20 Candles That Look Just Like Food

This bowl of Fruit Loops has the benefit of a vanilla scent. The candle sits inside a real glass bowl with an actual metal spoon, drop it on the table amid bowls of actual Fruit Loops and it’ll seem even more realistic.

On the quirkier end of the spectrum are these fried chicken thighs. Put them on a cake platter in the middle of a table for dramatic effect.

Strikingly realistic, right? This martini comes in a glass that could conceivably be refilled (though we don’t recommend it). Try serving these two guests, unlit, before the actual cocktails come out. The gag potential for food-shaped candles is high.

This wax candle was handmade in Italy by a family of wax shapers that goes back six generations. But it’s not actually recommended to light this candle and we’re happy to preserve its adorable look.

Once upon a time, kids wanted six-foot-long subs (or hoagies or Italians, depending on the region) for their birthday parties. Problem was, kids could never finish six feet of sandwich. Solution: The candle sub. No soggy buns.

It comes in a paper wrapper! And a real tin! Bonus, it does not smell like fish, but «garden-fresh tomato leaf.» Ideal for picnics and that friend who went through a tinned fish phase a couple years ago.

Looking for a clever gift? Try this hyper-real Cup of Noodles candle.

An espresso pot candle that sadly does not smell like coffee. But, it’ll still fool anyone in your kitchen.

This T-bone steak calls to mind Dutch vanitas paintings, wherein perfectly rendered organic matter is depicted gently rotting, alluding to the brevity of life. Pair a steak with fruit candles, baguette, and cheese, and invoke this still-life tradition in the middle of your dinner table. No conversation starters required.

Maybe not as realistic as some of the others, but the charm of this olive is undeniable. Bonus, it has a nice smell (without a base of brine): «neroli, jasmine, and orange blossom.»

Breakfast foods and candles go together like jam and jelly. This croissant, made from soy and beeswax, brings the full equation.

Of all the food-shaped candles out there, these win «most likely to be burned» because how cute would they look on top of a cake?

Wax lends itself to the seductive ripples of well-spread frosting, no? Stack a tray full of these candle desserts at your next festive gathering.

Looking to create a centerpiece for your farm-core picnic? Try corn candles.

There’s a seasonal quality to mushrooms that make them just right for a fall dinner table setting.

Perhaps you’d like something more high end than the Cup of Noodles candle. Here, we present a ramen bowl version.

Thankfully, these candles look and smell like iced coffee. Perfect for a morning pick-me-up.

Which kid in your life needs this candle immediately? We say all of them.