A Gift for Yourself

I was going to suggest a few last-minute gifts but since most have to be ordered online, they're probably too late for Christmas. However, New Years comes right after that, and if you have been putting off starting your own "foodstyle", maybe buying yourself one of these will help inspire you to kick your New Year's Resolutions off right!

1. Get a cool lunch box.

I got mine from Laptop Lunches. I actually bought an extra set of inserts too, which is so helpful on the days when I am too lazy to wash everything out in time. Plus I have twice as many colors!

These are great for portion control and variety; with so many sizes and shapes, you can fit just about anything you like to eat in there, and they work great for bringing lunch and snacks. Look at all the ideas for filling them here!

2. Get a cool lunch box, v2.0

The Mr Bento is from Amazon. It's great for soups and liquids, perfect for cold weather lunches. Two of the containers can be used for hot or cold, and the top two are better for snacks and dry goods. So the bottom one is usually yogurt and fruit, the next is soup or leftovers, the next is clementines or a slice of bread with cheese, and the last is almonds or grapes.

$40 may seem like a lot for a lunch box, but I've have both of mine for two years already, and they are both going strong.

3. Replenish your spice cabinet

Spices only last for a year before they lose their flavor, but I have the worst time remembering when I bought them and if it's time for them to be replaced. I restock on flour and sugar at Thanksgiving, and this year I'm going to start replenishing my spices for New Years.

And that means Penzey's, people. Penzey's.

It's a Wisconsin/Illinois company, but you can order online from anywhere. Everything is fresh, and the clean look of the bottles will make you want to cook more, I swear. After several years of trial and error, these are our staples:

Northwoods Seasoning -- adds a layered kick to everything, from chicken to roasted veggies to soup
4/S Seasoned Salt -- for grilled meats especially
Chicago Steak Seasoning -- the only thing we ever put on steak
Italian Herb Seasoning -- that and some basil is all I need for my tomato sauce
Krakow Nights -- we add it to sauteed cabbage and mushrooms, like the good Polacks we are
Greek Seasoning -- my favorite in the summer on chopped cucumbers and feta

I also order the pure spices and herbs like chipotle, cumin, bay leaves, cinnamon, dried minced onion, garlic, celery flakes, rosemary, French thyme, and red pepper flakes for Hubby's pizza. But for starter cooks, the seasonings are all you need; Penzey's know how to blend everything perfectly. You can buy all different sizes too, so if you just want to sample something, get the 1-2 oz. jar. At this point, I buy 4-oz bags to refill my existing jars. Whatever works!

And spices DO work. They are my secret weapon of cooking; I just buy basic meats or veggies, douse them with olive oil, kosher salt, and a seasoning, and cook it up. Everything tastes so good, I never miss the butter, sauces, gravies, etc.

4. Get a cool lunch box, v3.0

Okay, maybe I'm the only who wants that one. Just like the one I had when I was a kid!

Mark Bittman also had a list of gift ideas for the non-cook. I would LOVE to offer shopping lessons to several of my co-workers, either for clothes or for groceries.

As for me, this is shaping up to be a Cooking Christmas. We already got a Farberware percolator, and our coffee has never tasted better. Plus, I get the daily nostalgia trip when I wash out the grinds and the pot! Flashbacks to Acorn Lane... :) I am also hoping to get a new smaller crockpot, a local soup cookbook, new set of colored cutting boards (to separate veggies from meat), and a new spice rack.

What are you hoping for under your tree?