Ask some of the older people in your family, your parents or grandparents perhaps, what sort of things they used to give their loved ones as gifts and they will probably respond with the traditional likes of handwritten greeting cards, boxes of chocolates and bouquets of flowers.
While you will never find us saying no to a Cadbury’s Milk Tray or a fresh bunch of roses, it is safe to say that the art of gifting has moved on a bit in recent years, meaning that classic and traditional gifts now seem a little bit predictable. Thankfully, clever online stores and artisan producers have come up with a whole host of ever-changing ways to show that special someone in your life just how much you appreciate them, whether that be through personalisation, gift boxes or quirky knick-knacks, all of which can be delivered to the lucky recipient’s door in a few clicks. One of the most popular trends of recent times is cheese gifts, which can take the form of cheese gift sets, personalised cheese boards or pun-laden accessories and cookware.
Gifts for cheese lovers range far and wide these days, with an almighty selection of goods to choose from online for the fromage fan in your life. Whether you are looking for a cheesy gift to give to someone as a Christmas present, to celebrate their birthday or to mark a special anniversary, there is a cheese-themed product out there for you. Check out our full rundown of, ahem, grate cheese-tastic items below, which includes everything from a cheese ‘bucket list’ poster to an ode to the golden stuff written by a former rockstar. So get to it, cheese the day and get stuck into our ultimate cheese gifting guide - you would be Edam fool to miss it.
Cheese gifts
Know someone who can’t get enough of all things cheese? Make their day with one of these cheese gifts, boards, accessories and tools that they are guaranteed to love. Check out pick of the best options below
Marble Cheese Dome
What: We are big fans of this gorgeous cheese dome with a green marble base. It’s rich in both colour and pattern, and would make for a fabulous centrepiece at a dinner party, displaying the finest cheeses in your home. It also serves the more practical purpose of keeping food fresher for longer or staving off flies if you are dining alfresco.
Buy it: £35, johnlewis.com
100 Cheeses Scratch Off Bucket List Poster
What: This kooky poster features 100 of the best varieties of cheese from around the world, with the idea being that you scratch off each one once you’ve sampled it. It’s a great way to keep track of just how many cheeses you’ve managed to try - one for the fromage nerds.
Buy it: £12.99, notonthehighstreet.com
“All Cheese Great and Small” by Alex James
What: The award for most unlikely cheesemaker has to go to former Blur bass player Alex James, who gave up his rockstar lifestyle after 15 years to buy a farm in the countryside. In this light-hearted, enjoyable read, he details how he has got to grips with country life, as well as his adventures making cheese.
Buy it: £8.99, pongcheese.co.uk
Marble & Wood Cheese Board and Knives Set
What: Simple and elegant, this rectangular white marble cheese board conceals an acacia wood box underneath, holding three stainless steel cheese knives with matching marble handles. The set includes a hard cheese knife, flat cheese knife and a pronged cheese knife, so can be used to dig into a variety of cheeses.
Buy it: £50, johnlewis.com
“I Camembert to Brie without you” Mug
What: Your parents might have raised you to ‘say it with flowers’, but there’s nothing wrong with saying it with cheese-themed crockery instead. Declare or reaffirm your undying love to your spouse, boyfriend/girlfriend or secret crush with this pun-tastic, cutesy mug.
Buy it: £13.75, notonthehighstreet.com
Milk Made
What: If you know someone whose love for cheese extends far beyond just scoffing it, then this informative book makes for an excellent gift. Championing artisanal cheesemaking, Milk Made explains how to make wise choices when it comes to the cheeses you buy and eat, as well as providing background information on the history of cheesemaking in the UK and beyond.
Buy it: £20, pongcheese.co.uk
Green Marble Cheese Board and Knives Set
What: A sophisticated gift for those who always serve a cheese course at special dinners, this cheese knife set is presented in a mango wood box with a marble top. Slide the lid away to reveal three cheese knives with stainless steel heads and matching marble handles, which are designed to cut a variety of hard and soft cheeses.
Buy it: £50, johnlewis.com
Copper Fondue Set
What: This chic stainless steel copper effect fondue set comes complete with a metal rack, a burner, a diffuser and six forks so that the whole family can dig in (if you allow sharing, of course). Fondue sets are a fun and delightfully messy way to add something new to a family meal or dinner party, and you can always swap out your cheese for chocolate too.
Buy it: £55, notonthehighstreet.com
Zyliss Smooth Glide Coarse Grater
What: Every cheese lover needs the right tools for the job, so having a good grater is essentially. This version is great for those who enjoy a coarse grate to add to cooking and also comes with a non-slip handle to avoid any unwanted accidents. Perfect for whipping up pasta, nachos or other cheese-loaded dishes.
