By Jackie Rainford Corcoran EBS Health Columnist
A common hurdle to eating well is lack of time. We’re busy people and the planning, shopping, cooking and cleaning required to prepare a healthy homemade dinner hardly leaves time to sit down and enjoy it.
That’s one of the reasons I love a new meal delivery service, Whole and Nourished, by fellow health coach Heather McDonnell.
McDonnell provides meal delivery (or pickup) to residents of Bozeman, Belgrade and Four Corners. What sets Whole and Nourished, or W&N, apart from other online meal delivery companies is that McDonnell packs her food in reusable coolers and food containers, sources ingredients from local organic farms and ranches, and sends meals ready to eat—no chopping, sautéing or clean up required.
In a recent interview, McDonnell said new moms are loving W&N. Some women have even added it to their baby shower registry, she said.
W&N is also a terrific solution for those who do a lot of business travel. This allows them time to relax and not worry about getting on the next plane with a fridge full of produce that’s sure to go bad. Actually, it’s great for anyone looking to free up time spent in the kitchen who still want to eat healthy home cooked meals.
Each week, McDonnell rolls out her menu options on the easy-to navigate W&N website. Every ingredient is coded to let you know if it’s organic, local, Whole 30 friendly, and dairy-, gluten- or soy-free.
One staple that you’ll always find is a bone broth made from scratch. It’s sure to be a favorite if the “crud” catches up to you this winter.
But what if you love to cook but are short on time and out of creative recipes in spite of the thousands—maybe millions—available online? Try Green Chef, the most sustainable and delicious DIY meal plan I’ve found yet.
Unlike similar services that I’ve tried, Green Chef is very conscious of being conservative and thoughtful with its packaging; they use compostable materials. And, very importantly, all of the ingredients are organically grown without synthetic toxic chemicals.
The weekly menu options include paleo, keto, vegan, vegetarian, carnivore, omnivore and gluten-free and prices vary depending on which you choose. Their meals range from $10.50 to $15, but I find that when I buy meals for two people, we actually have enough for three meals, penciling out to $7 to $10 per diner.
Green Chef takes the pressure off of having to meal plan every night of the week, provides unique recipes, and gives tips on food prep. It’s like having a cooking class delivered to your doorstep. Since I prefer their vegetarian and vegan meals, I add my own locally sourced meat for my husband.
While there is still waste that comes from the packaging and none of the Green Chef ingredients are local, in some aspects waste is reduced because the precisely measured ingredients prevent overbuying groceries that end up spoiling.
If you’re looking for a jumpstart to eating well in the upcoming year or want to share the gift of meals with someone you care about, visit wholeandnourished.com or greenchef.com and place your order for good healthy food.
Jackie Rainford Corcoran is an IIN Certified Holistic Health Coach, culture consultant and public speaker. For a complimentary health consultation, reach her at rainfordcorcoran@gmail.com.
