One of my pet peeves with my mom is that she will get on my case about how my blood sugar is kinda funky (I have been tested repeatedly for diabetes and hypoglycemia, and the doctor always says "weird, watch it) and then she sends me BOXES of chocolates every year for Christmas.
She finds them on sale really cheap, then gives it away as gifts to all of the family members with blood sugar issues.
I have asked her to stop it, but i know that every year I will have a ton of chocolate to put in the staff room at work.
Otherwise, I think the thoughtful and kind food gifts can be awesome. The gifts in a jar ones make for a nice presentation.
I think my experience says more about how it is important for the giver to kinda think it through as to who is getting the gift, rather than just giving something because it is expected and the items are on sale again, or really cheap. Many food and homemade gifts make it possible to affordably individualize gifts for the recipient.