Buy it: £13.99, ocado.com
Cheese Kitchen Print
What: This stylish print would be the perfect finishing touch to any cheese lover’s kitchen and makes for a great housewarming gift. Boasting a simple, rustic chalkboard-style design, the board lists a whole host of cheeses to use as inspiration or just remind you of your favourite food - bonus points if you recognise every variety listed too.
Buy it: £16, notonthehighstreet.com
Personalised cheese boards
If you know someone who always opts for the cheese board over sweet puddings at the end of a meal, why not give them the gift of a personalised cheese board that they will treasure forever and ever? Check out some of the best options you can buy below
“You’re the cheese to my cracker” Cheese Board
What: If your significant other happens to be a fan of cheesy puns, you can’t go wrong with this hand-cut slate board. The “you’re the cheese to my cracker” wording is a fixed part of the design, but you can then add two lines of up to 30 characters on the bottom with your own sweet message. A great idea for a sentimental birthday, Christmas or anniversary gift.
Buy it: £7.99, personalise.co.uk
Wallace & Gromit Cheese Board
What: There are few duos more famous for their love of cheese and crackers than Wallace & Gromit, who are perfectly captured in this unique cheese board. Lift the top of the wooden board to reveal a set of four cheese knives inside, while you can also add a personalised message to the top and bottom of the board of up to 30 characters per line.
Buy it: £27.99, personalise.co.uk
‘Perfectly aged’ Wooden Cheese Board
Why: Know a cheese lover who has a milestone birthday coming up? See how far you can push your luck with this cheeky cheese board. The ‘perfectly aged’ wording is a fixed part of the design, but you can add two lines of text of up to 15 characters to make it your own.
Buy it: £12.99, personalise.co.uk
“Life is great…” Cheese Board
Why: “Life is great but cheese makes it better” is certainly a message we can get behind. This fun cheese board allows you to add one line of text of up to 20 characters which will appear at the bottom of the board. It would make a great housewarming gift or a present for a newly married couple.
Buy it: £7.99, personalise.co.uk
Personalised Olive Wood Cheese Board
Why: If you don’t like any of the pre-fixed personalisations you see, you can instead opt for this beautiful olive wood cheese board, where you are given free rein with your personalisation. You can enter three lines of between 20-25 characters per line, giving you plenty of room to play with for adding fun or romantic messages.
Buy it: £26, notonthehighstreet.com
Cheese gift boxes and cheese gift sets
Forget flowers or chocolates and instead say ‘thank you’, ‘happy birthday’ or ‘I love you’ with a box of cheesy goodies. Check out our pick of the best cheese gift boxes and cheese gift sets below
Pong Cheese French Superieur Selection Box
What: If your friend or family member is of the belief that the finest cheese can be found only in France, allow us to introduce you to this gift box, featuring the creme-de-la-creme of French cheeses. The recipient of your gift can gorge on the likes of Roquefort, Comte and Epoisses washed in Marc de Bourgogne - you might be tempted to keep this one for yourself.
Buy it: £39.95, pongcheese.co.uk
Pong Cheese Best of British XL Box
What: Show your patriotism with this mega selection of British cheeses that flies the flag for cheese made on the British Isles. Inside the box, you will find large quantities of the likes of nettle-wrapped Cornish Yarg and supremely creamy Cropwell Bishop Stilton. It beats tea and crumpets in our book.
Buy it: £180, pongcheese.co.uk
The Cheese Lover’s Gift Box
What: This rustic-chic gift box arrives filled with artisan products, including three cheeses, three seeded crackers and a jar of caramelised red onion chutney. The fromage fan receiving your gift will be able to treat themselves to Mature Cheddar truckle, Double Gloucester with chives and spring onion truckle, and Wensleydale with cranberry truckle.
Buy it: £19.99, notonthehighstreet.co.uk
Waitrose ‘Build Your Own’ Cheese Board
What: If you are buying for someone particularly fussy, why not have a go at curating your own cheese selection for them? On the Waitrose website, cheese specialist Jon Broomfield shares his top picks for boards for between three to eight people, with the option for you to add as many or as few of his choices as you like.
Buy it: Cheese from £3, waitrose.com
The Chuckling Cheese Company Rainbow Cheese Box
What: This fun and quirky gift box is made up of seven colourful cheeses, with wacky flavours such as margherita pizza and Gin & Tonic, alongside some slightly more conventional offerings including caramelised red onion and orange and whisky. A great gift for the cheese lover in your life who has a sense of adventure.
Buy it: £27.99, amazon.co.uk
The Cheese Box
What: Great for lovers of all things savoury, this simple, no-frills cheese box features three varieties of cheese, plus pear and plum chutney and oaty biscuits to pair it all with. Cheeses your giftee will enjoy include Mature Cheddar, Double Gloucester and Blue Stilton.
Buy it: £19.99, ihampers.co.uk
After all that shopping for cheese gifts, you’ve probably found yourself craving some for yourself. Get your fix with our pick of the best London restaurants for cheese.