26 Best Holiday Gifts for Teens

Adventure Time; Harry Potter; Rick & Morty. Not all iconic franchises are associated with food, but that’s how chef Andrew “Babish” Rea sees it. Rea became wildly popular among teens with Binging with Babish: a YouTube cooking channel where he made fictional delicacies a reality. His fun, playful cookbook brings the details home — maybe you can get them to make you the “Ted Danson sandwich” from Curb Your Enthusiasm.

If your teen is experimenting with produce, take advantage. This on-the-go smoothie maker turns a handful of fruit into a delicious drink in seconds. It charges with a USB-C cord (the small one for newer laptops and PS5 controllers) and can auto wash itself. Easy as pie, but so much healthier.

Inside every taco-loving teen is a child who still loves dinosaurs. With the help of this t-rex and triceratops, taco Tuesdays will last billions of years — and there’ll be no need to speed-eat to avoid taco extinction. Each dishwasher-safe dino holds two tacos, more than any t-rex could with their tiny arms.

Sometimes after a long night of SAT prep, a kid just needs to curl up in their own tortilla. With a slew of styles depicting different levels of crispiness, your teen will never be jealous of their burritos again. If they’re still recovering from Barbie-fever, it also comes in the style of a very convincing bright pink strawberry frosted donut (sprinkles included).

Not everyone is born with the innate sophistication of a cheese connoisseur, but if your teen is preparing for a PhD in charcuterie, they need to start studying ASAP. The Cheese Card Deck is the best tutor they could ask for. Their expertise of beverage and cheese pairings will grow tenfold as they develop the knowledge of a certified turophile (cheese expert).

The obsession with bubble tea (aka “boba”) boggles the parental mind and extends as far as the eye can see, especially with teens and tweens. What was once a magical and mysterious beverage can now be easily brewed in any kitchen. With their own bag of tapioca pearls and reusable jumbo-sized boba straws, any beverage can be transformed into bubble tea.

Cooking Mama: Cookstar is a videogame for the Nintendo Switch that simulates the experience of being a high-level chef. If you’re the proud parent of a gamer who wants to experiment with cooking, this game will teach them everything from making grilled cheese to shrimp gyoza. You two can even have a virtual cookoff with the game’s multiplayer capabilities.

Is your teen experimenting with veganism? If so, they probably miss cheese. Be the hero they need by giving them the ability to make vegan cheese at home. With this kit, which includes a cookbook and set of herbs, they can craft their own nut-based mozzarella, feta, parmesan, halloumi, mascarpone and ricotta with no dairy.

If you’re lucky enough to have a teen who’s grilling dinner, make it fun for them with this set of high-quality, durable BBQ cooking utensils. Although hockey is played on ice, this stainless steel set can absolutely take the heat. The Hockey Stick BBQ Set comes with everything needed for a cookout: a spatula, fork, tongs and a bottle opener (for root beer).

The I Love Trader Joe's Air Fryer Cookbook gives young chefs 150 ways to prep impressive meals with nothing more than an air fryer, and a ride to Trader Joe’s. It takes TJ’s classics beyond the freezer aisle, offering creative ideas for easily elevating meals. So instead of following the basic instructions on the TJ’s barbeque chicken teriyaki bag, your recipient will be inspired to mix in broccoli, pineapple and rice noodles. Yum! Early adulting, anyone?

Whether they’re a goal-oriented libra, whimsical pisces or loyal taurus, these Zodiac cutting boards let your astrology-loving teen show pride in their birth sign. The plain side is for food prep, and the printed side looks great on display. Currently available in pisces, sagittarius, scorpio, libra, leo and taurus. (Sorry, virgos — we know you’re mad.)

If your teen isn’t ready to brew their own coffee yet, they might just love the ease — and speed — of instant lattes. All they have to do is drop one of these cubes in hot water or milk, and a photogenic drink appears immediately. If they want to get even fancier, the kit comes with rose petal garnish cubes to toss in at the last second. Absolutely Insta-worthy.

