Best Advent Calendars 2024: 7 Best Advent Calendars for Foodies

Besides your growing collection of tacky Christmas sweaters and pie-scented candles, nothing says holiday spirit like counting down to the end of the year with a surprise daily treat. Yes, I’m talking about advent calendars—which, as I’ve come to understand, is a pretty divisive topic among holiday shoppers. Many advent calendar skeptics have had bad experiences with overpriced advent cals featuring cheap, unremarkable products.

To keep your spirits cheery and help you avoid such a fate, we’ve rounded up some of the best advent calendars for 2024 that earned the Sporked seal of approval. Think of it as a daily taste test, straight from Santa’s workshop (or Costco’s seasonal aisle). From classic chocolate advent calendars to savory and boozy options, here are some of the best advent calendars we’ve spotted this year.

Sugarfina Advent Calendars: Sugarfina sources gourmet chocolate and gummies from artisan candy shops around the world—quality shouldn’t be a problem here! Their luxe candy is pretty well-regarded among consumers. If you have a Costco membership, you can choose to buy the more affordable 12-day advent cal for $29.99; if not, and you’re willing to spend a little bit more, you can order their full 24-day cal straight from their site. Both advent calendars feature their famous sparkle pops, peppermint bark cookies, red apple gummies, and more.
Godiva Chocolatier 2024 Deluxe Snowglobe Advent Calendar: We’re big fans of Godiva dark chocolate. Their signature dark chocolate bar came in second place overall in our dark chocolate ranking for its fruity, creamy, and luxurious taste. When it comes to morsels of decadent chocolate classics, this Belgium chocolatier really can’t disappoint. True chocolate lovers will find this deluxe calendar, composed of milk, dark, and white chocolate treats, to be one of the best chocolate advent calendars available at a somewhat reasonable price ($40). Obviously, Godiva is always a solid choice for all-around holiday gifting, but if you’re looking for advent calendars with a little more personal flair and style, we have others that may catch your eye.
Burman’s Hot Sauce Advent Calendar: Aldi is bringing back their Burman’s Hot Sauce advent calendar—at an incredibly affordable price ($14.99). We’ve recommended Burman’s hot sauces in the past (especially their Avocado Serrano Sauce, which you’ll find in our green hot sauce ranking), so we know there will be some spicy hidden gems behind these festive cutouts. For heat seekers and sauce aficionados, this lineup is a fun, fiery countdown to the holidays.
Universal Yums Around the World Assorted Candy Advent Calendar: If you’re a frequent sufferer of wanderlust, enjoy touring the colorful, globe-trotting grocery aisles of World Market, or simply like trying bizarre (but delicious) candies, we’ve got the best advent calendar for you. This Universal Yums calendar features 100 pieces (yep, 100 pieces) of curated candy from across Europe. From compressed milk candy to ouzo-flavored hard candies, there are some niche, adventurous treats in here you’re just not going to find from any old advent cal. Personally, I’ll be snagging one on my next World Market trip. (I’ll find that stupid elf one day…)
Straightaway 12 Nights of Cocktails: Straightaway Cocktails is a small, trendy, family-run cocktail bar in Oregon—and thanks to a little help from Costco, you can find their boozy “12 Nights of Cocktails” advent calendar in Costco stores across the country (or order one directly from their site.) From Maple Old Fashioneds to Espresso Martinis, we love this pick for fans of canned cocktails. The advent calendar itself is festive and cozy without committing to a specific holiday, too. If only I could open any door and find a craft cocktail on the other side…
Murray’s Cheese Advent Calendar: Historic NYC cheesemaker Murray’s Cheese offers a 12-day advent calendar showcasing their award-winning cheddars, unique specialty cheese flavors, and jam selections. I’ve been dreaming about this adorable advent calendar for weeks. Even the artwork on the box—an illustration of Murray’s storefront with customers shaped like different cheeses—makes me giddy. Hand-selected by Murray’s expert cheesemongers, each day reveals a new cheese to savor. It’s like taking a mini cheese tour of Murray’s iconic NYC shop without ever leaving home. This advent calendar is on the pricier side ($78 before shipping), but if you’ve got cheddar to spend (on literal cheddar), want to impress some of your fancier friends and family, or need a gift for a die-hard cheese lover, it’s one of the best advent calendars you can find for the quality alone.
Maud Borup Hot Chocolate Bomb Advent Calendar: POV: You’re sitting by a cozy fireplace, browsing Netflix for your next cheesy holiday movie, and plopping a snowman-shaped hot chocolate bomb in steaming water. Before your eyes, hot cocoa magic unfolds… and the comfortingly awful dialogue exchange between Big City Girl and Small Town Christmas Shop Owner fills the background. With this hot chocolate advent calendar from Maud Borup (a sustainable, woman-owned sweets manufacturer), you can make this holiday fantasy as real as white America’s undying love for terrible Hallmark scripts. The hot chocolate bombs come in festive shapes like pine trees, snowmen, and stars. Just don’t forget the marshmallows!