The Unexpected — Yet Totally Practical — Housewarming Gift Your Friends Will Thank You For

Perhaps one of the most exciting things about moving into a new home is planning how you’ll arrange furniture, decorate, and make the place your own. If you’re anything like me, your mind immediately goes to how cozy your living room will look or how you can finally install the gallery wall of your dreams. Concentrating on those extras allows creativity to flow, but sometimes it’s necessary to finish more functional rooms, such as the kitchen.

Whether you need to find pots, pans, and utensils to cook or simply want to make a cup of coffee in the morning, it’s hard to get anything done until the kitchen is fully unpacked. If you have a friend who moved recently, they’re probably still getting accustomed to where things are while assessing their stash of kitchen goods. Although many housewarming gifts center around the kitchen, such as a nice bottle of wine or personalized tea towels, perhaps the most practical present — and one that can help them get acquainted with their kitchen — is an online cooking class. 

If you’re worried about cost, it’s not always as high as it seems! From budget-friendly group classes to luxe one-on-one instruction, virtual chef classes are a fabulous, unexpected way to welcome them into their new home. And if you want to bring something tangible, feel free to bundle a class gift certificate with that bottle of wine or decorative tea towel after all.

Get a certificate for a group cooking class to help your friends get acquainted with their new space. Although they won’t be the only folks in the online session, everyone still has the opportunity to ask questions and master cooking techniques while working with a chef in real-time. In addition, classes are affordable and as low as $29 through Cozymeal, which charges per device instead of per person, which is a big plus. 

Once you give them the certificate, it’s up to them to book a class that fits in with their schedule and interests. They’ll also have a list to shop for ingredients and ensure they have the items needed to make the meal. Whether they choose to learn French baking basics or how to curate the perfect charcuterie board, they’ll thank you for a relaxing night where they got to enjoy their new home.

Spoil them with an online class that includes grocery delivery. It’s definitely a gift that requires minimal effort from the new homeowner. The Table Less Traveled is a service that virtually brings chefs from around the world into the at-home kitchen. Although they offer classes for $55 without providing the ingredients, the $120 option includes grocery delivery service. The recipient will only have to pick a class, prep their kitchen, and show up ready to learn.

Another idea that falls into the spoil option is subscription services, which are ideal for someone who wants to learn how to cook or loves being in the kitchen. Subscription services charge monthly and allow the recipient to access an entire library of online cooking classes on demand. A service like YesChef has a base price of $132 for the year, and MasterClass is $180 annually for classes with notable chefs like Alice Waters and Wolfgang Puck.

Consider a one-on-one cooking class if your friend is more private and you have the funds to splurge a bit. Not only will they be able to ask questions and make personalized substitutions, but they’ll become familiar with their new kitchen layout in a snap. The Chef & The Dish offers classes for couples that start at $299. Participating in one opens up a world of experiences as chefs from around the globe — think Tuscany, Hungary, and Italy — invite you into their kitchens via one-on-one Skype sessions.