- Roxie Daggett
Non-Toxic Gift Ideas for Foodies!
Updated: Feb 8
Here is a curated list of awesome and *mostly* non-toxic gifts for the people in your life who love food! That could be any and everyone! From my favorite non-toxic kitchen gear to must-have cookbooks to delicious eats, you're sure to find a gift or few in the list below!
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Non-Toxic Gift Ideas for Foodies!
Welcome to the Nourish & Cherish Non-Toxic Gift Ideas for Foodies! These are all items I've researched, LOVE and use currently in my own kitchen. I have a son with Down syndrome so choosing non-toxic/low-toxic items for our kitchen is a big priority. I also LOVE cooking and eating so these are all items any foodie will appreciate!
Browse the list and start shopping!
Non-Toxic Kitchen Items for Foodies
Vitamix Professional Series 750 Blender
This is likely the most-used kitchen item we own. We use it at least once per day to make smoothies, electrolyte drinks, salsas and more. Yes, it has plastic, but we don't let the food sit in there long. It's SUPER EASY TO CLEAN! They now have a stainless steel container which I have not seen nor used, but it would make another excellent non-toxic gift. Vitamix makes some other great blenders, but for our needs the 750 professional blender has been going 8 years strong with tons of use and phenomenal performance. A worthy investment and awesome gift! You won't regret getting or giving a Vitamix blender for yourself or a loved one! You can grab one here!
Lodge Cast Iron Baking Sheet and Pizza Pan
Looking for the perfect non-toxic foodie gift? This is it! This non-toxic, cast iron baking sheet doubles as a non-toxic pizza pan! And if that weren't enough, it can also be used as stovetop griddle. From pancakes to bacon to quesadillas to cookies to baked meatballs to pizza, this pan has you covered! This 14" high-end cast iron baking sheet does it all (without breaking the bank). Lodge makes some of my favorite modern non-toxic cookware. This classic pan makes the terrific gift for any home cook. If you are concerned about the soy-based seasoning, wash with soap and re-season with oil of your choice. Get this winning gift here!
Instant Pot Pressure Cooker
The Instant Pot makes a GREAT gift for someone who hasn't jumped on the IP wagon yet! I know I wish I had purchased one sooner. From nutrient-dense stocks/broths, soups, stews, beans, oatmeal, yogurt, fast mashed potatoes-- this pressure cooker is a MUST-HAVE. Prep, push the button and walk away! Not only is it easy to use and a cinch to clean, but it keeps food more nutritious and flavorful by retaining the nutrients under-pressure (no evaporation). There are millions of Instant Pot recipes out there to get novice and experienced cooks inspired. Check it out and get yourself, or your loved one, an Instant Pot now!
Rösle Stainless Steel Garlic & Ginger Press
Here is the garlic press of your dreams! Tamara Rubin, Lead Safe Mama, says most garlic presses she tests contain lead and cadmium (as do the rubber handles). I searched high and low for a 100% stainless-steel garlic press that could also mash ginger (and wouldn't break on me or have suspicious rubber coatings on the handles). Wow! This high-end, heavy-duty garlic press made in Germany does not disappoint. It gets the job done without wasting a drop of garlic or ginger juice-- the good stuff! This heirloom-quality press makes a great gift. You'll never need another garlic press and will likely pass this onto to your children. And yes, it can handle fresh ginger! It's easy to clean. Gift a Rösle Garlic & Ginger Press here!
Cuttlelab Glass Measuring Cup & Citrus Juicer
I absolutely LOVE this toxin-free measuring cup that doubles as a an old fashioned citrus juicer! It works like a dream (no more wasting precious juice-- ahem, hand-held citrus squeezers). When I learned about lead and cadmium paint on vintage AND modern glass measuring cups, I was appalled, and quite frankly in denial. Tamara Rubin, Lead Safe Mama, has several posts about it, but I purchased some 3M Lead Check Swabs to see for myself. Unfortunately, they all turned red (red means lead is present) immediately. These were Pyrex® (red and blue paint) and Anchor Hocking® (black paint) glass measuring cups from the early 2000s. While the paint is on the outside of the measuring cup and not in contact with food, it can leach into dish water or dishwashers over time which can contaminate other kitchen items and food (as evidenced by fading on ours). Since lead is a neurotoxin and cadmium is a carcinogen, I decided to make a swap for this unpainted clear glass 2-cup measuring cup which doubles as an old-fashioned citrus juicer. Grab this gorgeous, non-toxic measuring cup here!
