Today is officially the first full day of summer, and let’s be real: Our eating habits haven’t exactly been swimsuit-friendly. From Father’s Day celebrations to late spring crawfish boils, it’s not easy to eat healthy in Baton Rouge in preparation for summer vacations.
Here are a few ideas for some delicious, healthy local restaurants—many of which use fresh local ingredients—to check out next time you want to keep your diet in check before vacation.
MJ’s Cafe
During a recent lunch, I was pleasantly surprised by how good The Vegan sandwich at MJ’s Cafe is. A colorful and tasty arrangement of black bean salad, guacamole, spinach and tomato is served between two slices of toasted whole wheat bread.
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This is just one of MJ’s many healthy options. The restaurant specializes in vegetarian and seafood dishes, specifically catering to those who want to eat vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free. Daily specials reflect what’s seasonal and local, and recent highlights include a grilled eggplant salad with sunflower butter and a white bean soup.
Stop into the cozy cafe on Jefferson Highway to try one of its sandwiches or salads. During lunch, you can combine any two items, including a sandwich, quiche, a small soup or a small salad, for $10.
Fresh Kitchen
Busy health nuts: This is the one-stop shop for you. With refrigerators stocked with fresh, microwavable dishes—everything from sweet and sour chicken to shrimp and grits—you’ll never have to cook again.
Fresh Kitchen provides customers with prepared meals to-go at its Willow Grove and Corporate Boulevard locations. After a few minutes in the microwave, your healthy dish is ready. Like MJ’s Cafe, Fresh Kitchen offers vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options.
Zea Rotisserie & Grill
What if your friends want to go out to dinner, but no one wants to eat healthy? Look no further. Zea Rotisserie and Grill, a Louisiana-based chain, serves hearty Thai ribs and rotisserie chicken, but it also has a generous salad selection.
Try the strawberry chicken salad with fresh spinach, caramelized onion and strawberries, chicken and goat cheese, or the Asian tuna salad with sashimi tuna, crispy noodles, sesame seeds and almonds.
FreshJunkie
Specializing in salads and wraps, FreshJunkie is a must-try for locals wanting healthy food alternatives.
The best part? FreshJunkie makes it easy to maintain a healthy diet by offering online ordering for delivery. This way, if you aren’t able to visit the Main Street Market location, you can place your order online and have fresh salads delivered to your door.
Other restaurants to check out for healthy dishes:
The Salad Shop: Offering tasty chopped salads in large portions to fill you up. 3617 Perkins Road, Suite 1F and 11445 Coursey Blvd., Suite C
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Bistro Byronz: Its flavorful salads include proteins like sesame-crusted tuna. Don’t sleep on the homemade veggie burger, either. 5412 Government St. and 8200 Village Plaza Court
Magpie Cafe: Vegan and paleo-friendly lunch options with local produce abound at this favorite. 333 Laurel St. and 3205 Perkins Road
Another Broken Egg Cafe: While everyone else gorges on hefty breakfast fare, the “Sensible Selections” portion of the menu features an egg white omelette and savory and sweet quinoa bowls. 9655 Perkins Road, 555 Lafayette St. and 2531 Citiplace Court