WBTV 3 News, Weather, Sports, and Traffic for Charlotte, NCHoliday gifts of gourmet food put to the test

CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - It's the kind of food that always looks so good in a catalog or online.  Food with holiday flair created by companies like Harry and David, Omaha Steaks, and Hickory Farms.

How do you know, though, if what you see in pictures is really true?  You don't want to spend upwards of $50 to send a gift to a friend or family member across country only to find out it just didn't taste as good as it looks.

WBTV put nine products from five different companies through a rating process based on taste and appearance.  To hear exactly what our testers thought of the products please watch the video on this page.

The list below ranks, in order from what they considered best to worst, the products they tested.  You can click the links to find out how much each costs:

Hickory Farms Beef and Turkey Gift Box

Omaha Steaks Caramel Apple Tartlets

Cookie and Brownie box from Harry and David

Holiday Sentiments Tower From Amazon.com

Hand-dipped Chocolate Pears from Harry and David

Trio of Holiday Cakes from QVC

Italian Bites from Omaha Steaks

Fruitcake Sampler from Figis

Breads and Spreads from Figis