I don’t know about you, but I want it all.
I have a long list of gifts to give…gifts that I want to be super thoughtful and well-received. I love giving food to people because it’s just such a great experience when you get to try something delicious. And I want anything from me to be healthy and natural. There’s enough prepackaged crap out there.
Of course, there’s only one problem:
Natural, healthy food is costly. And I don’t have unlimited amounts of money.
Fortunately, there’s a simple solution: Make homemade gifts.
Yes, it takes time. (As a parent with two kids at home, I know how precious time is!) But a good recipe can save a ton of time.
That’s why I’ve gathered some of the very best recipes to create simple, thoughtful, healthy homemade food gifts. But before we get into that, let’s answer some of the big questions everyone seems to be asking these days:
Is homemade food a good gift?
Yes – homemade food is a good gift. In fact, it can be the best gift – because it feels personal on a level that no store-bought gift can. Also, because you’re making it yourself, you can control the ingredients to ensure that it’s healthy and free of any allergens the gift recipient needs to avoid. Healthy homemade food is my go-to gift for neighbors, teachers, and friends.
What should I put in a healthy gift basket?
If you want to put several gifts together in a healthy gift basket, that’s a great idea. My recommendation: A healthy gift basket shouldn’t be JUST food. That’s why I’d suggest:
- Some kind of healthy candy
- A healthy snack of some kind (homemade granola bars are great)
- Body scrub
- Homemade body butter
The best healthy homemade food gifts
Here’s the full list of healthy homemade food gifts – you can navigate to each of the sections below from here.
- All-natural vegan chocolate candy bars
- Diet-friendly lemon bars
- Ginger shots
- Pumpkin macarons
- Homemade vanilla extract
- Apple cider vinegar gummies
- Macadamia nut butter
- Gluten-free granola bars
- Fruit snacks (they can be healthy!)
- Beeswax candles
- DIY body scrub
#1: Homemade all-natural vegan chocolate candy bars
Here’s the conundrum:
I LOVE chocolate. It’s one of my favorite foods in the whole world.
And even the supposedly “good-quality” chocolate in stores is often loaded up with highly-processed chemicals and ingredients that you can’t even pronounce.
(Plus, quality chocolate at the store is EXPENSIVE.)
That’s why I LOVE this recipe for all-natural vegan chocolate candy bars. These candy bars are delicious, they work well with just about anyone’s food allergies, and they’re made with all natural ingredients. Make a double-batch and wrap them up nicely, and you have a thoughtful, high-quality gift that’s guaranteed to be a hit.
#2: Delicious, diet-friendly lemon bars
Lemon bars are great. (Not as great as chocolate, but great.) A big pan of them is a great gift — if you can figure out a way to make them healthy.
Fortunately, we’ve got a recipe on the blog that does just that. These lemon bars are paleo-friendly, keto-friendly, and have just six ingredients (cane sugar NOT being one of them).
Here’s the lemon bar recipe. Enjoy!
#3: Homemade ginger shots (for cold and flu season!)
Give the gift of health this holiday season with homemade ginger shots. Ginger is useful for just about anyone. Among other health benefits, ginger can:
- Reduce nausea (particularly helpful for pregnancy!)
- Reduce bloating and gas
- Boost antioxidants
- Manage cold symptoms
And best of all…
There’s evidence that ginger can help prevent colds. That’s been confirmed by none other than a paper published by the National Institutes of Health.
Wellness shots are expensive at the store.
But fortunately, you can make ginger shots at home and give them away. Family and neighbors will thank you!
#4: Healthy pumpkin macarons
Macarons are notoriously delicious, full of processed sugars, expensive, and difficult to make. (They can get finicky in the oven.)
Fortunately, we’ve got a no-bake vegan pumpkin macaron recipe that is delicious.
It’s easy to make and makes for a classy, thoughtful gift.
(And pumpkins are seasonally appropriate, too!)
#5: Homemade vanilla extract
Store-bought vanilla extract is expensive. It also doesn’t taste nearly as good as the homemade stuff. (Seriously. Bake once with homemade vanilla extract, and you’ll never go back to store-bought.) Vanilla extract is one of those small, thoughtful things like jam or jelly that people always appreciate getting – and unlike jam, it will be useful for years. It’s an ideal practical gift, and because it’s homemade, you know it’s handcrafted with love and all-natural ingredients. This homemade vanilla extract recipe is easy and quick to make but then has to sit for ideally 4-6 months, so build that time in or communicate it when you give the gift so people don’t use it too early!
(Or if you’d rather just buy, here’s a bottle of good-quality vanilla extract you can easily purchase instead.)
#6: Apple cider vinegar gummies
Let’s face it – everyone loves gummies. And also, gumdrops get sickly sweet after, like, your second one. So why not change it up with gummies that taste delicious and are also super healthy?
You’ve likely heard all about the health benefits of apple cider vinegar, so I won’t go into the details here (it’s all covered in the gummy recipe, anyway) – so this is a fun and unique gift, especially for someone who’s concerned with their health.
Here’s the apple cider vinegar gummies recipe!
#7: Macadamia nut butter
Nut butters are pretty “in” these days, and in addition to being a great source of good fats, they all taste pretty good too.
Nothing against peanut butter! But given the prevalence of severe peanut allergies, it’s great to see so many alternatives out there.
Almond butter is fine. Hazelnut, pecan, and walnut butters are excellent.
Macadamia nut butter is on a whole different level.
Velvety smooth, packed with flavor, and wholesome, it’s a standout homemade gift. (Plus, you can easily make it in large batches.)
You can also make our macadamia nut butter recipe with chocolate. Yum!
#8: Homemade granola bars (gluten-free!)
Store-bought granola bars (fairly) get a bad rap for being packed with tons of processed sugar, gluten, and chemical preservatives.
All too often, you’re eating a really unhealthy candy bar that’s just lightly masked with oats.
Fortunately, there’s a way to avoid all this AND deliver a thoughtful, healthy gift – make your own!
Check out this granola bar recipe.
#9: Homemade fruit snacks
Like store-bought granola bars, store-bought fruit snacks are usually packed with processed sugars and don’t have a whole lot of the “fruit” aside from artificial flavorings.
Of course, my kids LOVE fruit snacks (don’t just about all kids?) – and to be honest, as an adult, I indulge every now and then too.
Make fruit snacks at home, and you can pack them with protein and skip all of the processed sugar. It’s a great stocking-stuffer!
(And creamsicle-flavored, too. Yum!)
Here’s our homemade gummy snacks recipe.
#10: Homemade beeswax candles
Ok, sure, I’ll admit it – homemade beeswax candles aren’t exactly food. BUT. They’re made with mostly food ingredients – so that sort of counts, right? And – they’re easy and cheap to create, plus if you flavor them with essential oils, you can get some amazing smells.
I mean, why pay $30+ for store-bought with lots of artificial nonsense when you could instead make at home for a lot less…and deliver something that feels a lot more personal?
#11: DIY body scrub
Ok, also technically not a food.
But body scrubs are amazing.
Store-bought is also EXTREMELY expensive.
You can save a ton of money AND deliver a thoughtful gift by making any of these five fantastic body scrubs.
Bonus: Cheap keto gifts you can buy right now (under $50)
If after reading this you’ve decided that homemade isn’t right for you, consider cheap and healthy keto-friendly gifts for under $50. We’ve put together a guide.
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