With Christmas rapidly approaching, I have heard from TONS of people who want to get their friend/sister/cousin/teacher/co-worker/Whole Foods cashier a gift to support their paleo or Whole30 lifestyle, but they do not know where to start. Well friends, look no further! If you want to get a gift for someone who is interested in trying a Whole30 or who likes to eat clean year-round, try one of the ideas below:

1. Cookbooks

My cousin/best friend Kristen and I exchange cookbooks at Christmas and we have come to LOVE this tradition! Kristen loves to bake, so I always get her a cookbook with lots of recipes for paleo desserts and then she bakes for me all break long 🙂 It is the gift that gives back!

But seriously, cookbooks are a great gift because a paleo or real-food diet requires lots of cooking and it is important to keep your recipes fresh! Check out this post for all of my favorite cookbook recommendations.

2. Fun Snacks

Probably 95% of the food I eat is real, whole food that I prepare myself. But every once in a while (or more often than that, depending on how dangerous I’m feeling) I like to indulge in something a little bit more fun.  We all deserve to have little snacks or treats every once in a while! The only problem is that said snacks and treats for paleo people can be expensive and hard to find! Stuffing a stocking or mason jar full of little snacks would be a perfect gift for your paleo friend.

Some of my favorites include:

-Nut Butter Packs: Justins Almond Butter Squeeze Packets, Artisana Organic Raw Cashew Butter Squeeze Packs, Artisana Organic Raw Coconut Butter Squeeze Packs, or PROBAR Organic Chocolate Peanut Butter Blend (all are Whole30 approved except the last flavor)

-Larabars: favorite flavors are Cashew Cookie (Whole30 approved) and Blueberry Muffin (not Whole30 approved because it has vanilla extract)

-Chips: Plantain Chips and Jackson’s Honest Sweet Potato Chips never last more than a day in
my house (these are both probably gray area on Whole30 – if you have a strong opinion on whether or not they are approved, tell us in the comments so we can learn!)

-RX Bars: these come in 8 amazing flavors so I would highly recommend the Variety Pack, but I also LOVE the Chocolate Sea Salt (also Whole30 gray area)

Side note: I buy most of my snacks through Thrive Market, and you get a free jar of almond butter if you sign up for a membership!

3. Healthy Fats

When you make the switch to a paleo/Whole30/real-food lifestyle, one of the first things that has to go is all of the junky oils in your house. You have to start fresh with healthy cooking fats like coconut oil, extra-virgin olive oil, avocado oil, ghee, and grassfed butter, and healthy fats for toppings like mayo and almond butter, and this can be quite the investment. Help your friend out by getting some of his or her favorite fats!

Some of my favorites (all Whole30 approved):

-Ghee: Having delicious ghee can make all of the difference in your food!! Plus you would be shocked by how different various types of ghee can taste. A few of my favorites are Tin Star Foods Ghee and Brown Butter and 4th & Heart Vanilla Bean Ghee (sounds weird but it is BOMB!)

–Primal Kitchen Mayo: I used to hate mayo, but I will eat this stuff with a spoon. Put it on meats, mix it with canned fish, or combine it with lemon juice for salad dressing. It is the best!

-Nut Butters: I know I already talked about nut butters, but I cannot even tell you how much I adore nut butter. A good jar of Artisana Organic Raw Coconut Butter or Once Again Creamy Almond Butter is liquid gold, trust me.

Again, I buy most of my healthy fats through Thrive Market, and you get a free jar of almond butter if you sign up for a membership!

4. Natural Skincare or Beauty Items

The skin is our largest organ, and we absorb the products we use on our bodies, which means that our skincare and beauty products need to be clean, just like our food. The newest brand that has captured the minds and hearts of many people interested in natural beauty is BeautyCounter.

BeautyCounter is a new line of makeup and personal care products that promises to be safer and free of hundreds of toxic chemicals that are present in mainstream beauty
products. BeautyCounter is certainly expensive, but I have found the investment to be 100% worth it. I absolutely adore the charcoal bar for washing my face (which only costs $24 and lasts at least six months) and the mascara (by far the best less-toxic mascara I have ever tried). Another nice thing about these products is that they are pretty and luxurious, so they are the perfect way to pamper someone you love 🙂

5. Kitchen Tools

If your friend is going to be cooking most of their own food, it is important that their kitchen is well stocked! It may seem boring to give someone a kitchen tool for Christmas, but welcome to adulting.

Here are a few kitchen tools I love:

–Crock-Pot

–Instant Pot (I actually got this for Christmas last year! Shoutout to Aunt Gigi if you’re reading this).

–Cast Iron Skillet

–Nutribullet – I linked to the one I have. Don’t get the less expensive models because they will break if you blend anything too aggressively. I broke two before I finally sprung for the sturdier model.

6. Gift Card

Last but not least, a gift card is always a great option. I almost always receive a Whole Foods gift card during the holiday season, which I then use to purchase all of the fun snacks and healthy fats I mentioned previously in this post. It would also be nice to get your friend a gift card to a local paleo-friendly restaurant or cafe if you can find one!

Some recommendations by city:

–(almost) Anywhere in the USA: Whole Foods, BeautyCounter, Thrive Market (buy your
friend a membership!)

–Bay Area, CA: Mission Heirloom, Bare Bowls, Pressed Juicery

–Chicago, IL: True Food Kitchen, Real Good Juice Co., Kanela Breakfast Club, Hi Vibe, KitchFix, Crosby’s Kitchen

-Dallas/Fort Worth, TX: Kozy, Righteous Foods, Juice Junkies

-Indianapolis, IN: Natural Born Juicers, Punch Burger, Open Society Public House

–New York City,NY: Pressed Juicery, Hu Kitchen, Dig Inn

-Phoenix/Scottsdale, AZ: Snooze, True Food Kitchen

-Portland, OR: Cultured Caveman

-South Bend, IN: Elia’s, Uptown Kitchen, Rocky River Tap & Table

Is there something missing from my list? Or is there an idea you love? Let me know in the comments!