Chemicals and toxic additives seem to pervade everything we use and eat, and the conscious choice to go organic is the need of the hour. This is in the interests of our own health as well as that of our planet: this is the only body you have and this is also the only planet we have.
Thankfully the organic food movement which relies upon eco-friendly and health-friendly techniques such as crop rotation, biological pest control, natural manure or compost is gaining popularity. The kind of food production that eschews use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers and limits or excludes use of antibiotics, genetically modified organisms, and growth hormones, etc. is now more widely practiced.
So this year if you’re doing some advance planning for holiday gifts, give a thought to organic food baskets. These make thoughtful and unusual gifts not just for the holidays but also for birthdays, anniversaries, or any such significant event.
You can buy a pre-prepared organic food basket; the sort that are assembled and sold online – pretty baskets and festooned with bows and tassels.
You can also create and assemble your very own. It is actually a better idea to create your own gift basket for the following reasons:
- It’s more economical.
- You can customize each basket according to the likes and preferences of the recipient.
- You can source local and seasonal produce that doesn’t require to be transported over longer distances adding to the ecological impact of that produce.
- You can use baskets and decorative elements that are also organic or homemade to add a really personal touch.
- If you grow any fruit or veg at home, or make any of your own preserves, you can add this to the basket!
The things you can source to add to the organic food basket are:
- Organic Seasonal fruit – a colorful, delicious and healthy option
- Organic vegetables – again healthful, colorful and unusual as well!
- Organic Nuts and dried fruit are another popular option
- For the tea lover, you can opt for organic teas: white, green, oolong, take your pick
- Organic preserves, chutneys and other sauces are also a great idea
- Granola bars
- Organic Popcorn or candy
- Dried herbs and spices
- A selection of organic cheese
- Organic cuts of meat
- Organic canned soup
- Organic prepackaged chili
These are just a few ideas; you can probably think of so many more!
