Say you just kicked butt in your HIIT workout with your friends and you all want a post exercise snack…but one of you is gluten free, one’s paleo and one’s veggie.  What’s a diverse group of gals n’ guys gonna do?  Snap your fingers and put some spring in your step because there’s a pop of healthy foods at the ‘new to Chicago’ Snap Kitchen.

Snap Kitchen originated in Texas and is described as “fresh, healthy take away” food.  The company works up a sweat partnering with local farmers and food producers while practicing sustainability.  Their to-go lime green containers are BPA free, microwaveable, compostable and recyclable.  They honor a wide range of dietary needs and 99% of their meals and snacks are gluten free.

Another core value of Snap Kitchen is their transparency.  Containers are marked with allergen information, nutrition counts and, best of all, symbols that easily snap shot what is or is not in the dish (think dairy free, vegetarian, sodium conscious, paleo, and more).  Snap gives you a choice of 3 sizes of meals ranging for different body needs.  Calorie counts range from 200-300 calories a dish for a small and up to 500 calories for a large meal.  As they serve up breakfast, lunch, dinner and snack options, it’s easy for Snap Kitchen to supply your every meal.  Customers who are interested in uncomplicated weight loss can also try their 21 day Snap Commit Program, a 3 day quick start, or a variety of juice cleanses.

When we checked out the Lincoln Park Snap Kitchen, we were surprised by the open layout and organization.  The location is relatively new so the raw juices were not available yet BUT we were given breakfasts, lunches and snacks to sample. Kaitlin, the Lincoln Park GM, explained that the meals were organized by nutritional needs.  Vegetarian and vegan meals lined bottom shelves while meatier options were above.  Meals are chef inspired so you won’t find any run of the mill “diet meals” here.  Although there’s a small seating area and a microwave available in store, Snap Kitchen is mostly for on-the-go people trying to simplify their food life.  We could totally imagine dropping in after a hard training day for a quick bite or a refreshing juice.

Let’s snap, crackle and review the most pop-ular dishes in our opinion!

Carnivore Choices (Kate)

Home, home on the range…where the deer and the bison playyyy.  So, I never thought I would like bison.  I tried buffalo once and wasn’t a fan.  The Bison Breakfast bowl with house made apple maple bison sausage (yumm), scrambled eggs and sauteed spinach and the lunch Bison Quinoa “Hash” with organic kidney beans, red quinoa and brown rice topped with scallions and cheddar cheese were my highlights.  I tried something new and loved it!  I also appreciated that the meats are grass fed and free range, thus cutting out some worry about hormones, antibiotics and corn fed lifestyle.

Veggie Visions (Monica)

Snap Kitchen offers unique vegetarian options.  I sampled the spinach, scrambled egg whites, goat cheese and sweet potatoes and vegan peach oatmeal for breakfast.  What could be easier than just grabbing a container out of the fridge on the way to work?  For lunch, I munched on Caveman Quickies (granola, dried cranberry, honey and almonds with a sprinkle of cinnamon) and no guilt chia pudding.  I ended my long days at the office with a quick gluten free dinner of mixed vegetable “lasagna” or Mediterranean eggplant “lasagna”, both nutritious and light but filling to my tummy.

Just Desserts!

Gluten free brownies and chocolate chip cookies you say?  Yes, you can have delicious unprocessed desserts with Snap. Ingredients like coconut oil, flax seed and taste like whoaaa, you really can’t go wrong when loving these desserts feels so right and light.

With 3 locations in the Chicago area and 2 more on the way, Snap Kitchen is a convenient moderately priced options for people on the go who want to make healthy choices.  Interested in winning $500 worth of this good stuff?  Enter Snap Kitchen’s Snap in the City Contest for a shot at not cooking for months!!