffee break with this beautiful ombre-effect glazed mug. It’s a generous size, and dishwasher- and microwave-safe. The ombre effect created from the reactive glaze results in subtle variations in colour, so each one is unique and will look great on teacher’s desk.
Available from Ella James (£14)
21) Booja-Booja chocolate truffles selection
Fan-favourite chocolate brand Booja-Booja offers a selection of its classic vegan-friendly truffles for just under £10. The squares of organic dark chocolate are full of rich flavours, including roasted hazelnut, gooey salted caramel, toasted almond, stem ginger, tangy rhubarb, and bold Mexican coffee. The selection includes 16 truffles, offering great value for money.
Available from:
22) M&S rose plant gift set
Flowers, biscuits and tea – this M&S set will surely raise a smile. To be precise, a pretty pink rose plant comes in a package with buttery shortbread and a tin of luxury gold tea for the ultimate tea break.
23) Speedy MOB: 12-minute meals for 4 people by Ben Lebus
The new go-to for anyone who loves food but lacks time, the latest book from the Mob Kitchen team is all about creating flavour-packed dishes, fast. Each of the 75 recipes can be made from start to finish in just 12 minutes (yes really – we’ve tested several of them). It features creative dishes like curried coconut chickpeas on toast, cheat’s dan dan noodles and elderflower Eton mess cheesecake, with plenty of time-saving hacks. (Pavilion Books)
Available from Amazon (£11.27)
24) Sous Chef gift voucher
Vouchers are always a great gift. If your teacher is a foodie, they’ll love one from Sous Chef, which carries everything from specialty ingredients to impressive dinnerware. Any home chef will love decking out their kitchen with quality kit, perhaps bread-making supplies, Japanese chef’s knives or pasta makers. Gift vouchers range from £10-£100.
Available from Sous Chef (from £10)
25) Decent Drop cheese and wine box
Give the gift of a luxurious night in with a generous box of cheese and wine from Decent Drop. We love their cheese subscriptions, but their boxes are available as a one-off purchase, too. They’re packed with six gourmet cheeses, paired with wines, along with crackers and chutney thrown in for good measure.
Available from Decent Drop (£33)
16) Rabot 1745, cacao & vanilla candle
This soy, coconut, canola and beeswax candle is a chocolate gift for grown-ups that’s worth the bigger price tag. A delicate scent of cacao and vanilla is underpinned by warming amber, musk and cedar. It’s not a pudding candle that smells like chocolate mousse – this is 220g of sophistication that fills your room, burns brightly and lingers once it’s been blown out. It has a burn time of 45 hours and arrives in its own gift box.
Available from John Lewis (£28)
27) PlayinChoc boxes
Looking for some small, free-from chocolate gifts? Play-in-choc makes outstanding allergy-friendly chocolate. These individually wrapped chocolate pieces (in compostable packaging) not only have a silky smooth mouth-feel, but are dairy-, gluten- and soy-free.
Available from Amazon (£13.99/ 2 boxes)
28) Waxwraps cotton food wraps
Teachers will get a lot of use out of these beeswax wraps whether packing a school lunch or storing food at home. They come in three sizes and are made from cotton infused with beeswax and jojoba oil, and reusable up to 200 times (plus fully biodegradable).
Available from:
29) One Tin Bakes by Edd Kimber
It is a rare joy to leaf through a cookbook and find you want to make every single recipe in it. Such is the case with Edd Kimber’s latest book. Perfect for amateur bakers, the recipes are all made in just one tin – a 23 x 33cm brownie tin, to be precise. Covering cakes, cookies, brownies, pies, tarts and desserts, there’s a bake for every occasion, from simple favourites like classic birthday cake to pistachio crème brûlée tart.
See more titles with our baking cookbook review.
Available from:
30) Nutribox Slim gluten-free snack hamper
Designed to fit through most letterboxes, this pack is stuffed with 10 vegan and gluten-free snacks from different brands that are fun and free of hidden additives. This health-focussed type of hamper has been curated to include snacks that are not only nutritional but innovative; for example, it contains Mello roasted and seasoned watermelon seeds, and organic strawberry fruit twists by Gregory’s Tree.
Enjoyed these gifts? Get more inspiration
10 of the best baking gifts 2021
50 best sustainable gifts: Eco-friendly gift guide
15 of the best cheese gifts 2021
21 of the best and most unusual gift ideas for chocolate lovers, 2021
This review was written in June 2021. If you have any questions, suggestions for future reviews or spot anything that has changed in price or availability, please get in touch at goodfoodwebsite@immediate.co.uk.
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