Food & Drink

9 spring hampers under £100 to treat yourself or a loved one during lockdown

As snowdrops bloom and the days get longer, Spring is starting to feel wonderfully close. Easter is likely to look a little different this year, but that’s all the more reason to find an alternative way to celebrate. Whether you’re looking to treat yourself or a loved one you haven’t seen for a while, hampers are an excellent way to spread Spring joy.

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9 spring hampers under £100 to treat yourself or a loved one during lockdown
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As snowdrops bloom and the days get longer, Spring is starting to feel wonderfully close. Easter is likely to look a little different this year, but that’s all the more reason to find an alternative way to celebrate. Whether you’re looking to treat yourself or a loved one you haven’t seen for a while, hampers are an excellent way to spread Spring joy.

Some of these hampers are on the lower end of the cost scale, but that doesn’t mean they skimp on quality! From sweet treats to savoury delights there’s a little something for everyone below.

Prices correct as of 11th February 2021. Pension Times is not responsible for content on external websites.

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1. The Good Morning Gift Box - Cartwright & Butler: £18

As the name suggests, this is less of a hamper and more of a gift box. But, with two types of biscuits, bite-size fudge, and a box of English breakfast tea, it’s a lovely way to brighten someone’s day. And, if you’d like to add a little more, there’s always the option to order something else alongside the gift box.

2. The Best Medium Hamper - Morrisons: £25

Morrison’s medium hamper includes several sweet gifts, a spiced fruit chutney, and a bottle of Rioja. Delivered in a box, Morrison’s describe the contents as “a great way to sample the savoury and sweet delights of our ​The Best ​range”. The price also includes delivery which saves a little extra, too.

3. Cottage Delight Classic Delights Hamper - John Lewis: £35

Buying for a fan of mouth-watering spreads? This hamper sold by John Lewis is packed with pickles, jams, and chutneys, accompanied by biscuits and oatcakes. Whether they’re sampled alone or included in tasty dishes, this selection makes for a thoughtful gift. The items arrive well-presented in a little grey basket and are suitable for vegetarians.

4. Hamper in a Bag - Lunya: £45

Lunya boasts one of the largest online Catalan and Spanish delis in the country. The independent company also has two restaurants with one in-house deli in Liverpool, serving tasty tapas-style plates.

Their Hamper in a Bag includes Iberian treats, such as chorizo, wine, and truffles. The company will also package up other items as a hamper if you’d prefer to choose the contents yourself.

5. Afternoon Tea Gift Box -  Harvey Nichols: £55

This gift box-style hamper includes a delicious selection of fudge, tea, and biscuits. There are seven different items on offer, excellent for arranging in perfect afternoon-tea formation or snacking on coffee-morning style. This hamper is also alcohol-free, so that you can enjoy festivities without, what Harvey Nichols calls, "the dreaded afternoon slump”.

6. The Taste of Fortnum's Hamper - Fortnum and Mason: £60  

Fortnum and Mason created this hamper to showcase some of their favourite products. With two types of tea, truffles, champagne, cake, and strawberry champagne preserve, it’s the perfect way to sample their creations.

Buying a hamper could save you money, too! Fortnum and Mason say that the price of a hamper is “always less than the cost of buying its contents and basket individually”.

7. Degustacion Jamon Ham Tasting Hamper – Selfridges: £89.99

A meat eater's dream in a hamper. This Jamon-tasting kit includes two packets of Iberico Bellota Ham and two packets of sliced Iberico Bellota Shoulder Ham. The idea is that recipients will learn to appreciate the subtle differences between the two types of ham.

8. The Belmont Gift Box - Betty’s: £100

As featured in The Independent, Betty’s is a Harrogate favourite. Swiss baker Fritz Bützer opened the bakery in 1919. Today, Betty’s has several Yorkshire tearooms and a scrumptious-looking range of treats available to buy online.

Betty’s fill The Belmont Gift Box with “a little bit of everything”. It’s presented in a stylish box. But, if you prefer a wicker hamper, The Ilkley Hamper offers Yorkshire and continental delights for the same price.

Hampers for chocolate lovers

Coco gift boxes £30-£60

Coco is an independent chocolatier based in Edinburgh. They aim to bring together art and chocolate with gorgeous flavours infused into their bars.

Although they don’t offer a hamper as such, their chocolate bar gift boxes include an eclectic selection of flavours that would send many a hamper maker running for their money. Each bar comes in an artistically designed wrapper, in a box of six or twelve.

Hotel Chocolat Hampers £20-£170

Hotel Chocolat likes to be different. From giant slabs of melt-in-the-mouth chocolate to cocoa-infused gin, their innovative product range has made them a household name.

If you’re looking to spoil a chocolate lover (be it someone else or yourself!), the company offers a range of 22 different hampers. Starting at £20 and rising to a whopping £170, they include some of their customers’ favourite treats.

Green & Black Hampers £20-£100

Husband and wife duo Craig Sams and Jo Fairley founded Green & Blacks using organic cocoa and sustainable sources. Fairtrade fans with a sweet tooth will love their gift boxes and hampers.

Can’t see what you’re looking for? You can even make your own hamper with a choice of everything from 85p bars to an £18.50 easter egg trio!

Create your own hamper

Putting together your own hamper adds a personal touch with the freedom to include classic items and personal favourites.

Step one -Decide on a theme and budget

The first thing to do is to define a budget. That way, it’ll be less tempting to get carried away by delicious-looking treats!

Then, it’s time to decide on a theme. Although not all hampers have a theme, it’s an excellent way to tie the items together and give homemade hampers a unique touch. Here are several ideas for hamper themes:

  • Base the items on the recipient’s favourite foods.
  • Select luxury items from one brand.
  • Create a hamper around a meal or occasion you would usually share together (e.g. a brunch or afternoon tea hamper).

Step two – Choose what to include

The beauty of the hamper lies in the unique selection of items. Usually, these are foods that the recipient wouldn’t buy for themselves, or at least not all in one go. With this in mind, aim to select items that will put a smile on their face. Ideally, it's best to avoid fresh food that will go off quickly!

Step 3 - Order, receive, assemble, deliver

There are two main options for delivery. First, you could order everything from the same shop and get it delivered directly to the recipient. Some shops will offer a gift-wrapping or hamper service. But, if not, receiving all the items at once will still be a treat.

The other option is to assemble the hamper yourself. Empty hamper baskets look beautiful but can be surprisingly expensive. You could use an empty box filled with shredded filling or tissue paper. Using recycled materials will create a more eco-friendly hamper, too!

If you’ve recently ordered or received a hamper you enjoyed, let us know! We’d love to hear about it on our social media. For other food and drink ideas, have a look at our lifestyle pages.

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