Cuisinart Mini Food Processor (4 Cups)
This is not exactly a non-toxic kitchen item (plastic bowl and die cast aluminum base), but this mini food chopper is AWESOME! It makes a fabulous gift so I decided to add it to this list. I've owned several cute little food processors and they all wear out. This one is can handle hard-core chopping, mincing and grinding; and it lasts for years. I use it for mincing aromatics (garlic and ginger), making quick salad dressings, whipping up sauces, pestos, nut butters, you name it! Great for smaller jobs that won't work in the blender. I even made nutrient-dense baby purees in here. Again, I have tried several different mini food choppers on the market and they are all either too feeble to chop properly or wear out with heavy use. I HIGHLY recommend this handy food chopper!
Must-Have Cookbooks for Foodies
Alternative Baker Cookbook
THE BEST dessert book for bakers looking for mouth-watering, gluten-free dessert recipes that actually taste BETTER than their gluten-based counterparts. Seriously. Alanna Taylor-Tobin of the food blog, The Bojon Gourmet, is a self-proclaimed "recovering pastry chef" and one the best food bloggers (in my opinion) out there. A talented photographer, masterful chef, precise recipe writer and a true foodie. She meticulously tests recipes and writes flawless, easy to follow instructions so you feel like a rockstar. I am NOT a baker, but I can easily follow her recipes and impress my guests. Blackberry Buckwheat Crisps, Banana Butterscotch Pudding with Mesquite Gingersnaps, Cherry Chestnut Chocolate Chip Cookies, Bergamot & Meyer Lemon Bars anyone??? Grab the Alternative Baker Cookbook here!
Diana Kennedy's Mexican Cuisine Cookbooks
If you or someone you know wants to elevate your Mexican cooking to the next level, Diana Kennedy's recipe books are a MUST HAVE! Her cookbooks are like no other! Through her painstaking, culinary anthropological research, she has preserved regional Mexican recipes, cultural traditions and stories that may otherwise have been lost. Besides deeply authentic, outrageously delicious recipes, it's a delight to read of her travels and adventures across Mexico. Here are a few of her books-- any one of these will make a stellar gift for the foodie in your life:
Recipes from the Regional Cooks of Mexico
My Mexico: A Culinary Odyssey with More Than 300 Recipes
The Essential Cuisines of Mexico
Oaxaca al Gusto: An Infinite Gastronomy
Nourishing Traditions Cookbook
This classic book by Sally Fallon and Mary Enig makes a fabulous gift for anyone who wants to get back to traditional, ancestral cooking for their health and family. We're talking deeply nourishing foods like meat, fish, butter, raw milk, bone broths, whole grains and fermented foods. Based on the anthropological work of Weston A. Price, this recipe book doubles as an encyclopedia of knowledge on ancient Nourishing Traditions that have contributed to good health, strong bones and teeth, fertility and longevity for generations. The recipes are simple, adaptable and give you an understanding on how to properly prepare foods for maximum nutrition. Perfect for the nutrition-oriented foodie in your life, parents grappling with special diets for kids and anyone who loves traditional cooking! Grab your copy here!
Salt Fat Acid Heat
Samin Nosrat's best-selling book makes you feel like a giddy cooking school student! I learn something new every time I open it. Another MUST-HAVE in the kitchen that makes a perfect gift. Samin's friendly, straightforward way of teaching how to to master four elements of good cooking-- salt, fat, acid and heat-- will inspire novice and experienced cooks alike. A fun to read, enthralling book filled with aha moments to help you understand the science behind making food taste scrumptious.The Netflix series by the same name is a result of the popularity of this James Beard award-winning book. DEFINITELY grab a copy for ALL the food-lovers in your life!
The Gourmet Cookbook: More Than 1,000 Recipes
I can't live without this cookbook! It's an encyclopedia of every classic recipe you can think of with easy to follow instructions. Every single meal, side dish, dessert tastes exactly how you dream it will! From the perfect Thousand Island dressing to crispy oven french fries to Thai curries to soups from all over the world to flaky pie crusts to endless cookies to spicy chilis to holiday feasts. This cookbook HAS. IT. ALL. Ruth Reichl of the legendary Gourmet magazine and the book's editor says: "Our goal is to give you a book with every recipe you would ever need." Mission accomplished. I consider it an essential recipe book. Perfect for new and experienced foodies. Grab the Gourmet Cookbook here!
Clean and Delicious Gourmet Food Gifts
Vital Choice Wild Seafood & Organics
Looking for a delicious holiday gift for the discriminating home cook? A seafood box from Vital Choice will impress anyone who loves seafood! Vital Choice has been our family's most trusted source of clean and wild-caught seafood for years. From seasonally fresh, wild-caught salmon to buttery Alaskan cod (great with chips-- see my healthy French Fry recipe) to Oregon pink shrimp (no cooking-- great on salads) to Ikura salmon roe and more, you will have a hard time deciding what to order! All of their seafood is flash-frozen within hours of catch and packed in recipe-sized portions. Look for their Holidays & Occasions option to browse some great gift ideas! Shop Vital Choice here!
