Gifts (Health) Foodies Love!

KIND Snacks

Imagine this. It’s 3pm on a December weekday afternoon and your tummy starts rumblin’. In most office settings around the country, you’re apt to find platters of homemade goodies. If you work in the kind of setting where vendors and clients routinely send in gifts, you’re likely see baskets and towers of candies, mixed nuts, chocolate covered pretzels, and more. I have no problem admitting that those kinds of things are exactly what I crave. Sometimes. Other times, I’m smart enough to know that they’re not gonna sit with me very long and come 5:30 when I’m in the gym, I’m not going to have the energy I need. Why not a delicious but nourishing alternative? That’s what KIND Snacks is offering this year, with specially designed KIND cubes for sale through their Snack & Give Back campaign.

If you’ve already tried KIND bars and healthy grains, you are aware that they provide only the highest quality natural ingredients like nuts and gluten-free whole grains. Read their labels, and you’ll never see an ingredient you can’t pronounce.

These first-of-their kind KIND cubes are uniquely chosen by health-loving do-gooders and notable tastemakers, Arianna Huffington (Huffington Post), Bobbi Brown (Bobbi Brown Cosmetics) and Grace Potter (Grace Potter and the Nocturnals). By purchasing a KIND cube through Snack & Give Back, you are not only giving the gift of a delicious, healthy snack, but also showing your support for the Committee to Protect Journalists, Broome Street Academy and the Alzheimer’s Association— charities of personal importance to Arianna, Bobbi and Grace respectively. As part of the campaign, KIND is making a $10,000 donation to each charity. To read more about each woman’s chosen charity and the flavors in her KIND cube, visit the Snack & Give Back page (hint: I’ve tried some of the flavors and they are delish!)

Savorfull

Do you have a friend or loved one who has been recently diagnosed with a gluten, dairy, or nut allergy? Or someone who’s always on the lookout for tasty new products to fit those dietary needs? A Savorfull subscription would make a really sweet treat! For just $15 a month, the lucky recipient will get to try products that are not only allergen-free, but also nutrient dense and minimally processed.

Want a taste? November’s box brought Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Crust Mix, Enjoy Life Sunbutter Bars, Lucy’s Merry Mint Chocolate Cookies (by the way – I was totally intrigued to see these in Whole Foods one day, and then utterly excited to see they had shown up in my Savorfull delivery!)  and Skinny Pop Popcorn. Join now or sign up your favorite person to receive January’s box!

Gadgets

Not gonna lie, I love a good gadget. I don’t even mind buying something that’s only good for one task, as long as it doesn’t take up too much space. (Although, come to think of it, all the ones I’m about to share are multi-use.) Here are a few things I can’t live without, and I bet they’d make perfect gifts or stocking stuffers for just about any healthy cook – especially those just starting out and stocking their kitchens.

A microplane zester is a nifty little tool needed for citrus, fresh ginger, and nutmeg. Healthy cooking is all about flavors, and these powerful flavor boosters are not to be skipped.

My immersion blender is one of my best kitchen buddies and I use it almost daily to whip up single servings of protein pancakes. It makes my creamy soups so much smoother than my blender or food processor – and saves me the trouble of washing those bad boys.

Can’t stand it when you need the 1/2 teaspoon and can only find the tablespoon, teaspoon and 1/4 in that messy drawer? There is a solution: Magnetic measuring spoons stay together. Plus they’re double-ended so you can get two uses out of them. Win-win.

For a perfectly-seared crust on steak or tuna or nicely browned chicken like you only get in a restaurant, forget expensive high-end stainless steel and invest in a cast iron skillet. Seriously one of the best purchases ever. I also use mine for frittatas that release beautifully from the pan and crisp, warm homemade tortillas and other flatbreads.

And there you have it! I could go on, but I know you’re only seeing, oh, 19000 other posts like this. I hope that somewhere along the way, you’ve found just the thing that will make everyone smile 🙂

Disclaimer: I received samples from KIND and Savorfull, but no monetary compensation in exchange for this post.