As a long time mushroom hunter, I've tried out lots of gear and have many mushroom books. Mushroom picking is a great hobby (or money making job for some), that gets you outside in nature. If you've got an avid mushroom hunter in your life, or someone who wants to be, here are my picks for the 50 best mushroom gifts for foragers and mushroom lovers!
The perfect gift doesn't have to cost much, in fact many of these gifts are under $25 and only a few top $100. Choose one of these unique gift ideas to show your mushroom-loving friend or family member that you really know them. (Find mushroom stocking stuffers at the end.)
From specialized knives and brushes, books for mushroom identification, recipes and growing, or different varieties of mushroom kits to grow at home. There is outdoor gear to keep them warm and safe, mushroom swag like mugs, T-shirts and coffee mugs and mushroom botanical art. These are my favorite mushroom gift ideas.
Jump to:
Mushroom Knives and Brushes
A high-quality knife is an essential tool in the forest. Among the most practical gifts, you can choose a simple folding blade or one with a brush on the end to brush away dirt and debris. The Opinel ultimate camp kit is a perfect choice for those who like to picnic or camp while out and comes with a cutting board, 2 knives, and a peeler wrapped in a handy and sturdy dish cloth.
Lightweight, high quality folding foraging knife with a handy bristle brush at the end for cleaning mushrooms. A top pick of professional foragers.
The Opinel Nomad camp kitchen Utensil kit includes their No.12 serrated knife, No. 10 knife with corkscrew, the No. 6 peeler, wooden cutting board all wrapped in a handy camp dish cloth.
Baskets and Bags
I've often picked with simple plastic bags but a proper mushroom foraging bag or mushroom basket is great to keep mushrooms from getting bruised and squished. A basket or bag with a firm bottom is ideal. You can further make this gift special by choosing one that suits the style of your mushroom forager friend. A romantic or vintage looking basket with handles or a rugged, waxed canvas tote bag are both a useful and fun gift.
Backpack style basket with adjustable straps is perfect for keeping mushrooms in tip top shape while mushroom hunting. A sturdy and practical sack from Haversack Bushcraft Bags
With a rain-resistant waxed coating and rugged yet minimalist styling, this foraging bag is one of my favorites. Adjustable straps and an extendable bottom (for when you find more than you expected!) make this a really useful and versatile pack.
This versatile basket keeps mushrooms (and Farmer's market produce) from getting squished and bruised. Sturdy and durable, it lets water drain out and dries quickly after a wet day in the forest.
Best Mushroom Books
From David Aurora's field guide with some cheesy and humorous writing to Paul Stamets deep knowledge of our fungi friends and Bill Jones mushroom cookbook, here are my favorite mycology books for the nature lover.
All That the Rain Promises and More: A Hip Pocket Guide to Western Mushrooms is hands down, my favorite mushroom guidebook. Great pictures and descriptions along with the look-alikes and a good dose of humor make this one fun to read any time of year.
Paul Stamets is a mushroom guru who spends part of his year on the West Coast of Canada near me. I have yet to get in on one of his mushroom talks but I keep trying! This is a great book for learning about growing your own mushrooms and their medicinal properties.
The Deerholme Foraging Book: Wild Foods from the Pacific Northwest is a great foraging book from chef and forager, Bill Jones. I have been lucky enough to do a spring foraging class with him and enjoy an amazing wild food lunch prepared by him. The Deerholme book includes lots of his unique and tasty recipes for wild foods.
Christopher Hobbs's Medicinal Mushrooms: The Essential Guide: Boost Immunity, Improve Memory, Fight Cancer, Stop Infection, and Expand Your Consciousness
And our book collection wouldn't be complete without a mushroom cookbook! Here is a great one, or you can print off some of my favorite mushroom recipes here, to include with your gift.
Grow Kits
Did you know there are lots of types of mushrooms that you can grow at home? Mushroom grow kits make unique gifts. A tasty gift with added health benefits, it's a great gift for mushroom enthusiasts, especially when it's not mushroom hunting season.
