9 Perfect Gifts for Vegetarians
I am useless at buying presents for people, and I struggle so much to think of good gift ideas. If you’re the same as me, and you’re looking to buy a gift for the vegetarian in your life, here are some ideas for you – 9 perfect gifts for vegetarians! These ideas are straight from the horse’s mouth – the horse being me, a vegetarian of 25(ish) years. These are all presents that I would love to receive (if I didn’t already have them).
This list of gift ideas contains all sorts of inspiration for you – from smaller stocking fillers, to more significant (more expensive!) presents. Whether your vegetarian friend or family member is an expert cook, or a bit of a newbie in the kitchen, you’re sure to find something here that they’ll love to receive.
❤️ Why You’ll Love These Gift Ideas
- Whatever your budget this year, there will be something on this list to suit you – whether it’s just spending a few dollars for a work colleague, or a lot more for a close family member.
- I’ve chosen these gifts to suit various kinds of people – whether they’re a vegetarian who cooks from scratch every night, or someone who doesn’t actually enjoy cooking all that much!
🎁 Perfect Gifts for Vegetarians
No more chit-chat – here you go. 9 perfect presents for the vegetarian in your life!
1. Tofu Press
💵 Approximate cost: $20
I’ll admit, I don’t always bother pressing my tofu, because I’m lazy and usually in a rush (quick meals ftw). However, if the vegetarian you’re buying for likes to be a bit more precise with their cooking, a tofu press is a good way to get the best out of tofu. It essentially squeezes out any excess liquid from the tofu, helping it to become extra firm and crispy.
Which one to buy?
There are various designs of tofu press available, but this one from Tofuture has great reviews, and is a decent price. Find it on Amazon UK / Amazon US.
A tofu press can be used for these recipes:
Pizza baked tofu
Cheesy tofu meatballs
Sticky teriyaki tofu
2. Cheese Grater (with a tub)
💵 Approximate cost: $10
If your vegetarian is a cheese-lover like me, they probably spend half their life grating the stuff. Weirdly, it’s one of my least favourite kitchen jobs ever, so I try to avoid it whenever I can! This cheese grater with a built-in tub means the cheese can be grated in bulk, and kept fresh for a few days in the fridge, cutting down on how often it needs to be done. They can also be used to grate vegetables like carrots, zucchini and potatoes.
Which one to buy?
There are many similar products available, but this one on Amazon UK or this one on Amazon US both look great, and have good reviews.
A grater can be used for these recipes:
Smoked cheese and broccoli tart
Vegan lentil loaf
Garlic mushroom mac and cheese
3. Vegetable Chopper
💵 Approximate cost: $20
Chopping vegetables for a veg-heavy recipe can be a bit tedious, but a vegetable chopper can drastically reduce prep time! Just place your vegetable on the top, press down firmly, and it’ll pop out into the tub underneath, chopped to your liking. A lot of these choppers comes with various attachments, so you can slice or dice your vegetable to the perfect size. I don’t have one of these myself, but every time I see them mentioned, people are raving about them.
Which one to buy?
This chopper on Amazon UK has incredible 5-star reviews, with lots of different chopper attachments to choose from. This one on Amazon US also looks like a great option.
A vegetable chopper can be used for these recipes:
Mediterranean scrambled eggs
Creamy cowboy caviar with avocado dressing
Creamy Mediterranean tortellini bake
4. Air Fryer
💵 Approximate cost: Huge variation, but anywhere from $50-$200
If you’re buying for someone who you’re happy to spend a little more money on, an air fryer is a great option. It’s one of the most used appliances in my kitchen – I use mine almost daily. Pretty much anything you can cook in an oven can be made even better in an air fryer (and in much less time!).
Which one to buy?
I use the Ninja Foodie Dual air fryer (find it on Amazon UK / Amazon US), and I love that it has two separate compartments. I would highly recommend this model – it’s ideal for cooking a full family meal. However, I admit that it’s not the cheapest option.
Before I upgraded, I used to own a much more budget-friendly option – this Tower one on Amazon UK (here’s a similar one on Amazon US). I loved this one too, and even though it’s a little smaller than the one I use now, it’s a great air fryer to buy for someone who’s new to air frying.
An air fryer can be used for these recipes:
Air fryer vegetarian fajitas
10 minute air fryer quesadillas
Air fryer stuffed peppers
5. Vegetarian Cookbook
💵 Approximate cost: $20
There are obviously hundreds of vegetarian cookbooks out there, and even though I rarely actually cook from recipes (I’m too slapdash for that), I absolutely love browsing through a good vegetarian cookbook – especially one with big, bright photos of each recipe.
