If you’re looking for things to do in Nova Scotia, add these seven culinary adventures to your East Coast road trip itinerary.
If you're on East Coast Canada, here are the best Nova Scotia wineries and Nova Scotia breweries to visit this year.A sponsored post
With Mother’s Day just around the corner, it’s time to start thinking about gift ideas. But thanks to the global pandemic, some of the usual Mother’s Day gifts in Canada—spa and salon certificates, restaurant gift cards, weekend getaways—are off the table for this year.
Luckily, we’ve got you covered. For something different, we’ve rounded up the best Mother’s Day gift ideas sourced from Nova Scotia makers, bakers, brewers, wineries, and business owners, which you can easily order online and assemble into gorgeous DIY gift baskets. In some cases, you can even arrange gift basket delivery directly to Mom’s door. Plus, you can feel good about shopping locally and in Canada!
Unique Mother’s Day Gift Ideas from Nova Scotia
Here are some of our favourite Mother’s Day gifts in Canada that you can buy online and make into a beautiful gift basket. PS—any of the items make great Father’s Day gift ideas, as well as to celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, housewarmings, and more.
For Mother’s Day Brunch Delivery: Breakfast in a Box
Here’s one way to show your appreciation: whip up a delicious Mother’s Day brunch with this Family Brunch Box from Sugar Moon Farms—a maple sugar farm and restaurant that serves what some consider Canada’s best pancakes. The box comes with a flapjack mix and a 1-litre jug of maple syrup, along with dark roast coffee and maple-flavoured granola, mustard, and butter. If you can’t be together on Mother’s Day, order two boxes and enjoy together over Zoom or FaceTime.
For Chocolate addicts: Artisan chocolates from Peace by Chocolate
Chocoholics will love a taste from this Antigonish chocolate shop. Before opening Peace by Chocolate, Assam Hadad made handmade chocolate in Syria for 30 years—until his factory was bombed and he lost everything. Fleeing to Canada in 2015, Hadad started selling sweet treats from a backyard shed in Antigonish. It soon became Canada’s hottest chocolate shop—even luring the prime minister in for a taste. From the online store, you can choose assorted chocolate boxes and bars for a DIY Mother’s Day gift basket. The Nova Scotia Bar made with decadent dark chocolate and Nova Scotian wild blueberries is swoon-worthy, and the Celebration Bar can be personalized with a special message on the label. Overwhelmed by all the delicious choices? Go for a pre-made gift basket delivery to Mom’s door instead.
For Seafood Lovers: An East Coast Dinner For Two
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Despite restaurant closures and travel restrictions, it’s still possible to enjoy an authentic East Coast feast from anywhere in Canada. Clearwater Seafoods has been the “go-to” place in Halifax for live lobster for 40+ years and offers dinner packages that can be shipped to your home. The East Coast Dinner for Two comes with all the essentials for a traditional Maritime supper—lobster, smoked salmon, mussels, and an eating kit (yes, bibs are included!). If you’re squeamish about live lobsters, there’s a version with cooked crustaceans.
For “Wine Moms:” Nova Scotia Wine Gift Baskets
With a grape-growing tradition dating back to the 1600s, Nova Scotia’s wine country is acclaimed for producing crisp whites, ice wines, and Champagne-style sparkling wines. For a Mother’s Day gift, assemble a tasting selection from Nova Scotia wineries that Mom can enjoy at home. Most have online shops and ship within Nova Scotia and across the country. Some even have a wine club or wine subscriptions! A few favourites to consider:
- The signature Phone Box White from Luckett Vineyards. Fruity and floral, it goes great with lobster, summer salads, and spicy Asian dishes.
- A bottle of Jost 4 Skins—a full-bodied blend of four grapes that has a fruity aroma and of chocolate and coffee notes.
- A bottle of Haskap Sparkling from Grand Pré Winery. This fizzy berry blend is a perfect patio drink.
- A L&W mixed pack from Lightfoot and Wolfville, which includes 7 different blends delivered in a tote bag. You can even include a special message when you order.
- A pack of Nova 7 Cans from Benjamin Bridge— Canada’s premier sparkling wine house. For something extra, you could also throw in a membership to the Nova 7 Club.
- A 12-pack of Tidal Bay wines in a can from Jost—easy to ship and gives a taste of the region’s famous appellation wine.
For Epicureans: Create the Ultimate East Coast Gourmet Food Basket
If Mom is a Food Network fanatic, surprise her with a gourmet food basket filled with East Coast flavours. You can opt for a premade culinary box, or just mix and match various Nova Scotian products into a Mother’s Day gift basket. Here are some ideas: A Nova Scotia Pantry Collection from Taste of Nova Scotia. It’s filled with one-of-a-kind Nova Scotia-made products, such as honey, jam, spices, maple syrup, ketchup from the legendary Le Caveau restaurant, and more. 
A Smokehouse Sampler from J. Willy Krauch and Sons, which includes three types of smoked salmon and flavoured salmon bites.
Build your own Nova Box with foodstuffs like wild blueberry jam, Halifax Donair spice, salted caramel truffles, seafood rubs, and more.
A Nova Scotia Cheese Box from Afishinado Fishmongers in Halifax. It features different cheeses from across the province and makes an awesome addition to the Sea-cuterie Board. BTW, this cool Halifax shop also offers subscriptions to “The Catch of the Month Club” and “Oyster Box Club.”
A Tidal Salt Sampler Box that includes 5 jars of flavoured salts harvested on the Eastern Shore and in St. George’s Bay.
If you’re in Nova Scotia, you could also treat Chef Mom to a “Cooking on the Farm” class with The Kilted Chef. Spend a day with celebrity chef Alain Bossé sourcing local ingredients, followed by a private cooking class that involves gorging on your creations. It’s one delicious way to sink your teeth into what Nova Scotian fare, while spending quality time together.
For Gluten-Free Moms: A Gourmet Goodie Basket
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Get gluten-free goodies baked in a 150-year-old converted schoolhouse by the seaside delivered to your door. Schoolhouse Gluten-Free Gourmet has quite a selection: from mini-muffins to bread baskets to a granola club. These are all freezable, so don’t worry about food waste.
For Pampering at Home: Build Your Own Beauty Gift Box
Okay, so this one isn’t edible, but Mom will still love it. Instead of the usual spa or salon certificates, treat Mom to a unique DIY beauty box filled with Nova Scotia-made products. To make it easy, here’s a selection of spa stuff that you can order online:
- Start with some sweet-scented beauty and bath products from the Seafoam Lavender Company. The lavender essential oils and lavender bath bombs are heavenly, as well as their soothing skincare products.
- Add Handcrafted Wild Blueberry Soap from Bonnymans’, a facial care box from Cosmic Tree Essentials, and maple lip balm from Sugar Moon Farm.
- Throw in a subscription to the Groovy Goody Club, which will give Mom a fun monthly surprise of goat milk bath and body products handcrafted by Groovy Goat Farm and Soap Company.
Pro Tip: If you’re looking for a one-of-a-kind Mother’s Day gift basket, get one of these beautiful hand-woven baskets made with lobster rope. It looks lovely and can be easily reused!
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