Christmas Gift Ideas for a Plant-Based Sustainable Lifestyle

Looking for some Christmas gift ideas that are ideal for a plant-based sustainable lifestyle? I’m sharing my top gift exchange ideas for the holidays, which include everything from secret Santa gift ideas to white elephant gift ideas, perfect for your friends and family.

Just in time for the holidays, I’m bringing you my curated list of favorite products for your home, kitchen, and garden. These are all my favorite products that I use every day in my own life, which is focused on plant-based eating and sustainable living. I’m all about creating a healthy, disease-protective, plant-based, sustainable home, and so much of this strategy is about voting with your dollars. It’s all about spending your hard-earned cash on products that support a healthy lifestyle, while reducing negative impacts on the planet. This list can help you purchase a few green goods as gifts for your friends and family, as well as let you drop a few little hints about your own holiday wish list (that’s what I do!).

Enjoy and Savor the Holidays with Less

Remember, less is more in a healthy, sustainable lifestyle. I’ve been minimizing my kitchen and my entire life by thinking long and hard about whether I really need to buy certain products before shelling out the cash. And when it comes to gift giving, I recommend consumable items as much as possible—items that will be enjoyed and savored, such as healthy natural food products, or home or body care products, rather than gifts that may end up in the back of a dusty cabinet or closet. You can show your love by making hand-made food gifts, such as my Dark Chocolate Energy Mix, Turmeric Hemp Granola, Pumpkin Bread, or Swedish Pepparkakor cookies. Package them up in reusable mason jars or a pretty kitchen towel for truly sustainable packaging. Check out this collection of 35 Edible Gifts to get inspired to create more consumable holiday gifts, from your home to theirs.

Make a batch up my legendary homemade vegan pumpkin bread and package it up with a tea towel as a delicious edible gift.Beyond consumable gifts, I do have a few favorite curated products that improve the quality of my life. So, without further ado, here is my holiday shopping guide for plant-based sustainable living! I’m sharing some of my favorite healthful, sustainable products and brands as an Amazon influencer, and many are offering discounts right now for the holidays, so check out the links to grab those discount codes. Please let me know what you think about these products by dropping a comment below.

I wish for all of you the healthiest and happiest holidays spent with those that you love. Remember to treasure the small moments in life. Take time to nibble a holiday cookie with a cup of warm cinnamon tea and recall special memories with your friends and family. Give them an extra hug and tell them how much they mean to you. Be good to yourself.

Eat and Live Goodness,

Sharon

Christmas Gift Ideas: Sharon’s Plant-Based, Sustainable Holiday Shopping Guide

1. SodaStream

I don’t know about you, but I love sparkling water. The kind that comes in pretty green glass bottles all the way from Europe. But when I consider the carbon footprint of all of those bottles traveling across the ocean, it stresses me out! So, my SodaStream has become my new best friend. Just fill up the glass bottles with water, chill, then plop them in the machine, push the button, and you have sparkling water. You can then infuse herbs, citrus, fruit, and more, if you prefer—or just sip the sparkling water plain and simple. I really think this is a lovely gift idea for the shopping list this year.

                                                                                                                                       

2. Nutribullet

My simple, affordable Nutribullet is my best friend in the kitchen. I use it daily for my antioxidant smoothies, cashew “Parmesan”, bean dips, and more. It takes up hardly any space on the counter, and it’s just so versatile. When I make a smoothie, I don’t even bother transferring it to a glass, I just pop off the lid, and I’m good to go. There are also so many different types of Nutribullet products, such as blender combos, baby food makers, grain cookers, and immersion blenders! All fabulous for a plant-powered kitchen and lifestyle. Perfect gift for someone starting out their kitchen. I gave them to my kids for Christmas last year.

3. Home Gardening Kit

I’m a huge lover of vegetable gardening. Time spent in my veggie garden means greater access to healthy, delicious, local seasonal produce. Plus, home gardening offers mental health rewards. And you can lighten your environmental footprint by growing some of your own food. This home gardening kit is a good start to anyone’s veggie garden. I have this kit at home, and it’s so nice to have all of my gardening equipment together in one easy tote. Check out my free Home Gardening Toolkit as an addition to your gardening gift.
              