Which one to buy?
One of my favourite vegetarian cookbooks from the last few years is Veg by Jamie Oliver. It’s full of just my kind of food – hearty, simple recipes that looks seriously tasty and easy to make, with full page images. You can find it on Amazon UK, and there’s even a version that’s been adapted with American measurements on Amazon US.
6. Mini Food Processor
💵 Approximate cost: $20
If your vegetarian friend likes to cook from scratch, a mini food processor is a must for their kitchen. I use mine for making breadcrumbs, blitzing up homemade pesto, quickly chopping nuts, cutting fresh herbs, and any number of other things. It definitely speeds up prep time for all sorts of recipes.
Which one to buy?
I have owned this Kenwood Mini Chopper (Amazon UK) for years and years, and it’s never failed me. I’d highly recommend it. This one on Amazon US looks quite similar, and has great reviews.
A mini chopper can be used for these recipes:
Peanut and sesame noodles
Chickpea pasta salad with pesto
Nutty tofu lettuce wraps
7. Fun Spice Mixes or Sauces
💵 Approximate cost: Whatever you want to spend
I love trying new spices and seasonings, and I’m always happy when someone cleverer than me has done all the hard work blending together the right combinations. If your vegetarian friend or family member loves trying new cuisines, why not send them a selection of spice mixes or tasty sauces to bring a bit of variety to their kitchen!
Which one to buy?
There are literally hundreds of different spice mixes and tasty sauces available, so just see what’s on offer in your local shop. I love the look of this selection on Amazon UK, because it contains such a wide variety of flavours, from Thai to Mediterranean, Chinese and Moroccan! The spice pots do mention that they might be good used on meat or fish, but the spice mixes themselves are vegetarian, and there are plenty of veggie-friendly ways to use them too!
Spice mixes can be used for these recipes:
Easy baked mushroom tikka
Blackened tofu steaks
Sheet pan halloumi fajitas
8. Hand Blender (Immersion Blender)
💵 Approximate cost: $15
I make soup about once a week, and I always use my hand blender to make it nice and smooth. It’s so much easier to just stick the blender straight into the pot and blitz it all up, rather than having to somehow pour a pot of hot soup into a countertop blender (which I am 100% certain would not end well, given I once broke my arm trying to sit on my own bed – no lie). Immersion blenders can also be used to make smoothies, sauces, and anything else that needs smoothening.
Which one to buy?
Most stick blenders look much the same, so just go for one with good reviews that fits your budget. This Russell Hobbs one on Amazon UK looks great, as does this one on Amazon US.
A hand blender can be used for these recipes:
Ultra creamy roasted broccoli soup
Slow cooker tomato sauce
Vegan vegetable gravy
9. Reusable Produce Bags
💵 Approximate cost: $10
Chances are, the vegetarian in your life buys a lot of vegetables – I know some people that live on beige food (hello, teenage me), but most veggies love veggies.
These reusable produce bags are great for all kinds of reasons:
- You can take them to the supermarket to fill with loose fruits and veg, meaning you can avoid using the plastic bags provided (much better for the environment!)
- They help keep your fridge organised by storing like products together
- They keep your produce fresh for longer
- You can store loose items like dried beans without the risk of the packet splitting
It’s a win-win (-win-win…)!
Which one to buy?
There are tons of similar products available. This set on Amazon UK is a great price, with really good reviews, and here’s a similar set on Amazon US.
There you have it – 9 perfect gifts for vegetarians. Which one do you have your eye on?
🧾 Top Tips for Buying a Gift for a Vegetarian
- If you’re buying them candy / sweets, or any other edible item, make sure you check that it’s vegetarian first. A lot of gummy sweets, for example, are made with gelatine, which isn’t vegetarian.
- Think about how much cooking the person actually does before you choose your gift. If they rarely cook from scratch, for example, they might not get much use from a mini chopper – but they might love an air fryer to crisp up their favourite oven fries and vegetarian nuggets!
- If you’re not sure what they already have in their kitchen, choose a gift that won’t matter if you double up. They probably won’t want to end up with two tofu presses, for example, but it won’t matter if they end up with some extra spice mixes, even if they already have some.
This reminded me that I have been wanting food huggers for a while! Immediately went on my Christmas list!
Yay! Glad I could inspire :)
I have never heard of the rubber veggie keepers but I am going on Amazon and ordering immediately! I can’t tell you the number of plastic bags, foil and cling wrap I have used over the years for half an onion, tomato etc. Thanks for these ideas!
You’re welcome! They’re so handy :)