Great Minnesota-Made Christmas Food Gifts You Can Send Through Gold Belly

When my sister moved to Arizona, she would always asked how she could get Old Dutch Rip-L chips and Top the Tater sent to her.

Sigh.

Short of me getting a cryo-pack and popping for a big shipping bill, there was really no way to get her this very Minnesota snack.

To my knowledge, you still can't easily send Top the Tater nationwide. It's a delicious, craveable Upper Midwest delicacy. But it's hard to ship. And the Top the Tater people's suggestion?

Should you live outside the Upper Midwest, we suggest stocking up on Top The Tater before hitting the road.

But there ARE tasty Minnesota-made foods that you CAN ship, nationwide -- AND with free shipping.

Let me introduce you to the website, Gold Belly.

Gold Belly is a storefront for America's most amazing foods, from Chefs like:

• Ina Garten
• Jose Andres
• Geoffrey Zakarian
• Marcus Samuelsson
• Michael Symon, and
• Rick Bayless, to name just a few.

And there are amazing and iconic regional foods, like:

• Pat's King of Steaks Philly Cheeseteaks
• Seafood Gumbo from Commander's Palace in New Orleans
• Chicago Deep Dish Pizza from Lou Malnati's

Seriously, this is foodie nirvana. There are so many foods we've all wanted to try after seeing them on TV. And now you can taste them -- without a long road trip or pricey flight.

Likewise, you can send Minnesota and Upper Midwest delicacies across the nation -- for the holidays OR any time.

Here's what's available from Minnesota:

5-8 Club, Minneapolis

Want to send a Juicy Lucy and some of the 5-8's tasty sweet potato puffs to a homesick Minnesotan? No problem. Serving 4 or 8 people.

Angel Food Bakery

From donuts that spell out messages, jumbo donuts that you need two hands to hold, Dough-Napart croissant donuts, to jumbo cakes and cakes in a jar. Fun and delicious.

Betty's Pies, Two Harbors

If you're travelling on the North Shore, you have to stop at Betty's Pies. All sorts of cream and berry pies. Some of these 9" pies are even gluten-free. Send a taste of the North Shore to those snowbirds down South this winter.

Heggie's Pizza, Milaca

Nothing says Minnesota like a Heggie's Pizza. They're served in bars across Minnesota and are in countless home freezers. And now you can send multi-packs of these tasty 'Sota-style pizzas to friends and family who have a hankerin' for a Minnesota pie. (Just remind them to cut them in little squares to be truly authentic...)

Nadia Cakes, Woodbury

Known for their appearances on Food Network and on I-94 billboards, Nadia Cakes offers amazing cupcakes, tortes and Cakes -- including their Famous Vageode Cake. (If you know, you know.)

Red Wagon Pizza

Want a pizza that's not your typical? Pick Red Wagon. From "Carl the Cuban" or other  favorites from their appearance on "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives" to Tortellini alla Panna. Gourmet pizza in your oven.

T-Rex Cookie Company, Minneapolis

Time Out Magazine named the T-Rex Sea Salt Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies the #1 Best Cookie in America in 2016. These cookies are a giant -- a half-pound each and the size of a dinner plate. Impressive to unbox at Christmastime.