Healthy eating takes commitment. You need time to plan, time to go to the grocery store, and time to prep and prepare your meals. But, as we like to say, heroes outsource.
Dallas has a new wave of better-for-you dining options, and standbys like Eatzi’s and Central Market offer pre-packaged options geared toward calorie-counters or carb-watchers. But we also need operations that specialize in preparing healthy and delicious meals for us to eat at home or on the go.
For that we turn to these services and storefronts, which offer good-tasting, portion-controlled meals for Dallasites who want to maintain their healthy lifestyles but still want to enjoy what they eat.
Gourmaleo
This meal delivery service launched in April 2013 for those who want to adopt the Paleo diet but don’t have time to think about the details. The Paleo diet is less about calorie counting and more about only eating foods available prior to the start of the agricultural revolution, such as lean proteins, vegetables, fruits, nuts and other healthy fats. The menu changes weekly; sample dishes include mini lemon poppyseed waffles for breakfast and cranberry sage pecan smothered chicken for dinner.
My Fit Foods
The longest-running business on this list, Houston-born My Fit Foods focuses on meals with lean protein, low-glycemic carbohydrates and healthy fats. They follow the 40-40-20 rule — 40 percent protein, 40 percent carbs, 20 percent fat — for a daily average meal plan. You can do a three- or 21-day challenge, order online, or simply stop in to shop the fridge for options such as Americano steak and eggs, chicken and sausage gumbo, or Asian flat iron steak. The nutritional info is listed on the package, so there’s no guesswork. Five locations in Dallas, plus branches in Las Colinas, Plano and Southlake, make it easy to find one wherever you are.
My Private Chef
Chef Holly Muller handed over the reins to Skye Davis five months ago, but the philosophy — high protein and fiber, low sodium and sugar — remains. To ease into the meal delivery program, you can order 10 meals for $100 and go up from there. Changes since Davis took over include more vegetables and organic meats and fewer starches. Favorites include grilled Parmesan chicken with zucchini and spaghetti squash, turkey sausage breakfast wraps, and BBQ meatballs with sweet potato fries. Items are delivered frozen to your doorstep once a week. You can pay extra for a fitness plan.
Simply Fit Meals
Simply Fit Meals makes all meals in-house, with low-glycemic carbs; lean meats; and 100 percent natural, local and organic ingredients. There are no added preservatives or sweeteners, and you can choose from yummy comfort foods like cranberry apple chicken salad, chicken Parmesan, and ham and cheddar frittata, knowing the exact nutritional value of each. Simply Fit Meals offers delivery within 10 miles of its stores, which are located in Plano, Dallas, Forth Worth, Allen and Frisco; another is coming soon to West Village in Uptown. Don’t forget to get a house account and build up those reward points.
Snap Kitchen
A fairly new healthy option in Dallas and Addison, Snap offers an impressive, portion-controlled menu that includes all the necessary nutritional information. You can pick up pre-ordered items, have it delivered or come in to browse at the store. Snap caters to all kinds of regimens: gluten-free, vegan, vegetarian, Paleo, carb-conscious, non-dairy and more. Favorites include the bison burger, turkey meatloaf, spinach and goat cheese scramble, and Chai cashew milkshake. Also pick up fresh-squeezed juices.
Snap Kitchen offers foodies a chance to eat great, healthy food regardless of their dietary restrictions.
