A few healthier gifts for this holiday season.

Gift: Edible Arrangements fruit (Starry Sleighride)

Why: At first I thought this was a bit silly and wouldn't look as impressive as it sounded. But I must say, if you want to stay away from the standard "junk" most companies send out and offer a healthier message, this is just the ticket. The fruit was exceptionally good, and it really makes a statement when it comes to your door.

Description: The Starry Sleighride is a tasty fruit bouquet overflowing with fresh pineapple daisies and stars, strawberries, grapes, cantaloupe and honeydew in a souvenir sleigh container. It's the perfect gift for the holidays. Edible Arrangements uses a fruit vendor program through which franchisees buy locally grown produce for their made-to-order arrangements. The arrangements are delivered fresh in a refrigerated truck.

Health bonus: Fruit has amazing antioxidant benefits, and it's low in calories.

Price: $75 for the sled, plus a $12 flat fee for delivery.

What we liked least: A bit pricey, but attractive.

Where to buy: www.ediblearrangements.com.

Gift: Cuisinart Mix It In soft-serve ice cream and (nonfat) yogurt maker

Why: Soft-serve ice creams, yogurts, sorbets and sherbets are now available right at home, with the Cuisinart Mix It In Soft Serve Ice Cream Maker. Operation is fully automatic; simply pour in the "healthy" ingredients and turn the dial.

Description: Has a pull-down handle to dispense healthy soft-serve ice cream directly into cones or bowls. Makes 1 1/2 quarts of frozen dessert in as little as 20 minutes — or a bit more if you're creating a healthier mix (meaning no heavy cream). Just add your favorite ingredients and turn the dial. Removable parts for easy cleaning.

Health bonus: You can show your family how ice cream is made while using healthier ingredients such as fat-free half and half, skim milk, bananas, strawberries, apple juice concentrate, gelatin and, if you like, an artificial sweetener.

Price: $99.

What we liked least: You can still use it to make the less-healthy kinds of ice cream.

Where to buy: www.cuisinartwebstore.com.

Gift: FoodTee Healthy Living sweatshirts

Why: Wearing sweatshirts with healthful fruits and vegetables and cute sayings helps keep you motivated. Plus, you're setting an example. Think: An image of an upside-down banana with the words "Downward Dog" below it, or a celery stalk that says "Stalker." Beets that say "Heart Beet." Very cute. Not only that, but research in the Journal of Health Promotion shows that using visual cues can help you make better health choices.

Description: Warm, cozy sweatshirts that let people express themselves through healthful food slogans (e.g., cherries + No Sugar Added; cauliflower + Flower Child; wheat + Grainiac). FoodTees are affiliated with DietDetective.com.

Health bonus: A portion of the profits is donated to three not-for-profits dedicated to promoting and educating people about healthful school lunches.

Price: $39.

What we liked least: They are only sold online, but shipping is free.

Where to buy: http://www.FoodTee.com.

Gift: George Foreman 360 grill

Why: This is the best Foreman grill yet. And grilling is the best way to cook healthy food.

Description: The grill has 106 square inches of round cooking surface, five round dishwasher-safe removable grill plates, a durable triple nonstick coating that eliminates the need for oil, and a sloped grill design that reduces the fat. Embedded heat elements provide consistent heat and rapid recovery time.

Health bonus: It makes cooking healthy so simple. You turn on the grill, throw on fish, shrimp, chicken and/or veggies and a few squirts of nonstick spray, and you're done.

Price: $179.99 is the suggested list price, but Wal-Mart, Amazon, and other retailers are selling it for about $150.

What we liked least: It's a bit pricey compared with the $20 Champ (also from Foreman), but it's definitely an upgrade.

Where to buy: http://www.Amazon.com, Wal-Mart, Target.

Gift: Wusthof knives

Why: Having a great set of knives is half the battle when cooking at home. Without them, you're going to have a tough time preparing those healthy meals. This is a gift that can be handed down to your children.

Description: These high-performance knives are razor-sharp right out of the box, and the blades retain their edge longer due to a steel formulation that provides durability, stain-resistance and sharpening ease. They also have balance and heft.

Health bonus: The more excited you are about cooking at home, the more you will end up eating at home, and so consume fewer calories.

Price: Prices for the Wusthof Classic 8-piece knife-block set (model 8418) vary, but Amazon and Williams-Sonoma.com are selling the set for $299.99 (comes with an 8-inch cook's knife). You can also get a two-piece Classic starter set that includes a paring knife and a chef's knife for about $139.99.

What we liked least: Expensive, but worth it.

Where to buy: http://www.Macys.com, http://www.Williams-Sonoma.com, http://www.Amazon.com.

Gift: Polar heart rate monitor (Model F11)

Why: Heart rate monitors are great for making sure you're getting a decent workout.

Description: It's easy to set up and beeps when you're in your training zone. Also shows how many calories you've burned.

Health bonus: It works in the water, too.

Price: $179.99.

What we liked least: It's a bit pricey and could look snazzier.

Where to buy: http://www.Amazon.com, www.heartmonitors.com.

Charles Stuart Platkin is a nutrition and public-health advocate, and author of "Breaking the FAT Pattern" (Plume, 2006). Sign up for the free Diet Detective newsletter at www.dietdetective.com.