Choosing from the large selection of retirement gifts can be difficult. Many of us when we think of a retirement gift, we think a photo of the group, or a watch, or something to do with golf, or travel. Which these are great gifts. I am thinking a little closer to home.
What is one of the most important concerns of retirees after their retirement? It would be concerns about their health. They want to stay healthy. They want to enjoy a long healthy life with family and friends. To be healthy enough to travel, play golf and more generally, be able to enjoy life.
As folks are usually older when they are ready for retirement, you may find them already choosing a healthy diet. They are already watching more carefully what they eat, how many calories, how much fat and how much sodium. Many are already on a high blood pressure medication or have had heart problems in the past or may be diabetic. So they need to choose a healthy lifestyle and eat healthy.
Here are some retirement gift ideas focused around food gifts: Note: It is helpful if you know some of their interests, hobbies, foods they like and don’t like for these gift ideas.
- They may have always wanted to learn to cook, to be a better cook, or wanted to learn to cook a different way or style. The Mediterranean Diet has been touted as one of the most healthy diets. Perhaps if they enjoy cooking, maybe they would enjoy some cooking classes. Local cooking classes or send them to take cooking classes in Italy or Greece would be great gift ideas.
- A set of cookware from a small set to a large set. A very basic set to a gourmet set of cookware. This would let them cook just about anything. As we get older sometimes our cookware has seen better days. Or give cookware that makes their cooking easier like a crock pot, (you will be surprised at the price range of $30 to several hundred dollars), or a pressure cooker, a Dutch oven or a pan or skillet with a lid. Good cookware makes cooking easier and more enjoyable.
- A barbeque is a great gift. Cooking outdoors. No messing-up the kitchen. They can cook fish (which is good for their heart) without smelling up the kitchen. There are all types, sizes and prices.
- Food items unless it’s wine or champagne are not as common for retirement gifts as they are here today and gone tomorrow. Retirement gifts are usually gifts that last and are remembered. If the person loves good food or has gourmet tastes, there are nice food options. Balsamic vinegar, (the best is around $175), is very expensive and unforgettable. There are collections of olive oils (olive oil is good for the heart) from around the world and some come in beautiful wood or olive wood cases. Truffles or truffle oil would be an expensive and unique food gift, (black truffles around $300-$600 or white truffles $2000 – $3000 per pound). There are chocolates in all different price ranges and qualities from all around the world and dark chocolate is good for the heart.
- Herbs, spices and salt free seasonings are key to a flavorful healthy diet. Herbs and spices can be quite expensive depending on what you select, the amount and the quality. For instance, some of the best and most flavorful spices like Tellicherry peppercorns sell around $15.00 a pound and some of the best quality ground cinnamon sells for around $30 per pound, 1 ounce of Saffron is around $150 (the most expensive spice), but these flavors are amazing. If they are cooking healthy they need to increase and learn how to season their food without the usual salt, sugar and Msg. Salt free seasonings are important and make cooking easier and more flavorful, especially when trying to prepare a more healthy diet and/or a low sodium diet. Seasonings could be also be added to any of the gifts listed.
You want to give a gift that will be used, remembered and enjoyed. Hopefully you found retirement gift ideas focusing on food gifts that will help them follow a healthy diet, live a more healthy lifestyle and enjoy their retirement.