It goes without saying that the holidays are a time of gift giving— and that often goes far beyond the friends and family who are inevitably on your shopping list. Whether it’s a small gesture for the hostess of a holiday party you’ve been invited to or a token of appreciation for a colleague, food is always an easy go to gift—who doesn’t like high quality chocolates or cheese? If you’re buying edible gifts this season, do so from a company or brand that supports sustainable practices. Not sure where to start? Read on!
Fair Trade Gift Baskets
Every organic product in these delightful baskets supports small farmers and their communities. Choose from more than 13 varieties, including the Small Farmer Basket, featuring coffee, chocolate bars, and ginger cookies (which are to die for good), and The Good Morning basket, made up of Fair Trade coffee, tea, and more of those aforementioned cookies. And shipping is free through the end of November! Use code freegiftship.
Anyone who’s ever been to Whole Foods knows that it can be an overwhelming experience—in a good way. There are so many delicious products to choose from, it’s hard to narrow it down. So let the good folks at WFM do it for you, with one of their gift boxes. Not only are all of the products in the box free from hydrogenated fats, artificial preservatives, colors and sweeteners, but the box itself is crafted from corrugated cardboard certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. Now that’s guilt-free gifting.
R.W. Knudsen Family’s Celebratory Beverages
Chances are your hostess will have plenty of alcohol on hand—and no shortage of wine, courtesy of the generosity of fellow party-goers—so shake things up (not literally) with these sparkling non-alcoholic beverages, packaged in chic Champagne bottles and available in eight flavors, including organic pear, apple, and kosher grape. (These also make a great gift if children are among the guests.) R.W. Knudsen Family has been making juices without artificial flavors colors or added sugar for 50 years. And to celebrate this milestone anniversary, they’re giving away a whopping 5,000 bottles of their sparkling concord grape juice! Visit their Facebook page to enter to win.
Normally crackers are calorie laden, nutrient empty appetizers (though they are the perfect partner for cheese, aren’t they?) So imagine my delight when I discovered these crispbreads from 34 Degrees. Made with natural ingredients, these paper thin bites (available in six varieties) have less than 1 gram of fat per nine crackers! Pick up a box of their Cracked Pepper Crispbread, a jar of Primo’s Raspberry Habanero Preserves, and a log of Haystack Mountain Boulder Chevre and you’ve got a simple, stylish hostess gift or appetizer. For more pairing ideas, visit the 34 Degrees website.
Harry and David Organic Fruit Gift Basket
The original bearer of fine food baskets, you can never go wrong with a gift from Harry and David. Their organic fruit basket is full of organic apples, pears, grapefruits and oranges, as well as their signature organic blueberry spread, organic vanilla bean/chocolate sandwich cookies and other divine treats. It’s an organic explosion—in a beautiful festive package. Sold!
Michelle Hainer | Contributor
Michelle Hainer is a freelance writer and editor whose work has appeared in numerous national publications including InStyle, Country Living, Real Simple, The Washington Post, People, Teen People, and Parenting. A former teen magazine editor, Michelle’s covered everything from pregnancy to peer pressure, but these days she writes mainly on the subjects she is most passionate about: cooking, crafting, traveling, and of course, eating. (She’s never met a potato or a piece of dark chocolate she didn’t like.) Michelle loves to knit and to cook, though not simultaneously. Visit her blog, Made By Michelle, below.
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