Items given to a villager can be split into
Best,
Good,
Neutral,
Bad, and
Worst items.
I recommend starting out with the town mayor, Lewis. He loves Hot Peppers. They are easy to grow and can be planted in the Summer.
If you want to take a look at what items villagers prefer, check out the Stardew Valley Official Wiki:
http://stardewvalleywiki.com/Villagers ORfor a list of the best gifts for each:
http://stardewvalleywiki.com/List_of_Best_Gifts_by_VillagerBeware of unwanted spoilers