8 Last-Minute Healthy Gift Ideas for Mother's Day

MOTHER’S DAY SNEAK UP on you again? I feel you; it takes one procrastinator to know another. And even though the holiday occurs the same weekend every year, when it comes to buying gifts, I always drag my feet. So this year, I asked my nutritionist pals for some last-minute ideas that are healthy. Hey, if I want my mom to live forever, the least I can do is buy her a gift that might help. Here's what they had to say:

1. Workout Clothes

Lisa Drayer, a registered dietitian and CNN health and nutrition contributor, typically buys her mom workout clothes for Mother’s Day. "Like me, she loves Pilates, training and brisk walking – especially outside in the summertime," Drayer says. "Mother’s Day is always a nice time for some new fitness duds because it’s right before summer, when she is much more active.”

[See: 7 Pieces of Workout Gear to Ditch or Replace.]

2. Airfare

Sammi Haber, a registered dietitian and founder of Nutrition Works NY, also usually gets her mom exercise gear – but wait, there's more. “I almost always get my mom new workout clothes or a flight to come in for the weekend, so we can spend time together," Haber says. "If I get her both, she can wear the new outfit while we go walking together.” Well-played, Sammi!

3. Homemade Recipe

Many of us have recipes we grew up on that have been passed down for generations. But nothing beats when your mom (or mom-in-law) is crazy about one you developed. New York City-based registered dietitian Tamara Duker Freuman has just the one. “My mother-in-law is not much into material things, so she's very tough to get gifts for," Duker Freuman says. "Thankfully, she loves this new homemade granola recipe I've had developed for my upcoming book, so I plan on whipping up a double batch for her and adjusting the already modest sweetness level to her even lower-sugar palate.” Yep, sometimes all you need to do is cook something from the heart.

[See: What 10 Nutritionists Learned About Cooking From Their Moms.]

4. Sunscreen

OK, why didn’t I listen to my mom and wear more of this as a kid? In any event, I really love New York City-based registered dietitian and nutritionist Samantha Cassetty's idea to give her mom a broad-spectrum mineral-based powered sunscreen with SPF 45. “This is a perfect gift for moms who love beauty products, like mine," she says. Cassetty chooses one that's portable and has a built-in brush, so her mom can reapply sunscreen on the go – even if that means over makeup.
5. Manicure and Pedicure

Eating well and exercising are key for a healthy lifestyle, but so is managing stress, says Toby Amidor, a registered dietitian nutritionist and Wall Street Journal best-selling author of "The Easy 5-Ingredient Healthy Cookbook." "One of the best ways I have found to manage stress is to have some 'me' time," she says. "This is very individual for every mom, but my mom loves her manicures and pedicures.” So, does mine – like mother, like daughter!

6. Massage

And talking about reducing stress, what better way to do that than with a massage? Not much, thinks Patricia Bannan, a Los Angeles-based registered dietitian nutritionist and author of "Eat Right When Time is Tight," who often gets her mom a gift card for a massage package. "She's not one to take time to relax," Bannan says. "And, as a breast cancer survivor, it's super important that [my mom] reduces stress and gets quality sleep, which are two important health benefits from massage."

7. Meal Delivery

Stephanie Middleberg, a registered dietitian, founder of Middleberg Nutrition and author of "The Big Book of Organic Baby Food" knows her mom well. She buys her mom a gift certificate for a week's worth of food from a meal-delivery service in New York City. "We then sit down together to ensure she orders it and picks out the options she would most enjoy," Middleberg says. "Unless healthy food is in front of her, she won't eat it or will reach for something unhealthy."

[See: 7 Non-Offensive Gift Ideas to Nudge Someone Toward Healthy Behavior.]

8. Healthy Souvenirs

Admittedly, this gift idea is the opposite of "last minute." But if you traveled a lot in the past year and picked up souvenirs along the way, you can take after Amy Gorin, a registered dietitian and owner of Amy Gorin Nutrition in the New York City area. “This year, I’m giving my mom presents from my travels around the world over the last year or so," Gorin says. "She loves anchovies, and artisan canned anchovies (full of healthy omega-3s!) were plentiful on my trip to Portugal earlier this year." Sorry Mom, I didn’t travel anywhere exciting! Maybe next year?