I think this is our fourth time doing a HEAL Healthy Holiday Gift Guide and I look forward to it every year. There’s so many cool and useful new products out there now that it’s always eye opening to see how much health and wellness has really taken off. Doing this guide also gives me some great ideas for my friends and family (and let’s be honest, myself!).
We’ve organized the guide based on price points, starting with higher ticket items and stand-alone gifts, followed by stocking stuffers and then creative gift card ideas. Be sure to comment below if there are any must-haves we’ve missed!
An Instant Pot is a multi-setting pressure cooker that simplifies prep time. You can steam, slow cook, saute, cook rice/grains, warm food and pressure cook with the click of a button. The pressure cooking setting actually saves you a lot of time in the kitchen. I can cook beets and an entire spaghetti squash (which normally take forever) in 7 minutes. I think they’re a great value gift and if you’re on a budget the LUX-MINI is still a really great item.
Being mostly dairy-free for several years now, I love me some nut milk. But the ones at the grocery store don’t taste like TRUE almond milk. The reality is that most people either don’t know how to make nut milk, don’t have the time, or don’t have a high powered blender. The Almond Cow is a machine that lets you make fresh, homemade nut milk and even coconut milk at home. I would consider this the gift for the wellness lover who has everything. And yes, I realize it’s a bit extravagant and over the top!
A humidifier really comes in handy at this time of year, especially during cold and flu season when your skin, nose and throat can get so dry. They can really range in price but I recommend a small one for the bedroom or living room and some humidifiers also double as diffusers, so you can pair them with some great essential oils. Some great brands are Pure Ultrasonic, Honeywell and Taotronics.
If you have someone that is into natural skincare, Beautycounter products make for beautiful gifts that truly work well. Some of my favourite products include their No. 3 Balancing Charcoal Facial Mask, their lipsticks (any colour!), their mascara which I use daily, their concealer which works wonders on the bags under me eyes haha, and their foundation.
For the Holidays, they have some beautiful gift packs, but they usually sell out early, so you have to get on them fast!
Have a friend who is obsessed with (and spends all their money on) kombucha? A kombucha workshop can make for a fun activity you can do together. If you don’t have any workshops where you live, Rachel Molenda has a fun DIY Kombucha Online course you can find here. Natalia has done her in person class and loved it!
I like Swell’s stainless steel travel mugs because you can close them completely so they won’t spill and they’ll keep your drink piping hot for hours. Plus, their coffee mugs have a wider rim which makes it easier to pour drinks into vs. their water bottles. Keep Cup also makes high quality reusable coffee mugs. If you order from their website you can even customize your colours.
A jade roller supports lymphatic drainage to reduce the appearance of puffiness, and wrinkles and can make for a fun and unique gift idea. Pro tip: it feels amazing if you keep it in the freezer!
I’m a huge fan of Saje products! The great thing about these roll-on oil blends is that they don’t require a diffuser so you can gift them to anyone, even a stressed out colleague who would benefit from some calming essential oils ;)
The Five Minute Journal was one of our prize partners for this year’s Corporate Wellness Challenges and they were a big hit! It’s a daily gratitude journal you can use as a tool to help you develop a more positive outlook, become more present and live with intention. Positive psychology research links these practices with increased happiness and optimism, acting with more generosity and compassion and even stronger immune systems. You can also buy someone the Five Minute Journal app ($7) so they have it on their phone.
The Living Kitchen Cookbook was written by two experts in cancer care cooking (nutritionists and chefs). It was written to support those undergoing cancer treatment and recovery, but we love it because it's full of nutrient-rich recipes that encourage cancer prevention as well as optimal health. It's really informative and overall just a great book to add to your collection if you're interested in healthy cooking. I also happen to know the authors (they are from Toronto!) and can't recommend their recipes enough!
Who doesn’t love chocolate? Lovechock dark chocolate is really unique in that the cacao beans are cold ground, which preserves its antioxidant content. It’s also sweetened with coconut blossom nectar which is high in antioxidants, has a low GI value (meaning it won’t crash your energy levels) and is considered the most sustainable sugar. It also tastes so good!
GlassSipper has some really cute reusable glass straws that come plain or with fun decorations like avocados or pineapples. They also come with cleaners, which is key! Amazon also has a whole range of glass straws that come in multiple patterns and colours for a reasonable price.
You can’t really go wrong with energy bars. Some of our favourites are:
Aromatherapy eye pillows like these ones, use natural scents of lavender and chamomile to promote relaxation. They’re amazing for yoga, meditation, sleep, travel and even headaches.
Beeswax Food Wrap is for the friend or family member who is trying to reduce their eco footprint. It turns out that beeswax makes for a great food wrap that reduces the need for single use plastic (and makes your fridge look pretty darn cool too!). It can also make some foods, like avocado, last longer in the fridge.
Tropho is run by a Holistic Nutritionist who makes beautiful, hand crafted soaps with all natural ingredients and fresh herbs like lavender and peppermint. They make for beautiful stocking stuffer and gift basket additions.
Classpass is a platform where you pay one membership fee and then have access to any studio (gyms, pilates, yoga, boxing, etc.) available on the platform. This is such a cool gift option because the recipient has full flexibility. It’s also great for someone who travels a lot and wants to be able to workout while they’re away or if you’re trying to get your friend to a workout class with you but they don’t want to pay an obscene drop-in rate (hehe). You can use this link for $40 off the first month.
Gift the gift of HEALTH to a loved one or friend by gifting them a membership to the HEAL Weekly Meal Planning Program. When you sign up, simply hit reply to the first email you receive and let us know this is a gift for someone. We'll send an e-card that you can use to give your gift and as of Dec 25th, they will be all signed up! We have two options (for vegans too):
Here's what people receive when you sign them up:
Health food products like protein bars, collagen, nut butters, protein powders, greens powders, etc. can be really expensive. It’s also highly personal. In this instance, gift cards for online health food stores can be a great option. If you’re in the US, Thrive Market has an amazing selection of products. If you’re in Canada, we love Pure Feast. They have a bunch of our favourites, like Bulletproof and Purely Elizabeth that can sometimes be hard to find north of the border.
Hello Fresh is a great idea for the friend that is always saying they’d like to cook more or would like to learn how to cook. It can even be a fun gift to give your partner for a romantic night in. They provide Chef-curated recipes and seasonal, farm-fresh ingredients, which are delivered to your doorstep every week for you to make delicious home-cooked meals. The great thing is they deliver across most of Canada, even in many remote locations.
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