You know that cool desert you can only get at a Japanese restaurant? The ice cream balls wrapped in rice? Well they’re called “mochi,” and now your teen can make them at home. This kit includes a dough cutter, silicon mold and enough flour and potato starch for a dozen delightful rice cakes. Just add ice cream.

This cast iron contraption turns any grill into a backyard pizza oven. With its easy-to-use design, your teen will meet their pizza cravings like a pro. All they have to do is stack the classic dough, tomato sauce, and cheese trinity with their favorite toppings, slide the cover on, and place it on the hot grill. In less than 10 minutes they’ll have a crispy personal pizza. Abbondanza!

If your teen considers popcorn one of the five major food groups, they’ll go crazy for this set of strawberry and caramel glazes with a pound of gourmet kernels. By channeling the divine combo of sweet and salty, this kit lets them skip the candy on movie nights with friends.

Wake up to the smell of fresh waffles everyday (even if they’re not being made for you) with this mini waffle maker. With the cool-touch handles, your teen can make waffles, grilled cheese and hashbrowns without getting any nasty burns — great for late-night snacks that don’t wreck the kitchen, too.

Is your teen sick of the unpredictability of hard-shell tacos? With the Taco Toaster they can turn any taco-sized tortilla into a warm vessel for meat and cheese. They allow you to safely lower tacos right into the toaster for heating. Prediction: you’ll be using these as much as they will.

If you've got a Renaissance teen who appreciates art as well as cooking, this knife set is not only practical — it’s downright inspiring. With colorful handles and classic paintings on each blade, Edvard Munch will be the only one responsible for any screams coming from the kitchen. Be prepared to make constant “starry starry knife” jokes.

This one might be a little self-serving, but picture a world where you always have fresh ice cream in your freezer. With the press of a button, your teen can make ice cream, sorbet, gelato or frozen yogurt. Included is a book of 30 recipes, so they can skip the trial-and-error and go right to making the kitchen their own creamery.

If your teen loves tea or needs to learn the value of patience, this sloth tea infuser is perfect for them. Despite being nature’s most relaxed animal, this adorable infuser works equally well with high-octane caffeinated teas and calming chamomile. If sloths aren’t cute enough, choose from more than a dozen models, including llama, hedgehog, cat, sea turtle and narwhal.

Ask your teen if they’ve ever reheated a burrito without ruining it. If they said they’ve done it, they’re lying. With this gadget, they’ll never face that problem again (the burrito heating one–maybe not lying). This insulated thermos provides a mess-free means of preserving, transporting and eating burritos, with push-pop technology. Save your microwave — and your car upholstery. It’s a win-win.

What makes the perfect teen stocking stuffer? Socks with stuff on ’em, of course. We think these food-themed socks are the ultimate crowd-pleaser. Burgers, cookies, popcorn — all with the same message on the sole: IF YOU CAN READ THIS, BRING ME FOOD.

Can’t bear the heat? Now that that joke’s out of the way, any teen dabbling in baking is going to need some quality oven mitts. These are super-safe and protective, with plenty of padding and silicone insets at critical spots. Plus, they can double as a prop for next year’s Halloween costume.

Help your teen make lattes tastier than the ones they see on Instagram (and save them $7 in the process). While you’re at it, grab and stash a few. Not only are they perfect for your teen, but also for the gift grab-bag at work, the friend you forgot...and you.

If Eggos and bubble wrap had a baby, it would be the TikTok-famous bubble waffles — and kids are crazy about them. With this pan and mix, any sleepover can turn into a hipster street fair. Teens can add ice cream or fruit, or if they’re feeling really creative, ham and cheese (mais oui!).

Sometimes you just need a funny apron with a cat holding a baguette and a cup of black coffee, right? What can we tell you? Random is cool. Help your kid suit up in the kitchen, and protect that nice sweater you bought them. With every meal, they’ll get closer to uncovering the mysterious backstory of Galaxy Cat.