Special Navratri treats for those who love food to the core!

Navratri marks the beginning of the festive season and in several parts of the country like Bihar, Bengal, Assam, and Gujarat it is an important occasion to meet and greet relatives and friends and give them presents. Like Diwali is celebrated in North India, Durga Puja holds the same place in Eastern India. Men and women who have moved out of their states for work or study, come back home with gifts for their loved ones.

On Vijaya Dashmi in particular, money and gifts are given by elders as 'aashirvad'. Here we have curated a list of items that a foodie might be happy to receive this Durga Puja.

Ayurvedic stuff: Have a friend or family member who believes in the statement- Food is thy medicine? You can pick a few products from Amrutam for them. You can buy an oil containing Triphla, Neem, Jatamansi and Bhringraj for a friend who is battling hair woes or its herbs enriched with honey, chyawanprash or their special rose petal cooling jam. They will definitely make for a unique gift!

Breakfast essentials: Himalayan, the premium mineral water brand from Tata Consumer Products has come up with a unique range of honey and preserves categories with offerings sourced from the Himalayan belt. It vouches for minimum processing of its products and has an extensive range that can make breakfast time interesting with Himalayan Samavastra Honey originated from the flora that is exclusive to the Himalayas and Himalayan Fruit Preserves made from hand-picked fruits from the natural fruit bowl of India, Himachal Pradesh. With some unique flavours like Apple Cinnamon, Berry, Orange- they can definitely add some taste to breakfast time.

Breakfast is incomplete without tea. Why not pick some healthy tea varieties from Organic India-like their Tulsi Green Tea, Rose or Turmeric or regular Masala Tea? They can be added to warm water or milk for that comforting taste.



Kitchen Appliances: Day by day we are being told by nutritionists to switch to vegetable juices. So why not give a juicer to your near and dear ones so that juicing veggies becomes an easy affair? You can go for Hestia's Nutri-Max cold pressed juicer. Promising seamless extraction, the juicer can be used for both fruits and vegetables.

You can also light up the life of the chef in your family by gifting them an Ooni Pizza Oven from Pizza Pro! Ooni Pizza Ovens heat up to a super high temperature of 500 degrees Celsius, which lets you make restaurant-quality fire and stone-baked pizza in just 60 seconds. That’s just the start, you can explore a huge number of dishes such as naans and tandoori rotis, delicious roasted meats, and smoky grilled vegetables, just to name a few.

Guilt-free mithais: For those avoiding white sugar, you can pick traditional sweets like Peda, Milk Cake, Laddoos, Gulab Jamuns and Ice Creams from NOTO. Dairy-free and vegan, the products use stevia and have less than half the amount of calories and hence can be consumed by diabetics as well. They use sunflower oil and coconut oil and almond butter as ingredients.

Gourmet ingredients: For those who love fine gourmet products there is nothing like picking authentic Kashmiri Saffron, Himalayan White Honey, Kashmiri Tadka Masala or Walnut Oil from Hands of Gold which is known for its authentic regional Kashmiri products sourced from native artisans. You can also pick Nut butter (peanut, almond and cashew), and post-meal desserts called 'Afters', made with nuts and dates from Happy Jars. high-quality, real, clean, and natural ingredients, such as Organic Jaggery, Java peanuts, Californian almonds, cashews, dates, and natural flavours, are used in the Happy Jars range, which are sourced from ISO-certified suppliers. Furthermore, the products contain no added oils or preservatives. All of the items are also dairy-free, vegan, and contain no hydrogenated fats or oils.

Plant-based and ready-made: Have busy cooks in the family? If you want to make it simple for them, this Navratri picks ready-made pastes from Farmous. Launched in February 2022, Farmous offers a range of ready-made curry pastes-a part of the cooking process that not just takes maximum time but can also make or mar the taste of a dish. Interestingly called Bhuna Pisa, these pastes can be mixed with vegetables or meats to make cooked and healthy curries. From Mustard Maha Bhoj to Chatpata Chettinad the list is interesting and a must-buy.

For those who are dairy intolerant or have turned vegan, one can pick a variety of dips and cheese from Katharos. From soft cheese spreads to pizza cheese and from feta cheese to energy balls, Katharos has a wide range of ingredients that can come handy for those who have pledged to go dairy free.