The countdown to Christmas is under way (even if you aren't ready to admit it). But some folks have got their lists and gearing up to check it twice. Gifts for the techies in your life? That's easy. Gamers? A piece of cake.
But there are always those foodies that present a problem. Most of us have them - folks who love to cook and entertain and are always wanting to add the latest wares to their collection of kitchen-related goodies.
With a ton of new cooking and entertaining housewares on the market, picking out the perfect gift may sound like a daunting task, one that leaves you hungry for some new ideas that don't cost a fortune. But industry leaders say manufacturers of household goods offer plenty of quality products that are in the under-$50 range.
"One of the positive aspects of our industry's offerings is the wide range of price points available to retailers and, ultimately, consumers," says Perry Reynolds, vice president of global trade development for Chicago-based International Housewares Association. "Consumer-sensitive suppliers have developed and designed attractive and highly functional new products for the kitchen and the home, and many of those quality products are priced for gifting."
Here are five new food-related products that won't bust your budget this Christmas season.
1. Black & Decker crockpot
Black and Decker is launching its first-ever line of slow cookers at one of the best price points around. Most seven-quart cookers are more than $50, but Black and Decker has priced its at $39.99 (amazon.com and walmart.com). A hanger allows you to keep the lid on the rim of the stoneware or handle so countertops remain clean, and the stoneware pot is removable for easy clean-up.
2. Protecting brew
Got a beer lover on your list? Even those just beginning to learn more about brews knows that a glass of beer warms quickly. And if you serve it in a frosty mug, the frost can melt into the brew and dilute the flavor. That's why the new freezable beer/beverage glasses from Rabbit are such a great option for beer or any other drink that you want to keep chilled. Just put it in the freezer for an hour, and it'll chill your beverage instantly and keep it cool for up to two hours. Two glasses come per package for $32.89 at amazon.com (prime) and $34.99 at metrokane.com and macys.com.
3. Indian as Apple Pie
If you're like many cooks, your spice rack is crammed to capacity and searching through them - looking for the four or five you use most - often takes time. What you (or the cook on your list) need is a spice caddy with containers in which you can store up to six of your favorite spices. The India As Apple Pie caddy appears to be nothing more than a cookie tin. But open the lid and inside you'll find an inner lid to help keep spices fresh; open that lid to reveal seven smaller caddies that allow you to store up to 6 ounces of spices in each. The caddies have half lids with a sharp edge enabling you to easily level off each spoonful, if needed. The spice caddy also comes with teaspoon and tablespoon measures. The caddy is made of stainless steel, so rust is not a problem. Find it at amazon.com for $49.95 (prime).
4. Spiraling fun
Certain vegetables are perfect for spiraling, which has become a trendy way to cut and serve zucchini, carrots, cucumbers, yams - the possibilities are endless. So if you have a clever cook on your list who loves to have fun with food and serve it in unexpected ways - zucchini spiral "zoodles" are a healthful option to traditional noodles, for instance - the Very Healthy spiral vegetable slicer is a good gift. It retails for $12.99 at amazon.com (prime) and makes an excellent stocking stuffer.
5. Chop chop
Simplify everyday kitchen tasks for the cook on your list with Black and Decker's new four-cup Glass Bowl Chopper. It'll chop your onions and tomatoes for fresh salsa or chop and mix together peanuts for healthy homemade peanut butter; prep work time is cut substantially. And the glass bowl can go straight from the microwave or oven to the table, then to the fridge for storing. Its blade can be used on any four-cup glass bowl, though it comes with two glass bowls and covers. Amazon.com has it online for $33.99. It's a prime item, so order it today and you'll have it wrapped and under your tree by this weekend. It's also sold at Wal-Mart for $34.74 and at Target for $49.99.
Contact Anne Braly at abraly@timesfreepress.com.