Mastering the art of grocery shopping is hardly one of my strong suits.
I am what you would call a bachelor, and my grocery cart shows it. By the time I get to the checkout counter (with a cart screaming, “Take my money; I got paid yesterday!”), even the clerk laughs at my attempts to prove that I’m some up-and-coming chef de cuisine.
No, even after I buy the entire store, I still find myself going out for lunch and dinner. It’s a weird cycle, full of the hope and promise that I may someday fix myself a home-cooked meal but mainly guilt because weeks later I’m throwing out produce gone bad.
Thankfully, the city has had some on-the-go options pop up the last six months. What separates them from your usual drive-thrus is that they provide inexpensive meals with local, healthy ingredients.
I noticed these options with the one-two punch of Freshjunkie downtown and Fresh Kitchen on Corporate Boulevard, which both opened late last year.
The former is Pat Fellows’ baby. A runner and healthy lifestyle enthusiast, Fellows launched Freshjunkie to serve wraps and salads that use all-natural and organic ingredients and local produce as much as possible.
From co-owner Ryan McNeil and chef/co-owner Daniel Dreher, Fresh Kitchen offers around 35 healthy and ready-to-go dishes with everything from bison and grains to tofu pad thai.
Unlike Freshjunkie, Fresh Kitchen’s meal options come prepared in reheatable containers. The restaurant also offers breakfast, vegetarian and vegan dishes. But like Fellows, McNeil and Dreher are making good on offering meals that are cheaper, healthier and tastier than a value meal.
Perhaps seeing the market potential, two more on-the-go choices have come to fruition.
Ashley Munnerlyn and Marcy David’s Modern Meals has opened its Government Street location. With the help of Chef Chris Wadsworth and his Triumph Kitchen students, Modern Meals is turning out options such as Moroccan lemon chicken and Thai sweet and sour soup in takeout containers. This latest concept also offers items for those with dietary needs.
Down near the Perkins Road overpass, James and Lina Jacobs are starting to roll out some made-to-order, quick options at Magpie Café. Before, the espresso bar had a daily menu with paninis, soups and baked goods. Now, with extended hours, the Jacobses are giving their kitchen staff the spotlight to create weekly to-go bowls full of hearty goodness. One example is the Carolina Bowl with vinegar slaw, barbecued chickpeas and roasted sweet potatoes on a bed of quinoa.
“Quin-what,” I hear my younger self asking. “You actually ate that?”
“Why yes,” I respond. “And I enjoyed every bit of it.”
I may not ever master the art of grocery shopping, but with places like this, I may not ever have to.
Overspending only to dine out then throw away food is now a thing of the past. There are no more excuses.
Matthew Sigur writes about food news for 225 Dine. Sign up for our weekly 225 Dine newsletter or read about the latest restaurant news at 225batonrouge.com/food.
