Sustainable Food Holiday Gift Guide

Food and things related to food make great holiday gifts. I mean, who doesn't like to eat something delicious?

And if your family members like to eat delicious things, chances are they might like to support organizations that keep those delicious things coming and wear t-shirts that point out how awesome delicious things are. All this focus on deliciousness reminds me: when holiday shopping, don't forget to think about Christmas dinner. And about giving to those who don't have dinner.

Now without further ado, here's your guide to holiday shopping in the local and sustainable food universe.

Find local and sustainable food products with these directories

• Local Harvest lists local food resources, including farmers markets, co-ops, organic grocery stores and much more. Fellow blogger Greg Plotkin suggests gifting a share of a Community Supported Agriculture operation through the site
• Sustainable Table offers a guide to local food by zip code
• 100-Mile Diet also lists local food options and ideas
• FoodRoutes brings you local buying guidelines
• The Organic Consumers Association provides a huge directory of organic food resources

Check out sustainable food products and paraphernalia (a random but good assortment)

• Evision Arts has some cool "foodie style" T-shirts
• Foodzie's producer map lets you browse local producers by area
• The natural and organic section of the Gourmet Food Mall has gifts aplenty
• Duchy Originals, Prince Charles’s organic food company, offers gifts with that British flavor
• Rancho Gordo bean company sells amazing heirloom beans the likes of which you've never tasted
• Smithsonian bird-friendly coffee program tells you where you can get eco-friendly java
• Dagoba organic chocolate will rock your world

Donate to these worthy organization on someone's behalf

• Ecotrust supports local food and farm-to-school  programs
• American Farmland Trust supports local food and farms
• FarmAid aims to keep family farmers on their land
• Urban Farming fights hunger by optimizing urban space for food

Send food to the less-fortunate around the world

• Oxfam's holiday gift catalog allows you to donate the funds to help farmers in developing countries with gifts such as livestock or a vegetable garden
• Heifer International seeks donations to give families around the world farm animals and other resources to help them improve their fortunes
• Mercy Corps donates "Mercy Kits" to help people survive emergency disaster situations and rebuild their lives in catastrophe's wake

Volunteer for food's sake over the holiday season

• Work in a community garden near you
• Volunteer in a soup kitchen or food bank to help people escape hunger
• Try your hand at farming as a Willing Worker on Organic Farms

Whether your holiday giving includes luxury items for family members, yummy treats for friends, generous donations to the needy or gifts of time to worthy organizations, these resources and many more around the Web will help you find the perfect offerings. Happy holidays!

Photo courtesy of stock.xchng