4. Ooni Pizza Oven

I bought this for my husband for Christmas two years ago, and it’s been a family favorite ever since! I love to make plant-based pizza in our own little wood pellet-burning Ooni pizza oven in the outdoors. It is so good, and you can make your pizza just the way you like! In fact, all year long I was entertaining with pizza. I created the dough and rolled it out onto individual wood pizza peels, put out a variety of toppings (including, tomato sauce, peppers, mushrooms, vegan sausage, onions, herbs, artichokes, zucchini, cashews), and let people build their own pizza as part of the fun. Then I would pop the pizzas in my Ooni and cook them up. It let everyone gather together as part of a pre-meal activity, people just loved their custom pizza, and it was easy cooking for me. Try some of my favorite plant-based pizza recipes here.

5. Instant Pot

What would I do without my Instant Pot? This all-purpose cooking tool is essential in a plant-powered kitchen, in my mind. I use it for cooking beans, grains, soups, stews, casseroles, and so much more. You can skip soaking the beans, and just push the button to get your meal on the table in no time. Only one pot to clean up too! Check out my Instagram Live Cooking Show on how I use an Instant Pot here. I gave one of these to my son for Christmas (upon his request) two years ago. Even if you have a small kitchen, it is worthwhile, as an Instant Pot can take the place of so many pieces of equipment—rice cooker, slow cooker, pressure cooker—in one swoop. Perfect for your holiday list!                                                                                                                                                                                      

6. Eco Kitchen Gifts and Stocking Stuffers

I’m all about eco-friendly gifts for the kitchen—items that reduce the environmental footprint of everyday activities. These small gifts make great stocking stuffers, or you can throw them into a basket with a variety of green kitchen items. Check out some of my favorites:

• Reusable Straws. These handy reusable straw sets reduce plastic and are the perfect stocking stuffer.
• Food Huggers. I have several of these handy food covers, which fit over cans, containers, and even avocados and citrus, to prevent food waste and avoid plastic wrapping.
• ECOlunchbox. I’m in love with these cool reusable stainless steel food containers, which are perfect for toting food to work or school, and for storing leftovers too.
• Wood Dish Scrubber. I love a good natural, plastic-free dish scrubber to clean dishes and pots, as well as vegetables, like beets, potatoes, and carrots.
• HydroFlask Water Bottles. Reduce the use of plastic with these gorgeous, insulated, reusable water bottles are perfect for everyone on your shopping list.

7. CSA Membership

The perfect consumable gift in my mind is a CSA subscription. Talk about the gift that keeps on giving…a regular box of delicious, healthy, seasonal produce! Sign me up (literally)! You can check out your local CSA (read more about them here) to arrange for a gift subscription.

 

8. Sharon’s Plant-Powered Book Series Bargain

If you’re looking to inspire healthy, plant-based eating for a loved one, why not send them the whole collection of my four books at a 25% discount, including The Plant-Powered Diet, Plant-Powered for Life, California Vegan, and The Plant-Powered Plan to Beat Diabetes—all personally autographed, and packaged up to send to anyone on your shopping list. Just order the set and leave a comment in your order providing directions on where to send the books and to whom they should be personalized. Or contact me directly at admin@sharonpalmer.com.

9. Organic Beans, Seeds, and Grains Pack

Why not give an edible gift of delicious, whole, organic plant-based staples, such as beans, grains, and seeds? This gift pack of 5 staples is all ready to go. Stock your loved one’s pantry the healthy way.

10. Cast Iron Skillet

I’m a huge fan of cooking in cast iron skillets. These trusty cooking vessels make it easy to cook without sticking (less added oils), and they actually increase the iron intake in your diet when you cook foods. Simple, budget-friendly, and eternally cool, everyone needs a good cast iron skillet. Learn more about cooking with cast iron here.

11. Enamelware Picnic Plates

Cut down on disposable waste, as well as money, with these adorable blue-swirled enamelware dinner plates. I bought a set of these dishes four years ago, and they are my go-to for picnics, RV trips, hiking, and Hollywood Bowl nights. They look so pretty, but these dishes are rugged (can’t be broken), lightweight and dishwashable.

*Note: Pricing and vendors are subject to change.

For more ideas on how to eat and live sustainably, check out these blogs:

Top 11 Tips for Sustainable Eating
7 Steps to Go Plant-Based
4 Ways to Eat for the Environment
What is a Sustainable Eating Style?

Several of the items in Sharon’s holiday gift guide are linked to her Amazon influencer affiliate program she has partnered with. Read more here.