Often times, people are reluctant to give kitchen items as gifts to friends and family for birthdays and other occasions. Is it personal enough? But a love of cooking can pave the way for many different gifting opportunities.  

Truth is, if someone has truly expressed how much they “love to cook,” then how could home and kitchen fare make for a wrong choice?  

Many people know someone who loves spending lots of time in the kitchen. Certain home cooks may enjoy whipping up favorite recipes, while others might get excited about experimenting with new flavors and ingredients.  

Food-related gifts also come in a wide variety of price points, making it easy for shoppers to spend as little or as much as they want. Check out these eight gift ideas, courtesy of The Cupboard, one of the many vendors at North Main Marketplace, 766 North Main St., at Merchant’s Walk.  

1. Gingham aprons and double oven mitts. For many, kitchen aprons bring back a lot of memories, says Joy Womble, owner of The Cupboard. And you can never go wrong with double mitts, which provide extra cooking safety.
2. Traditional jams and relishes in beautiful jars. The Cupboard has ample supply of strawberry jam and hot Chow Chow right from the famous Loveless Cafe in Nashville. Perfect on an order of hot biscuits.
3. Floral arrangements for the kitchen table. From artificial stems of cotton to more colorful bouquets, it’s a must when setting a Southern table. Farmhouse design has been long trending, but of course our grannies knew this long time ago in Bedford County.
4. Meaningful inscriptions. A nice greeting to a home might be an encouraging sentiment about life. It can also direct visitors to the preferred entrance to your home.
5. Bright kitchen utensils and cookware. Cooks will love the bright colors like fuchsia available at the Cupboard in colanders and measuring cups. The bright colors can add some pop to a neutral farmhouse kitchen design or even to monochromatic kitchen trends.
6. A basket of all different kinds of soup and chili, herbal and dessert mixes. Include a basket with different kinds of mixes or actually make a dessert from The Cupboard’s selections.
7. Candles in scents of lemon grass, which blends well with a lot of kitchen foods. 8. Holiday theme baskets—those complete with a sweet teddy bear and a nice mug to hold a friend’s favorite tea or coffee on a chilly winter day.