Food Gifts That Give Back 2016

How to treat your food-loving friends and the world at the same time

'Tis the season for spreading cheer like you spread butter: generously. It's time to break out the baking recipes and turn up the Christmas tunes to fortify yourself for all that holiday shopping and gift wrapping.

If you want to give the gift of food this year but also want to give back, we've got you covered with seven awesome gifts that run the gamut from a charitable cookbook to a benevolent bottle of wine.

Hot Bread Kitchen Bread Subscription

We. love. bread. And so does everyone else in your life, so check out this legendary NYC nonprofit that has been training and supporting refugee women for 16 years. Whether you're buying a six-month or year bread subscription, its cookbook that came out last year, or a collection of provisions made by members of Hot Bread's incubator program for women starting small businesses, every purchase goes back into the company to finance the training program. The breads are fantastic, and the organization is an innovative leader in the field of training and embracing refugees. Total win-win.

Chocolate Cherry Rolls from Hot Bread Kitchen

Seattle Chocolates

Bread might be the most comforting gift you can give, but chocolate is one of the most romantic. And delicious. And now it's even charitable, thanks to Seattle Chocolates' #ChocolateGives campaign, which donates a meal of fresh food to food banks around the country for every chocolate bar purchased. Can't argue with that.

Individual Pour-Overs

For the outdoorsman in your life, these individual, portable and fully compostable coffee pour-overs are the way to go. Released about a month ago from Libra Coffee, the so-called Pourtables are perfect for camping or anytime he's on the go. Proceeds from these nifty designs or a Libra coffee subscription go toward water filters for the communities that grow the coffee.

Meals on Wheels

This longstanding nonprofit is still delivering meals to people in need after 60 years of service. You can donate money, advocate or volunteer to prepare, serve or deliver meals. It's one of the many organizations Carla Hall supports, and it's time you hopped on board.

God's Love We Deliver Cookbook

Another longstanding nonprofit, God's Love We Deliver, just released a cookbook with recipes from the likes of Mario Batali, April Bloomfield, Alan Cumming and Meryl Streep. Proceeds from each cookbook provide five meals to people with illnesses who can't provide for themselves.

Cultivate Wines

Since you'll inevitably be bringing wine to a holiday party this year, why not have your host/hostess gift go the extra mile? Ten percent of the cost of each bottle of Cultivate goes toward an elementary education program that helps students during their most formative time. We'll drink to that.

Staplehouse

If you're looking to dine out, there's probably no better choice than Atlanta's Staplehouse, which Bon Appétit named the Best New Restaurant of 2016. Proceeds from your dinner support The Giving Kitchen, which provides emergency aid to workers who need it. If you're too far from Georgia, restaurants with a social mission, like the just-opened Gather in Detroit, are popping up all over the country. So do a little bit of homework and dine out for a good cause.