Last Updated on December 2, 2019 by Kari
Do you have a vegan in your life that you don’t know too well? Gift baskets often work well for those people who we know on a professional or casual basis, but when you are shopping for a vegan, you can’t just go out and buy a cheese or chocolate gift basket. You can’t even buy a beauty gift basket because most of the products may not be vegan unless otherwise stated. Well, you can, but they won’t be able to use most of the stuff in it! If you want them to actually enjoy and use their gift, here are a few ideas for you.
1. Gift Cards
Gift cards are so easy to buy and give the receiver a chance to buy what they actually want. But when buying for a vegan, you need to think about the place and what’s actually available to them.
I once had a friend who I don’t talk to much buy us a gift card to a place we used to love because they had great cheese. She knew we had gone vegan, but she didn’t take that into consideration. She thought about what we used to like. We had to give the gift card to a family member, and it was really disappointing.
First off, if you have heard the person talk about a place they like, get them a gift card to that place. It’s your best bet.
If you haven’t, you may want to buy them a gift card to a local supermarket. Supermarkets have a ton of vegan options now and any supermarket is a pretty safe bet. We all shop. We all need food. It’s a win-win.
Restaurants are not as easy. Many restaurants have one or two vegan options at most, and some restaurants have no vegan options – even the salads aren’t vegan! So, if you are going to buy a gift card for a restaurant, make sure you look up their menu online to see if they have a dedicated vegan section.
Movie tickets are great, but keep in mind that not all movie popcorn is vegan, and popcorn is a huge part of the movie experience.
For instance, we have a movie theater close to us that uses real butter on their popcorn. It’s so frustrating because they are so close, but we can only go to them if we don’t want popcorn, which is never. But, thankfully for us, Cineplex theaters have a topping that is non-dairy for their popcorn.
Also, an Amazon gift card is always a great option. There are books, vegan foods, and many more things that anyone, including a vegan, would want to buy.
Lastly, a mall gift certificate may be your easiest option. There are plenty of stores to choose from, and your vegan recipient should be happy with it.
2. Gift Baskets
If gift baskets are your thing, then you need to search out a place that sells vegan gift baskets. Things like candy, candles, bath products, lotions, nuts, and other common products in gift baskets aren’t always vegan. It can be hard to tell what’s vegan and what’s not, even for a vegan.
I wouldn’t suggest going out and looking for a vegan gift basket. You are probably not going to find too many vegan gift baskets on your journeys out and about. Instead, a simple Google search will help you find some gift basket ideas for your vegan acquaintance. You will probably have to order online, but you may get lucky and find a place near you to buy from.
You can also make your own gift basket by getting on a place like Amazon and finding a few vegan options like vegan chocolates or vegan bath bombs. This takes a little bit more work, but the person you are giving the gift to will be extremely grateful that you took the time to give a crap about buying something that they can use.
When shopping online, just make sure that the item actually says vegan in the description of the product. Sometimes you can do a search for vegan products and things that are not vegan will pop up. I’ve made the mistake of trusting search engines without drilling down to the ingredients or product description. Believe me, it’s not fun and it’s a waste of money and effort when you get it and realize that it’s not actually usable.
3. Vegan Statement Gifts
I wouldn’t go out and buy someone a shirt that says 100% vegan on it. Shirt sizes are hard to pick and not everyone wants to walk around with a huge statement like that on their chest.
But you can bet that most vegans will appreciate a personalized vegan gift that they can use at home or wear to showcase who they are.
For instance, if you are buying coffee cups with sayings for people you associate with, you can get a cup for the vegan person with a saying that most vegans resonate with, such as this powered by plants cup. Or, if you are buying for someone with a sense of humor, you can get a cup with a saying on it like this one.
You could even buy this necklace for a vegan woman on your list that showcases a V with a plant symbol on it. It’s a common symbol for being vegan, and you are pretty much guaranteed a happy receiver with something like that.
The Best Gift For A Vegan You Don’t Really Know?
If you really don’t know the person well or don’t know what they like or don’t like, I would say the best gift is a gift certificate to a large place like Amazon or a mall where there are many options. There are a few reasons for this.
- Some vegans don’t just want vegan products, they want products without additives or colors as well.
- Some vegans are extremely health conscious and don’t want to eat chocolates or candy or other junk food.
- Some vegans are very environmentally friendly and don’t like to buy things that are not in line with their beliefs.
I’m not saying that all vegans are picky jerks.
I’m just saying that once you decide not to put animals or animal products in your body – or use products that are made from animals or animal products – you often start to think about other things that you don’t want to support or be a part of anymore. It’s not arrogant, it’s just a natural progression from living from this kind of conscious place.
When you give a vegan the gift of buying whatever they want, you have more of a chance that they will be able to use your gift and appreciate it.