The week after Thanksgiving typically marks the beginning of the holiday season- and the season of spending! Between black Friday, shop-small Saturday and cyber Monday, many Americans are taking time this week to plan gifts for their friends and family.
Have a Meatless Monday fan in your life? Help them stay healthy and support the movement this year! Here are our top eight picks for the perfect Meatless Monday holiday gift:
1 ) Magazine Subscriptions
Magazines are an inexpensive way to give a gift that lasts all year long. Plus, there are lots of publications that offer great Meatless Monday recipes, healthy eating advice and kitchen tips! Help your friends and family grow their own sustainable produce with Organic Gardening, find natural solutions with Whole Living, savor every bite with Relish or explore a wide range of wellness topics with Men’s Health, Women’s Health and Prevention.
2 ) Cookbooks
Let your loved one feel inspired each and every Monday with a fantastic cookbook! Some of the movement’s key Movers and Shakers have written books full of meatless recipes. Mario Batali’s latest, Molto Batali: Simple Family Meals, is full of ideas that parents and kids alike are sure to love. “It’s no secret that I am a fan of Meatless Monday, the pinnacle of moderation” says Batali, “I think Molto Batali walks the walk I talk.”
You can also try Kim O’Donnel’s Meat Lover’s Meatless Cookbook for delicious comfort food, Laurie David’s The Family Dinner for an entire section on how to bring Meatless Monday to your household or Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian for an endless stream of meatless meal ideas!
3 ) Food Processor
Want to make delicious Meatless Monday recipes like Pumpkin Pecan Pancakes, Squash Sunchoke Mac & Cheese or Mission Fig Sorbet? You’re going to need a food processor. Perhaps the most worked and least recognized electronic appliance in the modern kitchen, food processors dice veggies, puree soups, blend smoothies and knead dough with ease. You can start off with a small model for about $35, or spend a bit more if the recipient has a large family or recipe repertoire.
4 ) Cooking Lessons
Help your favorite aspiring chef think on their feet with a few lessons in kitchen fundamentals. Cooking classes of all kinds are popping up across the country: many local community centers and schools even offer special Meatless Monday sessions! Try looking in your local paper or online for a cooking class near you. LocalCookingClass.com is an excellent place to start, but you can also simply type “meatless cooking class” and your hometown into your favorite search engine.
5 ) New Kitchenware
Of course we all have basic cooking supplies, but a few new items can actual improve your speed and accuracy in the kitchen and get you excited about cooking again! Sneak a look in your friend’s cabinets: are they in need of new knives for cutting veggies, a big pot for winter chili or some new pans to start cooking breakfast at home? With all the new styles and colors in kitchenware, you can even get utensils to match their décor.
6 ) CSA Membership
Supply your favorite Meatless Monday fan with all the fresh, locally grown produce they need to keep it up each week! When you join community supported agriculture, you are supporting sustainably grown, farm-raised foods. Plus, having all that produce around will likely lead to healthier choices. Find your local CSA by visiting LocalHarvest.org.
7 ) Restaurant Gift Card
No aspiring chefs on your shopping list? No problem! You can still give them a delicious, healthy meal with a gift card to a Meatless Monday restaurant. There are hundreds to choose from all over the country: sample Asian fare at Big Bowl in Minneapolis, enjoy a hearty salad at Field of Greens in West Palm Beach, or sit down to sophisticated dining experience at Locanda del Lago in Santa Monica. There is a Meatless Monday restaurant for every taste and budget!
8 ) Meatless Monday Merchandise
What better way to show support for the movement than to wear it on your sleeve! Remind your favorite fan to go Meatless Monday with a “Don’t have a cow!” mug, help them stay tidy in the kitchen with our aprons and bibs, or encourage them to spread the word with out hats, totes and tees. You can buy these great items on their own, or add them to one of the gift suggestions above for the perfect holiday package!
