Top Ten Gift Ideas for the Vegetarian/Vegan on Your List

1. You can never have enough meal ideas when you're vegan or vegetarian. There are some wonderful cookbooks out there like How It All Vegan: Irresistible Recipes for an Animal-Free Diet by Sarah Kramer and Tanya Barnard which has recipes for beverages, breakfasts, soups, breads, desserts, and health and beauty items just to name a few. Vegan Planet: 400 Irresistible Recipes with Fantastic Flavors from Home and Around the World is another great resource with plentiful meal ideas. Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker: 200 Recipes for Healthy and Hearty One-Pot Meals that Are Ready When You Are is really good for those want to make healthy homemade dishes but are short on time.

2. Mason jars filled with dry beans, grains, and meal mixes that are homemade or from the bulk bins of stores like Wild Oats. You can find falafel mix or soup mix to throw in then tie on a pretty tag with preparation instructions. This is an inexpensive but thoughtful gift.

3. There are a few kitchen appliances that can be indispensable to the vegetarian cook. One is the slow cooker as evidenced from the book mentioned above (Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker). It's a great tool for those who work outside the home and would like to come home to a nice hot dinner.

A food processor is essential for vegetable slicing, dicing and shredding. Cuisinart is the king of food processors with prices that range from about $20 for a mini prep chopper to about $250 for the serious models.

A blender is great for morning fruit smoothies or pureeing soups and spreads. My favorite is the Vita-Mix which is heavy-duty and very versatile yet pricey at around $350 (I was lucky enough to purchase my reconditioned model for $200 at the Vita-Mix Corporation). It can chop, pulse through ice like a breeze and make homemade nut butters and soups. Waring sells a nice professional bar blender for around $100. If you're looking for something more inexpensive, Target and Meijer carry models that run $10 and up.

4. A membership to a local food co-op would be a terrific gift for those interested in local dairy, produce and other grocery items. The Clintonville Community Market in Columbus Ohio has produce, dairy, natural foods, herbs and supplements, wine, and a deli. An annual membership of $25 gives the member a 5% discount on anything in the Market, a newsletter, a vote in the co-op, and potlucks. A $100 individual membership or $125 family membership gets 10% off anything purchased in any area of the market, newsletters, and discounts on Market events.

5. OK, so maybe the vegan or vegetarian on your list isn't a cook. How about a gift certificate to an herbivore-friendly restaurant? Most Asian restaurants have a variety of vegetarian dishes. Some great vegetarian spots in the central Ohio area are Benevolence, Starliner Diner, Whole World Natural Restaurant, Dragonfly, and Aladdin's Eatery (also has locations in Indiana, Virginia, and Pennsylvania).

6. Speaking of gift certificates, how about one to a natural food store like Wild Oats, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's or Raisin Rack? These stores not only carry organic groceries but also health and beauty items, household goods and prepared foods.

7. This is the last food item, I promise. Fruit baskets are good for just about anyone and for just about any occasion. They're easy to purchase from most grocery stores in many different combinations. Many stores, such as Meijer, carry baskets in a wide range of prices, often starting around $10. Some of the more elaborate cost around $50 but make sure to skip those with meats like summer sausage thrown in for your vegetarian recipient (if vegan skip the CHEESE and fruit basket also).

8. If you'd like to give some bath and beauty products, try some of the organic, animal product-free, and non animal-tested options. Your vegetarian/vegan will appreciate it. Some brands I like are Aveda, Alba, and Kiss My Face. They all use natural fragrance and have no artificial colors. They carry soaps, shampoos, lotions, and cosmetics. Aveda products can be purchased in their mall stores or certain salons and spas. Alba and Kiss My Face are available in many grocery stores including Kroger and Wild Oats.

9. Does your vegetarian like to carry a purse or wallet but would like a non-animal version of the leather items? There are several products out there made of hemp, rubber, micro-fiber, and vinyl. You can find these items at most large stores like Target, Kmart, and Macy's. Just look on the label for hemp or all man made materials. A bonus is that these purses and wallets are often cheaper than their leather counterparts.

10. Finally, if you like to buy clothing as gifts, try organic cotton or hemp. These fabrics are better for the environment and the wearer's skin. They're soft, comfortable, and free of irritating or harmful chemicals. There are several websites that sell these items along with Patagonia and a small selection at H&M and Wild Oats.