My Green Valentine

Feeling romantic? Add a bottle of bubbly, or a french macaron assortment.

While I understand that Valentine's Day gifts are supposed to be frivolous and fattening, there's a case to be made for the practical, too. If you happen to have a green minded sweetheart, a green, rather than red or pink, gift might be preferable.

In Los Angeles, plastic grocery bags are being banned. I will not weep for their demise. However, paper bags (which I often reuse for kitchen trash) will soon have a surcharge. This forces grocery store customers into hauling bags and carriers on shopping trips. Naturally, I see this as a sourcing and gifting opportunity: find the perfect reusable grocery bag.

In the Reisenthal Market Basket, I found way more than I bargained for. This fully collapsable basket is sturdy and roomy; indeed, it's the same size as the carry baskets at the store. They fit perfectly into a shopping cart, so you can simply load, check it through, and reload effortlessly. They're ideal for farmer's market outings, or even carrying a picnic. And, they come in 12 different designs (yes, I'm partial to basic black, but feel free to indulge in polka dots, flowers, or V-Day scarlet).

Ranging in price from about $43-$48, these baskets aren't bargain priced, but they'll outlast us all. Find the entire assortment at Reuseit, and go green for Valentine's Day.