Grocery shopping can be a chore. Rethink it into an elevated gift.

If we are what we eat, it is probably a smart idea to eat together with the people we love. Take it one step further and turn meals into a gift – shop for ingredients and then cook a meal, either together with the gift recipient, or put on an apron and do your best while they sip on some wine and relax.

One way to make clear this is a gift and not just a regular old bag of groceries is to be selective about the ingredients. You might stop at the farmers market and chat with vendors about their farming practices so you can tell a story about each item. You can gift a showstopper, like locally grown Brussels sprouts on the stalk.

Or shop with a complete meal in mind. At Elroy’s Fine Foods in Monterey, owner Chloe Dolata suggests selecting elevated ingredients for a simple meal. They carry a Dolce & Gabbana pasta line including “a spaghetti that’s as long as my arm, in wrapping you could use as holiday wrapping paper,” Dolata says. Add nice olive oil and a chunk of Parmesan for a gift you can present to anyone.

“I have had customers ask for steaks and a rub,” Dolata says. They’ll select a range of prepared sides that Elroy’s is known for (potatoes, salads) and then voila: “All they have to do is cook the meat and the rest is done.”

This works if you’re cooking at home for two, or if you’re a guest showing up for Christmas Eve dinner at a friend’s house – but Dolata recommends planning in advance if it’s the latter. “When you bring a gift you shouldn’t assume you are going to be a part of it,” she says.

That means you can’t expect your host to pop the bottle of wine you splurged on – unless you tell them you hope to sip it together, over the cheese plate you thoughtfully shopped for. Don’t be insulted if the top-shelf bottle goes onto the recipient’s shelf and they open something cheaper.

At Star Market in Salinas, Managing Partner Victor Kong loves to tell the stories behind the products. He knows many winemakers personally and may pull out a map of the appellation. He’s happy to recommend shareable snacks as well. Jeffrey’s Grill & Catering makes spiced pecans Kong loves.

“It gets spicier after you consume one or two handfuls,” he says. “It’s unique. It’s one of those items you can’t put down.”

Pitch dinner and a movie, and all you have to do is bring movie snacks from a local grocer and beer from a local brewery, and your gift can be consumed from the comfort of the couch.