Contributed by Info Guru Lindsay Shugerman

There’s nothing quite like getting a gift you can immediately dig into, taste and enjoy. But with so much more focus on healthy eating, it might seem harder to come up with a food gift that’s delicious and good for us.

My answer? Why not send fruit? Or nuts? There are so many choices for fresh from the orchard fruit gifts and nut gifts that no one will miss the box of chocolates. It’s delecious, it’s healthy, AND there’s no need to poke your fingers in the bottoms to find out which are the yicky cream-filled ones!

Here are some ideas for fruit and nut gifts anyone would love to receive.

10. Apples

Not too long ago, the only kinds of apples most people knew were Red Delicious and Granny Smith. Now the grocery stores are full of all kinds of varieties. But sadly most of the grocery store apples are tasteless and overripe.

But fresh-picked apples are a whole different beast. They are crisp and sweet — or firm and tangy. Giving a gift of fresh apples is a wonderful way to remind someone just how this popular fruit is supposed to taste! Pair the apples with cheeses in a gift basket and you have the perfect holiday or anytime gift.

9. Pears and Specialty Cheese

Pears are in every grocery store, but they’re usually hard and tasteless. Too few people know how amazing this fruit tastes freah. Giving someone the gift of really fresh and juicy pears is the perfect way to fix that.

Pair a gift of pears (pun intended, of course!) with some sharp cheese like Greek Kasseri or a Sharp Cheddar cheese for a taste sensation they’ll want to experience again and again.

8. Pecans

Living in Texas, fresh pecans are everywhere, and I enjoy them year round. But if you’re not in the Lone Star State, a gift of fresh Texas pecans is a wonderful choice.

Choose whole pecans, shelled nuts, or for the chefs and bakers on your list, chopped pecans ready for their favorite recipes. (Texas accent and attitude not included.)

7. Peaches

Peaches are my absolute favorite fruit, so it’s not surprising that they’re also one of my favorite orchard fruit gifts to get — and send.

Most good fruit shippers will only send peaches when they’re in season in early summer, but it’s well worth the wait.

6. Apricots

Do you know that most people have only eaten the canned version of this sweet and tasty fruit? How sad is that!

Apricots are delicious fresh, and dried apricots are a healthy and tasty choice year round. We take dried apricots mixed with other dried fruits when we go hiking, and use them as our snack of choice for long car trips, too.

They make a great gift choice, especially if you’re looking for something that can survive a long time in the post (a perfect gift for soldiers overseas), and will last well once it arrives.

5. Walnuts

Walnuts are the nut of choice for so many people, so why not consider them as a gift? You can send them whole or shelled, or choose a tasty treat made with walnuts and fruit.

Not only are walnuts a tasty treat, recent research suggests that just a handful of walnuts a day has huge health benefits! You can’t say that about a box of mixed chocolates!

4. Almonds

Almonds are another nut that’s just bursting with health benefits.

Almonds are a great choice as a gift for anyone who loves to cook. Almonds appear in all kinds of recipes, from appetizers to dessert. I even use slivered almonds on almost all of my salads — they add a tasty crunch! And of course, they’re wonderful as an anytime snack.

3. Cherries

Cherry pie. Cherry cobbler. Dried cherries. Cherry preserves. And the list goes on and on.

Guess what else? They’re not just healthy, cherries are one of the super-foods scientists are finding can help so many of us to preevnt disease and avoid pain. Now how’s that for a side-benefit of a tasty gift?!

2. Plums

Plums are a wonderful fruit, but it can be tricky to send them. This fragile fruit doesn’t really travel well, so it’s often left out of orchard fruit gifts.

But the good news is it does make an amazing fresh fruit preserve or jam, so you can still give the taste of plums in a gift. Send it with some buttery crackers or some fresh nuts for a great start on a special breakfast.

1. A little bit of everything

If you can’t decide on which of the orchard fruits or nuts to send, why not send a basket that includes your favorites? Most gift basket companies offer a variety of mixed baskets ready to deliver.