Holiday Gift Guide for a Sustainable Lifestyle
Looking for sustainable gifts for the holidays? These gift ideas in my Holiday Gift Guide for a Sustainable Lifestyle are perfect solutions for offering eco-friendly ideas for healthy living, from the kitchen to the garden to the road.
Just in time for the holidays, I’m bringing you my curated list of favorite sustainable gift ideas for your home, kitchen and garden. These are all my favorite products that I use every day in my own life. I’m all about living a healthy, disease-protective, plant-based, sustainable lifestyle, and so much of this is about voting with your dollars to make great selections. It’s all about spending your hard-earned cash on products that support a healthy lifestyle, while reducing negative impacts on the planet. This also goes for purchasing sustainable goods as gifts for your friends and family, as well as to drop little hints about your own holiday wish list (that’s what I do!). Check out my Holiday Gift Guide for a Sustainable Lifestyle to discover a plethora of holiday gift ideas for a healthy lifestyle.
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. And when it comes to gift giving, I recommend consumable items as much as possible—items that will be consumed, such as healthy natural food, home, or body care products, rather than gifts that may end up in a dusty cabinet. You can show your love by making hand-made food gifts, such as my Dark Chocolate Cherry Energy Mix, Golden Turmeric Hemp Granola, Vegan Pumpkin Bread with Pumpkin Seeds, or Peter’s Vegan Pepparkakor (Swedish Ginger Cookies). Package them up in reusable mason jars or a pretty kitchen towel for truly sustainable packaging.
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! I’m partnering up with some of my favorite healthful, sustainable products and brands, and many are offering discounts right now, 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
Holiday Gift Guide for a Sustainable Lifestyle
1. Infused sparkling water.
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. Garden Art
I’m a huge lover of garden art, including statues, wind spinners, stakes, and fountains. These small artistic additions amplify the beauty of the outdoors and encourage me to spend more time relaxing in the open air, or simply stop to peer through my window more often. Essentially, they help me de-stress and take in nature a bit more. I have collected many pieces of garden art over the years, and they are treasures to me. One site where I’ve purchased many of my pieces is VivaTerra, which is a wonderful company that specializes in sustainable home products, from garden to bath to kitchen. I also really like Plow & Hearth assortment of gardening art, as well as garden equipment. 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 last year, 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, everybody just loved their custom pizza, and it was easy cooking for me. Try some of my favorite plant-based pizza recipes here. 
5. Supergoop
This is my go-to sunscreen—it’s natural, free of chemicals like benzene, and makes my skin look so great! Supergoop has a range of products for all skin types, even kiddos! This is a great practical gift, from stocking stuffer to gift basket of assorted products.
6. 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!
7. Hello Fresh
Many meal delivery services offer plant-based options. What a wonderful gift to send someone a week’s worth of delicious plant-based meals to lighten their busy schedule!
8. Wine
Another consumable gift, wine is such a thoughtful present for someone who enjoys sipping a glass now and then. Whether you’re sending a bottle in a gift basket, toting it along as a hostess gift to a party, or putting together an assortment of wines, you can never go wrong with this gift for wine lovers. Check out some of my top wine ideas.
- California Wine Club. Here’s another wine site that specializes in my favorite wines—California varieties. As you know, I’ve been studying wines in California for decades. With so many amazing AVAs there is just so much to offer, from Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc to Pinot Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon.
9. Plant-Based Gourmet Food Gift Basket
As I mentioned, I’m a huge fan of consumable gifts—items that people can enjoy at the table. From condiments and sauces to tea and coffee to chocolate and spices, it’s just a great way to celebrate the season and share a gift of love. You never have to wonder if people will like your gift, right? You can combine a few products in a basket, canvas bag, large mason jar, or pretty kitchen towel from Linen N Things for sustainable packaging! Here are a few sources for my favorite food gifts:
- Spiceology. Give the gift of spices for vibrant, healthful cooking all year.
- Matcha Source. Put together an assortment of green teas along with a beautiful mug for a zen gift of love.
- Thrive Market. From plant-based snacks to chocolates, Thrive Market offers a world of inspiration for your edible gift baskets. You can even gift someone a subscription!
10. Farm Box Delivery
The perfect consumable gift in my mind is a farm box delivery subscription. Talk about the gift that keeps on giving…a monthly 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, or check out this farm box company.
11. Eco Kitchen Gifts
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:
- Simply 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 stainless steel food containers, which are perfect for toting food to work or school, and for storing leftovers too.
- Ecoroots. This company has a variety of eco kitchen gear, from bamboo cutlery to natural dish scrubbers.
- Super Sparrow. These gorgeous, insulated, reusable water bottles are perfect for everyone on your shopping list.
12. Sharon’s Plant-Powered Book Series
If you’re looking to inspire healthy, plant-based eating for a loved one, why not send them the whole collection of my books at a discount, including The Plant-Powered Diet, Plant-Powered for Life, and California Vegan—all wrapped up in my organic, personally designed organic farmers market bag. Place the order here for a personally autographed set, and let me know who you’d like it to be signed for!
Several items in Sharon’s gift guide are linked to companies she has especially partnered with in affiliate programs. Read more here.