The best food Advent calendars of 2020 do not include the one in the drugstore with the waxy chocolate behind thin cardboard doors — but no surprise there. So before you end up with that as your only option, let me stop you and share some food Advent calendar options that both taste and look amazing. Because if we’ve seen anything this year, it’s that Advent calendars are flying off shelves, and the holiday spirit seems more necessary than ever.
And hey, if there is any year in which you should splurge a wee bit for “the good stuff,” it’s 2020!
So I have done a lot of searching, as I do every year, to round more than 15 of the most delicious and interesting food Advent calendars this year for your kids.
Oh, and a few more that are strictly 21+ for you. Which we could also use in 2020.
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Related: 11 of our favorite new Advent calendars in 2020 if you’re skipping the food versions.
Our favorite food Advent Calendars of 2020 for everyone in the family
Dylan’s affordable Chocolate Advent Calendar for kids
For you Advent calendar purists who love the kind we opened as kids, the Chocolate Advent calendar from Dylan’s Candy Bar includes colorful, foil-wrapped holiday chocolates that taste so much better than cheaper version. I also love that behind each door flap is an idea for a holiday “to do,” like to go look at Christmas lights or to make Christmas cards for friends. It’s a nice way to get some ideas for holiday activities beyond “eat chocolate first thing every morning” — and a terrific price. ($15)
Sugarfina candy Advent Calendar for kids
Ready for a sugar rush worth every bite? The 24 Treats of Christmas Advent Calendar from Sugarfina gives you four pieces of candy a day to make the Christmas countdown sweeter. And not just because the kids won’t have to fight over the treats. I love the variety of delicious treats in this calendar, from Parisian Pineapples to Birthday Cookies Bites to Snowman Gummies. Go ahead and order…Christmas only comes once a year, and this year has been a doozy. ($48 at Macy’s)
Popcorn Advent Calendar for Winter Movie Nights
Now that family movie night has become the big social event of our Covid fall (and winter and…), I think the this Popcorn Advent calendar for 2020 from Williams-Sonoma could help us keep the tradition going long into the season. Made by Wabash Valley Farms, I love the variety in this calendar, from different types of corn kernels to different seasonings, popping oil, and even mini marshmallows to add to the mix. This should get us through It’s a Wonderful Life, Elf, The Year without a Santa Claus, and The Grinch who Stole Christmas easily! ($49.95)
And don’t miss the delicious Peppermint Bark Advent calendar by Williams-Sonoma that we featured last year. Fortunately, it’s back for an encore this year.
Aldi’s Food, Drink, and Pet Advent Calendars for 2020
If you’re lucky enough to live near an Aldi Supermarket, run don’t walk to grab one of their coveted 2020 Advent calendars — but hurry, they sell out fast!
Along with the super-cute Nutcracker chocolate Advent calendar for the kids, I would love to open the Emporium Selection Cheese Advent Calendar, the Barissimo Coffee Advent Calendar, or even the super-cute pet Advent Calendar for my always-starving black lab. (Cat owners, there’s one for you too!)
Related: 10 money-saving finds at Aldi that make it worth the trip.
Aldi also sells Advent calendars for the 21+ crowd in many states (sobbing here in Massachusetts), so you may find their super-popular wine (above) beer, or hard seltzer Advent calendars if you get up early enough. Hey, the early bird gets the gorgeous Merry & Bright Wine Advent Calendar, right? (in-store only, prices vary)
Hot Chocolate, Coffee and Tea Advent Calendars
I’m not sure who would love this Hot Chocolate Advent calendar from Tea Revv more: Always-freezing me or my always-up-for-cocoa kids. And the design on the front of this calendar is spectacular enough to stay propped up on my mantle.
A division of the UK’s YawnBrew.com, Tea Revv’s Advent calendars also come in a tea Advent Calendar (naturally) and coffee Advent calendar. Keep in mind that these calendars do ship from overseas, but the cost of shipping is already included into the price. Just order soon to give it a couple of weeks to arrive. ($52.99 for hot chocolate version)
Marshmallow Advent Calendar for Kids
The only reason I will not be ordering this incredibly decadent marshmallow Advent calendar from XO Marshmallow is because I cannot trust myself to not devour the entire thing for myself. If you or your kids are marshmallow fans, you will understand why this sold out in less than two weeks last year.
With no repeat flavors, you’ll get to savor such unique ‘mallows as rootbeer, salted caramel, butterbeer, and Nutella, as well as two flavors that are unique to this delicious food Advent calendar of 2020: gingerbread and cotton candy. There are even two “adult” flavors, bourbon and coquito, to wet your whistle.
Beware, this one may sell out even faster than the last. (preorders now for mid-November shipping, $49.95)
Chocolate and truffles Advent Calendars for adults who like the good stuff
My teens, who think Sour Patch Kids are candy perfection, would not be allowed anywhere near this sophisticated, decadent, and expensive Chocolate and Truffles Advent calendar (item no longer available) from esteemed British chocolatier Charbonnel et Walker. But as a special treat for us grownups who may be tearing our hair out in December waiting our online orders to arrive and taking last-minute changes to our kids’ Santa wish list, It’s perfect! ($95, at Williams-Sonoma)
Hot Tea and Matcha Advent Calendars to warm you up
If you love a spot o’ tea as the weather gets colder, check out these two beautiful options from David’s Tea : The 24 Days of Tea Advent Calendar and the 24 Days of Matcha Advent Calendar. The first calendar includes interesting and unusual tea blends, with some limited-quantity and exclusive teas ranging from pomegranate and blood orange to peanut butter and salted caramel. Each little tin makes between 1-2 cups of tea, so you can even share. (If you want.)
Matcha lovers will want to check out the Matcha Advent Calendar which not only includes several different flavors of matcha but also sweet treats like infused chocolates, matcha gummies, and matcha honey. ($50 and $65, respectively)
Vegan and Nut-Free Advent Calendar for kids and adults
Since it’s both vegan and nut-free, I have two teens who would really appreciate this vegan chocolate Advent Calendar from No Whey! Foods, so they can indulge in every single chocolate-y bite. In fact, this is one food Advent Calendar of 2020 that’s free of nearly every allergen I can think of, including gluten and soy. A pretty awesome option for kids with food allergies, or who choose to stick with plant-based foods. Great price too. ($14.95)
Beef Jerky Advent Calendar for the carnivores
Finally, an Advent Calendar we carnivores can sink our teeth into! Check out all 25 days of this Beef Jerky Advent Calendar from Man Crates which includes such adventurous flavors as root beer, orange habanero, and ghost pepper, mixed in with the more expected yumminess of teriyaki, whiskey maple, and garlic.
Packaged in a seasonal stained-glass scene with an interesting cast of characters, this is one traditional twist that makes a great gift for a special meat-eating adult in your life. ($79.99)
