It can be tricky to give gifts for a new vegan friend. Of course the important thing to remember is that this person is a friend, so you know what they like. However, here are a few ideas to help your friend (or yourself really!) in their vegan journey, or just in their regular life. These products are great for vegans, but also for general human beings.
For the foodies in your life:
- Immersion blender: These babies are amazing! Not only are they small and perfect for tiny little kitchen, they are also so versatile that you really get great bang for your buck. You can make hummus, sauces, creamy soups, and even nice cream. And, for all that magic in the kitchen, you don’t have to spend a fortune. Great, great, great!
- Spiralizer: After trying little pencil sharpener-like devices, I bought a real spiralizer with different blades and a little handle and all. It is great! It really brings variety and fun to the kitchen. I love making zoodles, carrot noodles (cadles? noodlot? … I’ll stick to carrot noodles), apple spirals, potato spirals, and any-fruit-or-vegetable noodles. Seriously, this is amazing!
- Ginger gratter: Okay, this might sound silly, and not Christmas-present-worthy, but this is a great accessory to have in the kitchen as it really helps to have perfect ginger puree and garlic paste. Perfect for sauces, stir-fries, and soups.
- Iron-fish: This is great gift as it is not only a gift for your friend but also for a Cambodian family. Plus, this is an intriguing and useful gift… and it is so cute!
- Springform pans: Okay, these are really not funky Christmas presents, but if you ever tried any kind of vegan, gluten-free pie or cake, you know that these little things are amazingly practical. To make it more special, why not pair them up with a book on vegan deserts? I really like Rawsome Vegan Baking.
For the pampering enthusiast:
- Matt & Nat: These are incredible, completely vegan, and stylish handbags, wallets, backpacks, totes, and overnight bags. These will please both women and men as they offer great bags and accessories for everyone. Be ready to regroup for these because they can be a little bit expensive.
- Cruelty-free beauty and self care products: There are a ton of alternatives as to beauty products. Of course Lush is a great option, but take a stroll to your local health-food store to find really amazing alternatives. This is how I found Boho Cosmetics nail polishes. Why not gather a few items and make a cute basket out of it? And of course, the best way to make sure that the products you are buying are cruelty-free, is to make your own products. There are a ton of recipes online, so explore away! And for your supplies, if you are in Montreal, or Canada, this shop is amazing.
- Funny vegan t-shirts: These are cute and witty, and you can find local alternatives. Again, Montrealers check out Quinoa apparel. Etsy is also a great place to start looking for fun t-shirts.
So I hope these ideas will help you find cute and fun ideas for your vegan friends, or to give to any of your friends really! Remember to check out La végé d’à côté for more ideas!
My Lighthearted Kitchen 