5 of the best coronation hampers that I'd actually buy (and I've tried 100s)

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Celebrate in style with these coronation hampers - fit for royalty...

A selection of the best coronation hampers 2023
(Image credit: Future / various brands)

What better way to celebrate the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III than by indulging in a coronation hamper packed full of classic British food and memorabilia?

Whether you're looking to send a coronation hamper to a loved one as a keepsake, or fancy treating yourself and the family during the celebrations, I've selected the best coronation gifts for the food lovers in your life - all of which can be sent in time for the coronation on Saturday 6th May 2023 where the King and Queen Consort will be crowned at Westminster Abbey.

To keep in with the 'fit for royalty' theme, I've chosen well-known quintessentially British brands including Whittard, Cartwright & Butler, and the jewel in the crown, Fortnum & Mason - for those looking to truly indulge during the royal celebrations. Alongside high-quality brands, I’ve kept sweet and savory options in mind to hopefully cater to everyone in your family, as well as buffet food for sharing and of course commemorative products that you can keep for years to come.

I've tried and tested a range of different hampers during my career - from extravagant Christmas gift boxes to Easter-themed baskets, so I certainly know a thing or two when it comes to choosing the right hamper or food gift - and for me it’s all about the quality of the products (and how many you get in it!), making sure there is something for everyone, and most importantly that it's worth the money. So with that in mind, here are my favorite coronation hampers and food gifts…

Best coronation hampers I'd highly recommend

The Coronation Hamper, £140 | Fortnum & Mason

The Coronation Hamper, £140 | Fortnum & Mason

Best for those looking to indulge and splurge (and need an excuse!)

Six sensational items are packed in this keepsake Fortnum & Mason branded wicker hamper. Choose from Fortnum's Rose & Violet Queen Consort Truffles (Her Majesty Queen Camilla's favorite apparently!) - displayed in a beautifully designed box. 

Not to mention delicious buttery honey biscuits, English berries preserve, and a commemorative coronation tea towel which I know my Nan would just adore. 

Coronation Celebration Hamper with Prosecco, £120 | M&S

Coronation Celebration Hamper with Prosecco, £120 | M&S

Best for sharing with friends and family during the celebrations

This full-to-bursting coronation-themed hamper courtesy of M&S is a real head-turner and just perfect if you love hosting and have a big family like me. Think pork pies, sausage rolls, shortbread biscuits, sourdough crackers, Prosecco, King Colin mini cakes and so much more. 

This hamper even includes napkins, bunting, and flags to take the coronation celebrations to the next level and saves you from having to dash out to the shops.

The Coronation Celebration Hamper, £200 | John Lewis

The Coronation Celebration Hamper, £200 | John Lewis

Best for the sweet tooth in your family who is happy to share all the treats

Cartwright & Butler is certainly one of my go-tos's when I think of afternoon tea-style hampers loaded with sweet treats you'd happily share with loved ones. This bundle includes an array of coronation-themed treats along with reusable keepsake tin and caddy. Biscuits, marmalade, a fruit loaf cake... and so much more. 

By far my favorite has to be the chocolate wafer rounds (which are available all year round if in stock of course!)  as they are super moreish thanks to the milk chocolate coating and crisp wafer insides - they're light so you feel like you're 'being good' eating the whole pack in one session. No judgment, please.

Kings Coronation Celebration Hamper, £250 | DukesHill

Kings Coronation Celebration Hamper, £250 | DukesHill

Best for those who love to indulge in fine meats, and cheeses like a true King or Queen

I am a massive DukesHill fan and have been for many years now. Their hampers are just showstopping and the amount you get in them for the money is certainly worth it in my eyes. They often include sweet and savory and plenty to choose from too.

This coronation hamper is no exception packed full of gourmet treats including Honey & Truffle Glazed Ham,  Scottish Oatcakes, the best Handmade Scottish Shortbread (and I mean best!), and a thick dark chocolate tiffin which you really won't want to share if you're a sweet tooth like me.

The Royal Party Hamper, £64.94 | The Cornish Company

The Royal Party Hamper, £64.94 | The Cornish Company

Best for those who love good old British afternoon tea (as much as me!)

Afternoon tea is certainly up there with one of the most quintessentially British things you can enjoy so is just perfect for this royal celebration. This afternoon tea hamper of scones, clotted cream, jam, English breakfast tea, fruit cake, and chocolate brownies can be delivered straight to your door for you to enjoy in the comfort of your own home whilst watching the coronation on the TV - what's not to love? 

All you have to do is provide the sandwiches and fight over whether the cream or jam goes onto the scone first. I'm a cream first and then jam kind of person myself...

Other coronation foods I'd recommend

And of course, if you're on a tight budget and can't justify the splurge on a coronation hamper, then I'd recommend some of the following food gifts which give a subtle nod to His Majesty King Charles' coronation with some keepsake choices and delicious patriotic products including my royal favorite, King Colin the Caterpillar

Here are my top picks for the coronation...

Coronation Collection, £16.50 | Whittard

Coronation Collection, £16.50 | Whittard

Whittard are experts in all things tea and biscuits and this coronation-inspired jute bag includes an elegant Regal Blend Tea and artisan All Butter Shortbread - the perfect coronation gift for one. The buttery shortbread biscuits are just heavenly plus you get a free floral jute bag which I'd happily show off walking around my local supermarket or picking the kids up from school.

M&S Coronation Colin the Caterpillar, £10 | Ocado

M&S Coronation Colin the Caterpillar, £10 | Ocado

M&S have given their iconic Colin the Caterpillar a patriotic makeup topped with golden chocolate crowns and red, white, and blue sprinkles. Colin is certainly a big hit come birthday celebrations (especially in our house of chocolate lovers!) so sharing this chocolate Swiss roll-style cake with the family this coronation just makes sense.

