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It’s high time you got swept away planning some weekend getaways—but not before you get a little something for the dads in your life. Father’s Day is June 16, so you’ve still got enough time to get something shipped and wrapped with time to spare. Here’s a list of gifts for the parent that enjoys a useful kitchen tool or gets jazzed about something tasty to snack on.
Gifts ideas mentioned in this post:
A good apron
Before culinary school, before cooking professionally, the first apron I ever bought myself was beautiful. It was from Anthropologie and it had a floral design—but it was more good looking than good for cooking. For a father that really spends time cooking, get them a good quality, practical apron. There are several styles out there, so you may need to consider what they enjoy cooking as much as their body type. For example, I prefer the bib variety. Beyond that, choose an apron that’s made of a sturdy canvas, with several easy to reach pockets.
Coffee pour-over kit
I’m pretty sure the jury is still out on whether or not coffee is a food group, so I’ll treat it as such until the decision is made. If your dad has recently emerged from his shell of Maxwell House and discovered the burgeoning world of boutique coffees, it might be a good time to present him with a pour-over coffee kit. All the better if your dad is a sometimes (or all the time) scientist because pour over is a measured dance of time and temperature.
Kitchen scale
Your scientific pops will need a kitchen scale to measure water and coffee grounds, but really every cook should have a kitchen scale at their disposal. This is the definitive example of buying someone a gift they’ll use often but would never go ahead and buy it for themselves. Look for one with a large weighing platform and a large (or light-up) display.
Meat jerky sticks
Some dads already have a kitchen fully stocked with their most needed appliances and gadgets, so for them I suggest consumables. Odds are pretty good that if your dad likes cooking, he probably likes eating too. One of the snacks I keep turning to as I’m spending more time outside or traveling are packable jerky sticks. The dried meat is flavorful and shelf-stable, they’re high in protein to stave off hunger, and the individual sleeves make them easy to chuck into small spaces like a backpack or a pocket. I like the Chomps sticks because they come in beef, turkey, and venison, along with different flavors like jalapeño or taco seasoned.
Barbecue sauce
Father’s Day might be the most associated with grilling and barbecue because by the time June rolls around, all we want are burgers and grilled chicken thighs. Barbecue sauce might not seem glamorous, but you better believe it’s going to be used, and Dad is going to be happy for the gift. This thorough list of barbecue sauces work well on pizza (grilled pizza counts), but you can use the tasting points to settle on the right sauce for what your dad likes to grill most. For a sweet, garlicky barbecue sauce with plenty of umami, I suggest Bachan’s. The consistency is a bit thinner than your average BBQ sauce, so be open to a couple applications.
A cooking class
Great for a novice, but even if your pater is the most seasoned chef, he’ll enjoy a one-off cooking class. They’re perfect for a small dose of socializing and you get to enjoy an incredible meal at the end of the session. Not to mention, usually adult cooking classes have wine at the end. I suggest checking out culinary schools (like my alma mater ICE) for their extra curricular courses; they’ll have industry professional instructors and normally provide high-quality ingredients.
A juicer
A juicer is more of a big ticket item but it can actually save money over time if your dad ends up at the local juicery every morning. Depending on your budget, choose between a centrifugal juicer, which can range somewhere in the $40 to $70 mark, or a masticating juicer (also called a cold-press juicer), which usually retail over $100 but can potentially provide a more nutrient-rich juice.
New generation air fryer
Air fryers aren’t new to kitchen gift roundups, but every year they’re getting more powerful, more intuitive, and more clever in design. If your dad got a wee basket air fryer five years ago, it’s time for an upgrade. Try one with dual cooking zones, a window on the basket—or, if he’s fed up with the basket style, try the oven variety this time (or the other way ‘round). Thanks to you, your dad will be kicking off the summer days with a gift he’ll look forward to using all year round.