By Erin Decker, MS, RDN, LDN, CDE
I’m the worst at shopping. I always wait until the last minute to buy my gifts during the holidays! If you can relate, check out some of these ideas for your friends and family trying to live a healthy lifestyle.
Kitchen Appliances
Handheld Spiralizer
No, spiralized zucchini doesn’t taste like spaghetti, but it is a fun way to add more color and nutrients to your favorite Italian dish, and a great way to get kids involved!
Immersion Blender
An immersion blender is great for making blended soups and sauces without the clean-up that comes with a full-size blender.
Pressure Cooker, Air Fryer, or Combo
These cooking appliances are all the rage right now. Depending on your budget, you can find a basic electric pressure cooker for $40-50, or a pressure cooker-air fryer combo for upwards of $250-300.
Coffee Grinder
Freshly ground coffee tastes WAY better than the alternative, right? Even better, many small grinders can be found for less than $20. They can even double as a spice grinder!
Espresso Machine
Depending on how many lattes one goes through in a year, the cost of these machines could easily be recouped. Machines come in a range of budget options, from $40 to $400!
Subscriptions
Thrive Market
Thrive market offers discounted prices on diet-specific products, including vegan, organic, gluten-free, and low-FODMAP. A 1-year membership costs $59.95.
Meal Delivery Kit
Meal delivery kits are gaining in popularity! For your friends that love to cook and hate to plan, consider a subscription to a meal delivery kit such as Hello Fresh or Blue Apron. You can read about the pros and cons of various kits here.
Meal Delivery Service
Do you have friends that don’t like the planning or the cooking process? How about new parents looking for a break? Consider a local meal delivery service. You can read about some local options here.
Fitness Gifts
Mini Resistance Bands
A versatile, budget-friendly option for your friends of any fitness level! Great for exercising in hotel rooms, when on the road, etc.
Insulated Water Bottle
Who doesn’t love a new water bottle? So many fashionable options out there these days!
Reflective or Light-Up Gear
For the runner or cycler in your life who insists on going out in the early morning or late at night. Options range from simple, $10 reflective vests to $40+ light-up vests.
Massage Tools
Recovery is just as important, if not more important, than the workout itself. Again, a wide range of options here. Consider small, handheld massage sticks for a budget-friendly pick, to high-end battery-powered massage guns for the tech-enthusiast in your life.
Wireless Earbuds
Pesky cords can get in the way of any good workout! Whether one likes to listen to music, podcasts, or audiobooks, blue-tooth earbuds are sure to get a good use.
Books
My Indian Table by Vandana Sheth, RDN, CDE, FAND
Written by a registered dietitian, this book is full of quick, tasty, and healthy vegetarian recipes.
Dinner in a DASH by Nancy Hughes
The DASH diet is consistently ranked as one of the healthiest diets out there. Use this book to cook up heart-healthy recipes, all in your pressure cooker.
Body Kindness by Rebecca Scritchfield
Rebecca Scritchfield is an award-winning dietitian, author and podcaster who teaches readers how to develop a healthier relationship with their bodies. She comes from a place of compassion rather than shame in this interactive book/workbook.
Intuitive Eating by Evelyn Tribole and Elyse Resch
If you know someone who is always jumping from one diet to the next, this book may be of interest. It is not a weight loss book. It walks the reader through a series of principles to restore trust in their bodies and find their own, natural set point.
Erin Decker is an RDN working at the North Raleigh and Central Raleigh offices. She enjoys running, visiting local breweries, and snuggling with her dog, Lottie. She is passionate about promoting a healthy lifestyle in a non-judgmental environment.