By Cheryl McEvoy, NFCA Director of Communications & New Media

Food-filled gift baskets are typically considered a “safe” option for holiday giving. Everyone likes food, right? Well, when your recipient has celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, those gift baskets aren’t once size fits all.

It takes a little more time and creativity to assemble a gluten-free gift basket, but the result (i.e. big smiles and hugs from the lucky recipient) will be well worth the effort.

The best gift baskets combine food with bonus items, like a kitchen tool or gadget, so it’s practically impossible not to tear right in and get cooking. Here are some suggestions with gluten-free products I found right here on Vitacost.

Breakfast Basket

If you’re spending the holidays out of town, this assortment will be a thoughtful (and helpful) gift for your hosts.

• Cherrybrook Kitchen Gluten-Free Dreams Pancake and Waffle Mix
• Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Blue Agave Syrup – Maple
• Glutino Gluten-Free Breakfast Bars – Blueberry
• Barbara’s Bakery Honest O’s Cereal
• Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Non-Dairy Beverage – Unsweetened
• Celestial Seasonings Herbal Tea – Caffeine Free Bengal Spice

Arrange in a large basket with a new spatula or a set of festive bowls and spoons.

Baker’s Delight

These mixes provide a simple and easy base for bakers to work from. Customize with mix-ins based on the recipient’s preferences, such as walnuts, pumpkin seeds or dried cranberries.

• Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All-Purpose Baking Flour
• Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Chips
• Arrowhead Mills Gluten-Free Fudge Brownie Mix
• Chebe Original Gluten-Free Cheese Bread Mix

Round out this gift with a new set of oven mitts and measuring cups.

Snack Attack

Go for variety in this gift basket. Cover all your bases by including salty, sweet, crunchy and chewy options.

• Crunchmaster Multiseed Crackers – Original
• Arrowhead Mills Creamy Organic Peanut Butter
• Kind Plus Antioxidant Bars – Dark Chocolate Cherry Cashew
• Lundberg Rice Chips Santa Fe Barbecue
• Frontera Mild Mango Peach Salsa
• Enjoy Life Not Nuts! Seed and Fruit Mix
• Annie’s Gluten-Free Bunny Cookies – Cocoa and Vanilla

Pack snacks into a party-sized chip bowl.

Visit NFCA’s website for more Gluten-Free Holiday Gift Ideas.

The National Foundation for Celiac Awareness offers Vitacost.com website visitors weekly recipes and blogs about living the gluten-free lifestyle. For more information about celiac disease and gluten-free living, visit www.celiaccentral.org.