The Season of Giving…Food!

The Holidays are in full swing which means shopping for gifts, preparing for guests and time spent with family and friends. In this blog, we want to make gift giving a little easier for you and help give you ideas for a healthy holiday for you and those around you. In addition, since it is the “season of giving”, we included a piece about choosing foods that food shelters are looking for if you are wanting to donate this season.  Read below for more information!

Make Food Gifts for Family and Friends

If you’re looking for a healthy, easy or homemade gift, we have you covered with ideas! Grab a gift basket or jar, tissue paper and holiday ribbon and you can put together a festive, homemade gift to give to your friends and family this season.

Healthy Holiday Gift Baskets

• Fruit and vegetables basket
• Healthy "movie night" basket
• Protein/granola bars, Boom Chicka Pop popcorn, Dove dark chocolate
• No-Salt seasonings basket
• Lawry's Salt Free 17 seasoning, Mrs. Dash (all different flavors and all salt-free), Chef Paul no sodium seasonings
• Baking basket
• Sweet spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, lavender), cookie cutters, sugar free cookie mix
• Cookbook or subscription to a healthy cooking magazine
• Examples of healthy cooking magazines: Eating Well, Cooking Light
• Examples of healthy cookbooks: Clean Eating Made Simple, The Everything Healthy Meals In Minutes Cookbook, The Healthy Mind Cookbook
• Workout videos or DVDs
• Beachbody: The Master's Hammer and Chisel, Insanity: The Ultimate Cardio Workout, Best Barre Workout, yoga DVDs, etc.

Food/Drink Mixes in a Jar

Gather dry ingredients and layer in a jar and wrap with ribbon. Click on the link for recipes.

• Painted Desert Chili Mix in a Jar: https://www.recipegoldmine.com/foodgiftsoup/painted-desert-chili-mix.html
• Chewy Brownie Mix in a Jar: https://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/32265/chewy-brownie-mix-in-a-jar/
• Oatmeal Cookie Mix in a Jar: https://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/32262/oatmeal-chip-cookie-mix-in-a-jar/
• Granola Mix in a Jar:  https://keeperofthehome.org/healthy-homemade-granola-gifts-in-a-jar/
• Peppermint Hot Cocoa: http://happyhourprojects.com/peppermint-cocoa/

Donate Food

Non-perishable items are always a good thing to donate to your local food shelter or church if they do a food collection, as they have a long shelf-life and can be cheaper and available in mass quantity. Check with your local food pantry to see what they are most in need of or consider the ideas below! 

• Canned/Jarred Foot
• Tuna
• Vegetables
• Fresh and dried fruit
• Spaghetti sauces
• Peanut butter
• Individual Servings
• Apple sauce
• Fruit cups
• Pudding cups
• Cereal boxes
• Food bars
• Granola bars
• Protein/Power bars
• Cereal bars
• Pastas
• Noodle boxes
• Mac and cheese
• Crackers
• Cheese or peanut butter sandwich crackers
• Saltines
• Goldfish

*Adapted from www.livestrong.com.

-West Lakes Hy-Vee Dietitians Team