Dirty Dish Club Stocking Stuffer Guide for Grown-ups

‘Tis the season of gift guides is it not? I am generally against the over commercialization of Christmas, and I hate to add to it, but I just couldn’t help myself, especially since some of these are actually really good ideas. I’m hoping they can give you some guidance if you’re trying to find a few gifts for that person in your life that likes to cook and tries to be a little more conscious of what they’re eating. Just know that in no way am I suggesting you buy all of these things.

1.  Compact Reusable Bags ($6.25/bag) –  I always have at least one of these stuffed in my purse or  in the car. They’ve been a lifesaver at the grocery store and farmer’s market, but have also ferried snacks to the park and wet clothes back home. I have one Chico Bag that I got for free by saving Seventh Generation labels (yep, I’m one of those people), but also have other cheap knock-offs that I love almost as much. 
2. Granola Bars – Larabar is a brand that is loved by real food fans. The Roasted Nut Roll is probably my favorite. We’ve long been fans of Cliff bars as well even if their ingredient list is longer than “real food experts” often recommend. The White Chocolate Macadamia Nut is probably my favorite of the classics and I’m a fan of most of the Mojo Bars. And of course, you can always make your own granola bars! 
3. Silicone Scraper ($7.37+) – Scrapers are a necessity at our house. They’re great for cleaning dutch ovens, pots, dough off counter tops, etc etc. 
   
4. Peeler Trio Set ($14.95)  – This is one of the things I’ve put on my personal wish list. The julienne one intrigues me as matchsticking vegetables with a regular knife is quite tedious.
5. Dark Chocolate or Nuts or Both! Chocolate bars, flavored nuts, or even trail mix (which is really easy to DIY. On a regular basis we usually buy a bulk mixture of nuts from Costco and mix it with craisins and chocolate chips.)
6. Garlic Rocker ($8.80+) – The thing we love about this garlic rocker is that it is only one piece! We’ve had other garlic chopping/mincing devices over the years that were awesome until they broke and no longer did their job. We have the stainless steel version of this and it’s going to be around for a long time. 
7. Toothbrushes and toothpastes – With all the sweets going around this time of year dental hygiene becomes that much more important. 
8. Homemade Candy – We always make a ton of goodies this time of year and giving each person their own little stockpile is the only way to avoid fights at our house. Our Chocolate Almond Nutballs are a once a year delicacy I always look forward to.
9. Food Thermometer ($17.99) – A food thermometer is a necessity in our kitchen. From candy making to making sure meat is perfectly cooked to getting water to the perfect temperature for yeast to thrive.
10. Food Rules: An Eater’s Manual – We are big Michael Pollan fans and this little book is an informative guide on how to be a healthier, more conscious eater.