It’s officially not “too early” for a holiday gift guide. In fact, it occurred to me this week that it’s almost too late. Pretty soon, gifts will have to be shipped via some ridiculously expensive expedited mail service to make it to another state by the big December 25 deadline.
So, in case you are shopping this weekend, I thought it would be fun to share a list of 10 awesome gifts for the paleo person in your life and, of course, for you too. These are all items that I own and love – or really want to own. Eight of my suggestions would be perfect for any paleo fan. I’ve also included two gift ideas that would be amazing for the right person —but aren’t going to work out for everyone. (Please do not send me live chickens.)
I started creating this list in August after I wrote a post dedicated to the awesomeness of kitchen shears. Over the months, I would jot down notes as I thought of things that make paleo living so much easier. And then I asked my sister, Lauren, for her suggestions as well. And then we got really excited about the concept of owning a soda stream. (If you own one, let me know – is it as awesome as it seems?)
I’ve included links for most items so you can click through to get a better idea of what I am talking about. However, I have no affiliation with any of these places or products. I am not even set up as an Amazon affiliate so I won’t make a penny when you buy something through these links. I haven’t bothered to get around to figuring out how to do that yet. Maybe next year. So for now, know that I am simply providing links to help make it clear what I am referring to.
If you have any other great gifts for paleo folks – or that you wish someone would buy you — be sure to share in comments.
Me and the reindeer love the immersion hand blender.
1) Hand immersion blender: I have mentioned before how much I love my immersion hand blender. I was reluctant to buy one because I wasn’t sure that I would use it enough to warrant giving it cabinet space in my small kitchen. But then my mom gave me one and I use it all the time. Yes, all the time. It purees everything — pestos, carrot bacon soup, fennel puree, smoky pear puree, hummus – with minimal mess. Love!
2) Spices: Any paleo fan knows the value of a good spice rack. Add new spices to the same meat and veggies and you’ve got excitement meal after meal! One of the most popular sources for quality spices is Penzey’s. They have many retail locations – and a great online shop where you can order a spice kit or gift certificate sure to delight.
3) Paleo cookbooks: I could write a whole post on paleo cookbooks. Seriously, there are many, many and they all look amazing. Just search on Amazon. Here are three that I want to highlight. 1) Well Fed: The rave reviews for this cookbook never end. Part cookbook, part teaching tool and part just plain entertaining – this is a gem. 2) Primal Blueprint Quick and Easy Meals: This cookbook (which is primal, so includes minimal dairy and the occasional teaspoon of soy sauce) is such a great everyday cookbook. Most recipes include 6 or less ingredients. I suggest this one to anyone who is thinking of going paleo. 3) Gather, The Art of Paleo Entertaining: I haven’t seen this one. It won’t be released until April 2013. But I love the look and the sentiment of sharing food and eating well.
4) Crockpot: Using a slow cooker is like having someone else cook dinner for you. You can throw ingredients in there and go about your day. When you return, a wonderful aroma fills the house and dinner is ready. I particularly like the one that we have with a rack because you can put a little water on the bottom, put a roast on the rack and it comes out perfectly every time.
Our beloved lime juicer. Works on oranges and lemons too.
5) Hand held lime juicer: Paleo eaters are often paleo drinkers, which means they are slurping down NorCal margaritas which means they are juicing a lot of limes. Our old neighbors gave us this juicer one year for Christmas – and I use it all the time! There’s no easier way to get juice from a lime, lemon or orange.
6) Really good knives: Matt and I do not own really good knives. Our knives are pretty mediocre. So I have no links or recommendations for what’s best. But we should look forward to the day when we do our research and throw down the bucks to join the ranks of cooks everywhere who swear that quality knives are just below world peace on the list of things that are good.
7) A soda stream so you can make your own sparkling water: This is another gift that I don’t own – but really want to. Sparkling water is like paleo magic. It tastes good, is fun and serves as a good substitute for alcohol so you don’t look all boring drinking water while others are chugging cocktails. It’s awesome – but can start to get expensive. Being able to make it on your own seems terrific.
8) Gift certificate to restaurant that has good paleo options: Eating out paleo can be a real challenge. So getting to do it is a tremendous treat. Finding a good paleo-friendly place near your loved one may be a challenge but if you look for a steakhouse or farm-to-table style restaurant, you will probably end up with some good options. And if your loved one lives in Denver, send them some money and tell them to check out mmm…coffee, a paleo coffee house on Santa Fe, or the Caveman Cafeteria food truck.
And here are two advanced but incredibly cool gifts for the right person. You may just want to check in with the recipient to make sure they have space and/or enthusiasm for these gifts.
9) Stand up freezer and gift certificate to a meat share: There’s not a paleo eater on the planet that doesn’t think it would be living the dream to have a freezer stocked with grass-fed beef. Throw in a gift certificate for a meat share from a local farm that provides grass-fed beef, and you will surely win the “coolest gift of the year” award. And isn’t that what the holidays are all about, really?
10) Chickens: Fresh eggs every day? Yes, please! Sure, this is not for everyone. (I.e. I’m pretty sure our HOA guidelines prohibit raising poultry in our first floor condo) but for the right paleo person, this would be the gift that keeps on giving. So there are 10 great gift ideas for the paleo aficionado in your life. And a good list to send to your loved ones so they don’t send you something like this