Photography courtesy Rachel Carr
We all have those days—and weeks—where we’re just too busy and tired to cook. Unfortunately, a lot of the easiest options in a pinch are some of the unhealthiest options. Wouldn’t it be nice to have something that’s both ready-to-eat and healthy? The options below are chef-crafted, fresh meals that will keep you nourished and well-fed when you need a little help. Some, you can order ahead for when you know you’ll need them. Others are available on demand. All of them are delicious, nutritious, and made with your health in mind.
Delivery: Yes
Subscription: No
In a nutshell: Rachel Carr’s Plant Craft Kitchen (3860 S. Lindbergh) strives to balance great-tasting ingredients with meals that are completely vegan, gluten-free, and mostly oil-free. Carr posts a weekly menu on Sunday, and ordering remains open through Thursday for pickups on the following Sunday. Meals are delivered cold and designed to be heated at home.
Most popular menu item: Customers have taken to the Green Goddess bowl, making it one of the restaurant’s most in-demand items. “I think people like the bowl because it’s super healthy with a bunch of green veggies, quinoa, chickpeas, and a delicious herby sauce,” Carr says.
Delivery: Yes
Subscription: No
In a nutshell: Pure Plates offers an entirely gluten-free menu with food that’s optimized to help you maintain a healthy diet. Order online by 7 p.m. and your meal will be ready for delivery or pick-up (703 Long Road Crossing) the next day.
Most popular menu item: The chicken piccata is a high-protein, low-carb option that’s gluten- and soy-free. The service’s fiesta chicken quesadilla is also gluten- and soy-free, as well as low-carb and low-fat.
Photography courtesy rootberry
Baked Vegetable Ziti v2 - 1
Delivery: Yes
Subscription: No
In a nutshell: Since launching its service in June 2021, rootberry has worked to achieve a straightforward objective: help more people eat more plant-based foods. Not only does the company offer delivery service to your home or office, but you can also find rootberry’s prepared meals at Dierbergs locations throughout the region, Fields Foods, and at several medical centers and universities.
Most popular menu item: The baked vegetable ziti features chickpea pasta, spinach, zucchini, eggplant, and tomatoes, among other fresh ingredients. It’s also gluten-, dairy-, soy-, and nut-free.
Delivery: No
Subscription: No
In a nutshell: PuraVegan permanently closed its café in 2021, as owner Monica Stoutenborough transitioned the business into a full-time meal prep provider. Now, you’ll find a range of healthy vegan meals on each week’s menu. Order ahead to pick up meals on Tuesdays between 3-7 p.m. at the store (307 Belt).
Most popular menu item: PuraVegan’s Power Plate has been the restaurant’s most-ordered item for years. “The Power Plate was developed because I love having a blend of fresh and cooked foods,” Stoutenborough says. “We provide a bed of crisp romaine lettuce, fresh-made pico de gallo, peppers, organic corn, and housemade tahini cheese sauce. You also get a bowl of savory black bean quinoa soup. After the soup is warmed, you pour it over the veggies, then top it with the tahini cheese sauce and pico de gallo. It’s almost like having nachos, but no chips are needed.”
Photography courtesy fit flavors
Delivery: Yes
Subscription: No
In a nutshell: Fit Flavors' menu offers a robust and diverse selection of meals that will fit just about any diet. Whether you're looking for dishes that are vegan, low carb, gluten free, diabetic friendly, anti-inflammatory, or otherwise, Fit Flavors carefully curates plates that are nourishing and tasty. The options appear on a rotating basis, and diners can choose to have meals shipped to their door (with a $50 minimum purchase), or have them available for store pickup at one of five St. