One of the most common questions I get from my friends is suggestions for edible thank you/birthday/anytime gifts. I'm kind of obsessed with food gifts, so I wanted to share my favorites with you…

Cookies. You can never go wrong with cookies, unless your friend doesn't like cookies, in which case you might want to consider un-friending him or her right now. I love Molly Penny (shown above), The Cravory, and Milk Jar Cookies for the soft, chewy cookies, and Früute and Whimsy & Spice for crisp cookies.

Homemade Candy Bars. Homemade candy bars are a nice update to the typical box-of-chocolates gift. I love Liddibit Sweets (shown above), whose offerings change seasonally, as well as Sweeteeth, Mast Brothers, Chocolate Editions, and Komforte Bars for alternatives to your standard chocolate bar flavors. Candy bars are also a great option for when you need to spend less than $20 on a gift.

Cake. How often does a whole cake show up at your door? A cake is an awesome way to say, "Happy birthday, eat your heart out!" I love Momofuku Milk Bar for its unique flavors (the cake truffles are awesome, too) and Georgetown Cupcakes for those who like their cake in smaller bites.

Ice Cream. Ice cream is usually a tougher (and more expensive) gift to send due to the express shipping costs and the fact that it has to stay cold. But if you're willing to spend the money and can make sure the receiver will be home, it's a pretty awesome gift to have show up at your front door. My favorites are from Jeni's and Ciao Bella (the Key lime graham flavor is one of my favorites ever). There is even a site that ships a ton of ice cream brands (genius!). 

Finally, for you savory folks, a few suggestions of the salty kind…

Pickles. This is kind of the best gift ever to send to a pregnant friend, especially if she loves pickles like I do. I think I received like 10 jars of pickles when we first announced we were pregnant with Ruby—and even if your friend doesn't eat those pickles right away, they're kind of the gift that keeps on giving thanks to their shelf-stability. My favorites right now are from Gordy's, McClure's, and Mother in Law's (if you want to get into the kimchi territory).

Charcuterie and Cheese. This is my favorite gift to send to a new mom. It's like, "Hey, you had your baby, now you can eat all the soft cheeses and cured meats you want again!" I love Beecher's and Zingerman's, as well as the options from great food gift sites like Fab and Dean & DeLuca.

So, there you go…now go give something delicious to someone you really love, like, or whom you want to love/like you back! ;) 

{Photos by Oh Joy}