I love Christmas for so many reasons. I love the decorations, the food, the traditions, most of all I love that it’s a time to celebrate the birth of Christ…I don’t love the shopping. “Gifts” is not my love language, even though I totally appreciate giving and receiving a gift that is meaningful. I’d rather spend 1 to 3 hours just quietly sipping coffee and chatting with you about deep and meaningful things. Can you tell my love language is quality time?!
Even still, gift-giving is part of the deal and not soon to go away. If you’ve got a foodie or health nut on your list this year, here are my top 10 ideas for that guy or gal!
- Fitness Trackers – there are several brands of fitness trackers on the market these days at a variety of price points. I recommend checking out the reviews before you decide. I have the Fitbit Flex and have been pretty happy with it. It’s not perfect. BUT, it does keep me mindful of moving and encourages me to move more…which is the goal.
- Bread Machine – from a simple $30 machine to a $300 luxe machine, you can find bread machines to meet any budget. They are awesome. I bake almost all of our bread from scratch. It’s not time consuming and it saves a ton of money, not to mention providing a more nutritious (all whole ingredients with no preservatives) and delicious product.
- Grain Mill – if you have a serious baker on your list, a grain mill is an awesome gift! Grinding your own flour is fun and saves big bucks. It also helps maintain the nutrition of the wheat, since many nutrients begin to break down once the wheat is milled. This is an expensive gift, but totally worth it!
This is the grain mill that I use! Source
- “Date” with a Dietitian – not really a date, but an appointment! For your loved one or sweetheart, who wants to eat better and feel great, a gift certificate for a “date” with a dietitian is a thoughtful gift. Your local registered dietitian nutritionist can tailor the appointment to whatever you need.
- Garlic Press – this is a stocking stuffer or small gift. Not expensive, but totally a necessary tool in the kitchen, the garlic press helps increase the surface area of the garlic that’s added to dishes, intensifying the flavor and increasing the release of volatile health-boosting compounds. BONUS, it can also be used for ginger.
- A Good Chef’s Knife – seriously, a good knife is essential in the kitchen. You can spend $20-$200 on a knife, so shop wisely, look for reviews and buy this gift. My recommendation is an 7-8″ santoku style chef’s knife. It’s the workhorse of my kitchen!
I like the 7″ Wustof and use it almost every day. Source
- Cutting Board – a good knife needs a good surface. I prefer a nice thick bamboo cutting board. You can buy one for around $15, but you can also buy a beautiful intricately designed board for much more. Monogrammed is nice too!
- Cooking Class – a fun experiential gift, cooking classes are tons of fun. Choose a healthful class, like one on ancient grains, using greens, or how to cook dinner from your container garden! Prices vary a lot, but you can usually find a class for under $100/pp. (Pssst, this is a great gift for a sweetheart, since you can do it together!)
- A Pair of Good Walking Shoes – nothing like a good pair of shoes to get you going in the new year! Fitness requires the right tools and I find that I’m much more inclined to work out when I have a cute outfit (Just me?). I <3 cool new shoes!
- Study Bible – physical health is nothing without spiritual health! Study Bibles are great for growing in your faith. I have a couple and love the additional notes, extended commentaries, and dictionaries. Not only that, since CHRISTmas is about Christ…this gift is really pretty spot on.
The MacArthur Study Bible is a good one! Source
So this is my list. Let me know if it’s helpful and what you would add…Happy Shopping!