Wild mushrooms like shaggy looking lion's mane, white, blue or pink oyster mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms can be easy to grow your own. Packaged in a plastic bag or cardboard grow box, simply spritz the enoculated growing medium (usually a wood substrate) with water daily. Within approximately 10 days, you'll be harvesting your own gourmet mushrooms!
PRO TIP: When you've harvested all the mushrooms, dump the contents in a moist, but well-drained spot in your garden and when the weather is just right, you will often get another flush of shrooms!
Pink oyster mushrooms are a stunning color and so impressive to grow. I've done blue and grey but not the pink. These would make a great (Valentines?) gift for your partner.
An easy mushroom kit that's ready to go, just spritz it with water to keep the humidity level up. Lion's mane mushrooms are unique and delicious with a more firm texture than their delicate look would seem. I've had really good success growing these.
Hiking Gear
Staying warm, dry, hydrated (and not getting lost) are the most important things when out hiking. Well, those and finding all the mushrooms 😉 Here are some great gift ideas to keep mushroomers safe, warm and dry while out in the woods.
Garmin is known for reliability and practicality and this one is tops. With an extra long battery life and the ability to download maps, this is one of the best GPS trackers out there.
USB Rechargeable flameless plasma cool lighter is a great safety lighter for out in the woods. (Be sure to charge it before you go)
This amazing piece of equipment takes up very little space and will ensure safe drinking water wherever you find a water source. For every Lifestraw sold, they donate a year of safe drinking water to a school child in need.
The perfect insulating layer for under your rainjacket.
The perfect lightweight layer for hiking will keep you warm, even when wet.
The perfect way to carry extra water and keep your hands free while hiking.
Mushroom Mugs
Everyone needs a mushroom coffee mug and these unique designs make wonderful gifts. The unique design of the glass tea infuser makes it fun to use and it comes in different colors so you can customize it to the recipient.
The travel mug is a great, stainless steel, double-walled mug with a vacuum seal lid to prevent spills and keep drinks hot (or cold) while on the go. And last but not least, a mushroom enamel mug is a great, lightweight mug for camping or a forest picnic. Or just use it at home because it looks so cool.
Mushroom Apparel
From super cool mushroom socks or T-shirts to tote bags, jewellery and hats, here are the best gifts for those who like to wear their passion on their sleeve!
Fun(gi) Decor + More
Why have a boring bathroom when you can rock this fun bathroom set! 4 Piece Mushroom shower curtain and bathroom set with rug, toilet lid cover and bath mat.
Have you noticed that foragers tend to be cool people that have a great sense of humor? If that's your friend, then these two 8 x 12" vintage signs will make them smile every time they use the washroom.
A more subtle way to show your love for fungi, this set of 5 glass mushroom bud vases make a statement grouped together or a fun them throughout your living space.
A fun and colorful 1000 piece mushroom puzzle.
Mushroom Lamps + Lights
Are there any cuter mushroom-themed gifts than these petite lights?! A mushroom lamp is the perfect gift to make a cozy corner or keep the hallway lit at night.
Super cute fairy garden sized mushroom solar light. Perfect for the garden or near a window where it can recharge each day and emanate light in the evening.
Why get plain mini lights when you could have mushroom mini lights?! Battery operated, these are adorable for lighting up your room or the patio.
2 pack of fun, color changing mushroom night lights. A light sensor makes them automatically turn on at night and off when it's bright in the morning.
Best Mushroom Stocking Stuffers
Have fun filling a mushroom lover's stocking with these tiny but great mushroom gifts.
If you have any questions or comments, you can find me on Instagram, Pinterest and Facebook. I try to answer any recipe related questions quickly as I know you might be in the middle of making it.
Also check out my FREE PRINTABLE meal planner to make menu planning and grocery shopping a breeze and my shopping guide. And if you like this recipe, I would love it if you give it a star rating in the recipe card.
Cheers and happy cooking, Friends! Sabrina
Leave a Reply