Christmas

Christmas. Is there any word that brings so much joy yet causes so much stress in terms of planning?!

From Christmas food – including vegetarian, vegan and plant-based alternatives – to sustainable, ethical gifts, think of Holland & Barrett as a one-stop-shop to take off some of the strain.

Christmas dinner

One of the major headaches at the end of the year is planning the Christmas food.

Finding Christmas dishes that not only please everyone but which also count as healthy Christmas food can be problematic.

Christmas dinner ideas for vegetarians and vegans used to cause stress for party planning meat-eaters.

However, as more people switch to plant-based diets, vegetarian Christmas recipes and vegan Christmas recipes have become not only abundant, but increasingly inventive and delicious.

Long gone are the days of a nut roast being the only go-to offering. Today, you are just as likely to find a spread of glorious, protein-rich winter salads, accompanied by plant-based meat alternatives such as mock duck, made from seitan or jackfruit pulled pork.

In fact, meat-free recipes today are so good that you may even be able to save the turkey.

Vegetarian Christmas trimmings

Of course, Christmas dinner would not be the same without all the trimmings. And the same goes for vegetarian and vegan Christmas.

The perfect gravy https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/food-drink/cooking/gravy-stock/ , along with the condiments and sauces https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/food-drink/cooking/condiments-sauces/ really make the meal.

From bouillon powder to vegan mayo, Holland & Barrett has you covered.

Gluten free Christmas

Christmas can be a time of carb overload, which can send up red flags for those intolerant to gluten, such as anyone with coeliac disease.

As gluten is found in three of the most common grains (wheat, barley and rye), those following a strict gluten-free diet need to be extra careful about knowing what is in cakes, bread and certain sauces – which can often be a real challenge at Christmas time.

Luckily, there are now fabulous gluten-free alternatives https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/food-drink/food-drink-shop-all/?t=advisorymessage_gluten-free to food stuffs such as breadcrumbs, gravy granules and flour for white sauces, which means that no one need miss out.

Christmas treats and food gifts

For better or worse, Christmas has become the time of year to indulge.

One way of avoiding the minefield of choosing the right gift is having Christmas food gifts on hand.

This means you never need to go empty-handed to a festive party and children can share food gifts with classmates and teachers.

Having extra nuts, crackers and sweet treats on hand means you are never without snacks, appetisers or dessert if you find yourself with surprise guests!

Choose from our wide range of dried fruit, nuts and seeds https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/food-drink/dried-fruit-nuts-seeds.

Or other favourite Christmas goodies, including chocolate, sweets, biscuits and crackers too, including a large range for vegans and those on specialist diets.

Vegan gifts for Christmas

Aside from vegan food https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/food-drink/vegan-food, there are other ethical considerations to take into account when buying presents for people who follow a vegan lifestyle.

Many vegans generally avoid buying leather or wool products, for example. And there are non-vegan ingredients in many cosmetics and beauty products, or they may have been tested on animals.

So it is important to put a little extra thought into buying vegan presents.

Choose from vegan beauty essentials and luxuries https://www.hollandandbarrett.com/shop/natural-beauty/vegan-beauty , with everything from skin oils to cosmetics such as mascara and lipstick.

When looking for vegan Christmas gifts, it is worth looking for the Vegan Society symbol.

Christmas gifts for couples

It can be tricky coming up with good gift ideas for couples.

Favourites include food hampers; his and hers skin care gift sets and ethical luxury chocolates.

Why not create a food hamper from Holland & Barrett goodies? With such a wide variety to choose from, it is easy to tailor a hamper for those who prefer sweet or savoury, or for someone who has a food allergy or intolerance.

Sustainable gifts

An ever-increasing trend is the number of people looking for eco-friendly Christmas gifts each year.

With a growing awareness of the climate crisis, many people are putting a greater emphasis on only buying green, ethically sourced gifts. Or else trying to have a plastic-free Christmas.

Organic gifts also remain popular. Holland & Barrett specialises in ethical stock, from organic and cruelty free cosmetics to vegan and Fairtrade chocolate, so there is plenty to choose from when finalising your Christmas gift list this year.