10 Feel-Good Canadian Food Gifts That Give Back
Photos, Purdys.
Whether you’re mailing gifts this year, or putting something together for your food-loving family member or friend, let your stocking stuffers do double-duty by buying products that also give back to charities and causes. From funding violence prevention programs for women in crises, to donating to children's hospitals across Canada, these ten Canadian treats help make our world a little tastier AND brighter. And what's not festive about that?
Lucky Iron Fish
This reusable cooking tool infuses any boiling liquid with a significant amount of iron. A portion of each Lucky Iron Fish sale funds the distribution of fish to families in need around the globe to help reduce the impacts of iron deficiency—the world’s largest nutritional challenge.
Rescue Coffee Co.
Ten percent of the proceeds from this fair trade, family-owned coffee roaster based in Moncton, N.B., is donated to animal- rescue organizations, such as Save Our Scruff, the SPCA and the Humane Society.
Good Food for Good
This vegan sauce and condiment collection is certified organic and made with all-natural ingredients. Each jar sold is a meal donation to someone in need by way of Buy One, Feed One, an organization that helps fight hunger across the U.S., Canada and India.
Turmeric Teas
A portion of the profits from sales of Turmeric Teas products—which include loose tea, tea bags and latte blends— help support charities that provide meals to people in need.
Zimt
This Vancouver-based vegan chocolate company donates one percent of sales to a variety of charities, including those that support women and children who have experienced domestic violence.
Sarjesa
Sarjesa Inc. is a socially focused tea company based in Alberta. Sarjesa blends their five different teas on Treaty 7 territory, located on the homelands of the Niitsitapi (the Siksika, Piikani, Kainai), the Îyârhe Nakoda, and Tsuut'ina Nations, as well as Métis Nation Region 3. The company works with local Indigenous community members to source local ingredients where possible, understand their traditional uses and how to best cultivate and conserve them. 20 percent of profits from each box sold is donated to Awo Taan Healing Lodge Society to support local violence prevention programming for women in crises.
Edible Adventures
Edible Adventures is a line of Indian spice blends developed by Kelowna-based chef Aman Dosanj. The spices are used as part of her own pop-up dinners supporting and celebrating Canadian farmers and ingredients. Home cooks are able to purchase her four hand-crafted blends, with recipes to use them available on her website. 1 percent of sales is donated to local charities, including anti-racism organizations. In the last four years, Dosanj has also produced a collaborative dinner to celebrate International Women’s Day, where 100 percent of proceeds (after operating costs) goes towards local charities.
Happy Pops
Happy Pops founder Leila Keshavjee draws on her South Asian heritage and travel experiences to inspire her hand-crafted, all-natural, vegan and gluten-free ice pop line—resulting in delicious flavours such as Lychee Lemonade, Guava and Passionfruit. A portion of the proceeds goes to supporting SOS Children's Villages, an international children's charity that offers safe and nurturing family homes to over 80,000 orphaned and abandoned children in over 130 countries and territories around the world. (Gift cards are available for purchase as stocking stuffers.)
Scout Canning
Scout Canning was founded by Chef Charlotte Langley, a native of Prince Edward Island. As a purveyor of responsible seafood, Scout only sources wild seafood species that are not at risk according to MSC global standards. In addition to sustainable sourcing practices, Scout also re-invests 1 percent of sales into climate action projects that help protect our oceans and waterways. The Seacuterie 5-pack includes some of the best seafood Canada has to offer, including Atlantic Canadian lobster, PEI mussels, British Columbia albacore tuna, and Ontario rainbow trout.
Purdys
This holiday, Vancouver-based Purdys is supporting children's hospitals across Canada with their Dear Santa Bar, a delicious salted butter toffee chocolate bar. $2 from each sale will go to a local, participating Children's Hospital or Sick Kids Foundation so they can continue to provide the best care to patients and their families, from funding new state-of-art facilities, to providing life-saving treatment.
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