Grassroots Farmer's Co-op Regenerative Meat
Attention meat lovers! This is my son's AND Gwyneth Paltrow's favorite picks for delicious and clean meat. It's no wonder as Grass Roots Farmer's Co-op always delivers big on flavor and nutrient-density. A wonderful gift for a foodie who enjoys supporting small farms, regenerative agriculture and high-quality, flavorful meat. Check out this inspiring video about their partnership with Heifer USA! We love their lamb (when it's not sold out!), beef, turkey and bison (we get our chicken locally, but theirs is awesome). Send a box of pastured, small farm goodness to the one you love... and grab some for yourself too! Shop here!
Heavy Metals in Chocolate: Update
Consumer Reports just came out with a report on December 15, 2022 about dangerous levels of lead and cadmium in dark chocolate. You can read the entire CR post here. Unfortunately, the Hu Simple chocolate bar tested very high in lead (210% above allowable levels per ounce). They did not test other Hu bars, but it's safe to assume they may all be high in lead. I am removing this gift idea from my Non-Toxic Foodie Gift list this year. Note that Consumer Reports scientists believe that milk chocolate may be lower in lead so that is an option to consider in general, and Hu Bars just came out with milk chocolate bars. If you need a chocolate fix, I'd go with one of the two organic brands below that tested below allowable limits (yet still have SOME lead and cadmium). Lead is a neurotoxin and cadmium is a carcinogen so it's up to you if you feel comfortable eating or gifting these. I personally don't after reading the entire CR report. I believe informed choices are important and some are not willing to give up chocolate so they may as well have something cleaner to choose from.
Low-Tox Organic Chocolate!
Taza Organic Delciously Dark Chocolate
Mast Organic Dark Chocolate (dark chocolate bar not listed on Amazon; mint below)
Hu Chocolate Bars:
NOTE! I no longer recommended Hu bars as non-toxic gifts or treats, but leaving here for reference (see above paragraph on heavy metals in chocolate). I hope this company will make efforts to reduce their lead and cadmium levels in time.
Jacobsen Salt Co. Sea Salt
I've been obsessed with sea salt this past year ever since learning about heavy metal and microplastic contamination in many salt brands. I have tried several brands who have done 3rd party testing on their sea salt and have fallen in love with several of them. I find Jacobsen Salt Co. is one of the best tasting for cooking, seasoning, and sprinkling on foods and desserts. It makes a wonderful foodie gift as part of a gift basket or stocking stuffer. It is unrefined, hand-harvested in Oregon, USA and tastes like the briny sea! So yummy! Other clean brands I love are Colima Sea Salt from Mexico, Saltverk from Iceland and Selina Naturally Makai Deep Sea Salt. Grab all or one of these for the salt aficionado in your life! You can get Jacobsen Sea Salt here!
Life Extension Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
There are three things I look for in olive oil: 1. Purity. Many olive oils have been found to be cut with cheaper, rancid seed oils. A good olive oil, like a fine wine, can often be determined by flavor and scent. 2. Harvest and Press Methods. Fresh olives that are hand-picked and milled within hours of harvest will maximize nutrients like polyphenols that are associated with longevity. 3. Flavor. A true, high-polyphenol olive oil will have a strong peppery flavor. Life Extension California Estate Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil fits the bill for all these qualities. It's very strong (bitter, peppery flavor) due to it's extremely high polyphenol content. This makes it lovely for dipping into crusty bread, adding to sauces and marinades, and some even take it in shots! A great gift for a hard-core olive oil lover! Grab it here!
Clean Foodie Gift Baskets & Bundles
Of course, you can get several of these items and make a beautiful, clean foodie gift basket or bundle!
Gift Basket Ideas:
Gift Certificate to Vital Choice or Grass Roots Farmer's Co-op
Gift Bundle Ideas:
I hope you have enjoyed this list! Let me know if there are any hot, clean kitchen items to for me to consider next!
About the Author
Roxie Daggett is a Nutritional Therapy Practitioner (NTP) with a virtual holistic nutrition practice in Sedona, Arizona. Her passions include studying nutritional research pertaining to brain health, gut health, genetics and longevity. When she is not geeking out on nutrition she enjoys cooking, hiking, organic gardening and hanging out with her wonderful husband, and her adorable, energetic son who happens to have Down syndrome. Learn more on her About page and stay in touch by grabbing your FREE BRAIN HEALTH BREAKFAST GUIDE above or below!