Healthy Teacher Gifts: 8 Wellness-Inspired Ways to Say “Thank You” (For $25 or Less!)
| November 29, 2012 | Posted by Stacy under Healthy teacher gifts |
At holiday time, it’s always nice to give your child’s teacher a little token of your appreciation. But coming up with a good gift idea can be a struggle. You want it to be meaningful, useful, and not too expensive. And hmmmmm, she probably doesn’t need another coffee mug, scented candle, ornament, or “World’s Best Teacher” tchotchke. I, of course, always love the thought of keeping it healthy. So I put together a list of 8 wellness-inspired ideas that are fun, practical and under $25. Depending on your budget, you can always ask another family to go in on a gift. And if money is really tight, skip down to number 8. It just may be the best one on the list—and it’s free!
#1. Homemade granola
Nothing says “We appreciate you!” more than a homemade food gift made with time and care. But instead of sugary cookies, how about some healthy wholesome granola in a reusable glass jar? I purchased the 32-ounce Clear Glass Hermetic Snowflake Jar from The Container Store for $5 and filled it with homemade pumpkin granola (about $6). Add a colorful ribbon and gift tag for $1 to $2 more.
#2. Healthy cookbook
Unless your child’s teacher hates to cook (and there’s only one way to find out–ask her!), you can’t go wrong with Ripe: A Fresh, Colorful Approach to Fruits and Vegetables (retails for $25 but you can get it for $16 on Amazon). Food writer Cheryl Sternman Rule, the voice behind the popular blog 5 Second Rule, and award-winning food photographer Paulette Philipot, a fellow Idahoan, teamed up to create this visually stunning ode to fruits and vegetables worthy of a coffee table. From raspberry melba sauce to green beans with pistachio dust, Ripe’s 75 recipes are organized by color, starting with red and ending with white. Between Philipot’s lush photographs and Rule’s feel-good vignettes, this book is definitely on my own wish list!
#3. Cool lunch container
For teachers who prefer to brown bag it: the sleek black + blum Bento Box ($19) is just big enough to hold a healthy salad or leftover quinoa and comes with a divider so food can be kept separate (think yogurt and granola). Its narrow width allows it to sit upright in a shoulder bag. Comes with a reusable fork and a small attachable container for salad dressing or sauce. BPA-free, microwave and dishwasher safe.
#4. Un-plastic water bottle
Since teachers don’t get a lot of fountain breaks (and they might not want to drink from one if they did), many come armed with their own water bottle. And who wouldn’t love an upgrade to the Lifefactory 22-ounce Glass Bottle with Classic Loop Cap (retails for $23, but this pale green one is now $17 on Amazon)? It’s completely free of dangerous chemicals such as BPA, PVC, polycarbonates and phthalates. And all you have to do is pop it in the dishwasher to clean it. Or, if you’re really feeling generous, splurge for the super-chic bottlesUp Original 22-ounce Glass Water Bottle ($30), made from recycled glass.
#5. Popcorn for a school cause
This 32-ounce container of multi-colored heirloom popcorn kernels is organic and non-GMO. But wait, it gets better. One-hundred percent of the proceeds from the Popcorn that Gives Back kit ($14) goes to Urban Sprouts, a non-profit dedicated to providing edible gardens and nutrition education to students in under-served San Francisco schools. Comes with a recipe card and popping instructions.
#6. Zen cookie cutters
OK, so cookie cutters aren’t exactly “healthy” unless you use them to make shapes out of watermelon, veggie tea sandwiches or whole-wheat cut-out cookies. But I thought these Yummi Yogi stainless steel cookie cutters ($8.50 each) too cute not to include–and they could be a fun gift for the teacher who loves yoga. They come in five different poses: Downward-Facing Dog, Crescent Lunge, Tree, Warrior 2 and Warrior 3. Tack on a small reusable gift bag (holds 1 to 2 cookie cutters; $2.50) for just a couple bucks more.
#7. Whole Foods gift card
I’ve never met a teacher who didn’t love a gift card. If there isn’t a Whole Foods nearby, try Wild Oats, Trader Joe’s or a natural foods store.
#8. Handwritten note
It costs nothing except a few minutes of your time—and if it’s personal and heartfelt, it’ll likely be cherished more than anything that money could buy. Because let’s face it: Most teachers genuinely want to make a difference. Be sure to have your child write a few words of thanks, too!
Do you have a healthy teacher gift idea for $25 or less? We’d love to hear it! Please leave any suggestions in the comments section below.
I created this blog to raise awareness and start a dialogue about the various issues involved in school food. By writing about it, I hope to provide parents and educators with ideas and inspiration for making healthy changes in their own schools. Since healthy eating habits start at home, I also address common feeding challenges faced by parents.
Hungry for more School Bites?
Click here to follow me on Twitter, Like my Facebook page, see my Pinterest boards, or send me an email