Fortnum's Musical Coronation Biscuit Tin, £35 | Fortnum & Mason

Fortnum's Musical Coronation Biscuit Tin, £35 | Fortnum & Mason

Another favorite from Fortnum & Mason, this elegantly designed biscuit tin is a musical treat that plays 'God Save the King' as it spins. And to make it even more patriotic the flavors and ingredients used to make these biscuits are a tribute to the Commonwealth from warming Fijian ginger and tart-sweet Canadian cranberries. This has got 'my Dad' written all over it.

King Charles III Jolly Ginger, £7.95 | Biscuiteers

King Charles III Jolly Ginger, £7.95 | Biscuiteers

If your kids are anything like mine and love a gingerbread man (or person) as a cheeky treat after school, then they will love Biscuiteers' own King Charles III Jolly Ginger. Biscuiteers are well known for their famously sweet, hand-decorated biscuits and this royal gingerbread is not to be missed this coronation. Next-day delivery is available so you've got plenty of time to bag a couple for the little ones before the big day so don't panic.

Coronation Collectables Tote Bag, £28 | M&S

Coronation Collectables Tote Bag, £28 | M&S

For just £28 you can bag yourself a keepsake coronation tote bag, two reusable tins filled with all-butter shortbread, and another with English breakfast tea bags. A lovely little nod to the royal celebrations, plus the chocolate crowns and giant milk chocolate coin are just heavenly. I will certainly be sending one to each of my grandparents this week before they sell out that's for sure.

Cartwright & Butler King Charles III Coronation Crowning Glory Hamper, £60 | John Lewis

Cartwright & Butler King Charles III Coronation Crowning Glory Hamper, £60 | John Lewis

This generous coronation-themed gift box includes marmalade (that Paddington Bear would be proud of), a Jewel Loaf Cake, English breakfast tea, milk chocolate biscuits, and a homemade tomato and chili chutney. The perfect selection of some of Cartwright & Butler's favorites. And you'll be glad to know that the biscuit tin and tea caddy are the perfect coronation keepsake.

Mini King's Coronation Selection, £75 | DukesHill

Mini King's Coronation Selection, £75 | DukesHill

If you're hosting a mini get-together and you're looking for some quality, readymade food that'll take the stress out of cooking, let me introduce you to DukesHill. This Mini King's Coronation Selection includes Scotch eggs, pork pies, vegetable pasties, and quiche Lorraine to name a few. The vegetable pasties and pork pies were a big hit with my family of testers - the pastry for both is just heavenly. 

Coronation Gift Box, £35 | Bettys

Coronation Gift Box, £35 | Bettys

I'm a lover of Bettys, I must say, and have been to their Harrogate cafe a few times now. I can't get enough. Bettys fondant fancies are a sweet favorite of mine and these ones have been given a coronation twist. Alongside soft, melt-in-the-mouth champagne macaroons, Bettys Tea Room Blend, and a sweet Crown Lebkuchen Biscuit - a really lovely collection, from an even lovelier brand.

How I test food hampers - and my top tips for buying them

I've tried and tested countless hampers during my career at Goodto.com. Whether it's festive hampers sampled in the run-up to Christmas or Easter hampers piled high with an array of chocolate goodies. Hampers are my specialty.  

There are four key things to keep in mind when selecting a hamper:

Who you're buying for: If you're gifting a food hamper the number one rule is to know who you're buying for. There's no point spending loads of money on an extravagant hamper for your grandparents when you know they'll only eat the fruit cake and won't even touch the lavender biscuits or strawberry macaroons. If you're buying for a couple, you won't need a massive hamper just a few high-quality products will do, or if you're buying for a bigger family with kids, you might want to choose a hamper perfect for sharing.

The quality of the products: The hampers I've tested over the years have been thoroughly reviewed in regard to the quality of the products included. There's nothing more disappointing than spending lots, sometimes hundreds of pounds on a hamper to find that the product is lacking in flavor, and variety and is just plain boring. 

When sifting through hampers I focus on ones that have delicious, mouthwatering cakes or succulent cuts of meat - that are fresh, well packaged, and have a generous use-by date.

How much you get in it: Quantity isn't so much about choosing a hamper with tons and tons in it, it's about making sure that if you're paying loads of money for a hamper you want to get the right amount of products for your money. What variety are you getting? If you're buying for someone who loves chocolate, does it have enough sweet options, or is predominately savory? If you're buying for someone who doesn't drink alcohol, avoid those heavy-based boozy hampers as they won't be appreciated.

How much it costs and if it's worth it: And last but certainly not least, you need to keep in mind your budget. There's no point spending a fortune on a hamper that you can't really afford - I'm sure your loved ones would much rather you keep your money and not be out of pocket. If you're happy to spend the money, then go for it - otherwise, you could always skip the hamper and choose to buy some of the products from the hamper individually instead - it sometimes works out cheaper and the total cost often includes the wicker hamper itself which is on average about £60.

Jessica Dady
Food Editor

Jessica Dady is Food Editor at GoodtoKnow and has over 12 years of experience as a digital editor, specialising in all things food, recipes, and SEO. From the must-buy seasonal food hampers and advent calendars for Christmas to the family-friendly air fryers that’ll make dinner time a breeze, Jessica loves trying and testing various food products to find the best of the best for the busy parents among us. Over the years of working with GoodtoKnow, Jessica has had the privilege of working alongside Future’s Test Kitchen to create exclusive videos - as well as writing, testing, and shooting her own recipes. When she’s not embracing the great outdoors with her family at the weekends, Jessica enjoys baking up a storm in the kitchen with her favourite bakes being chocolate chip cookies, cupcakes, and a tray of gooey chocolate brownies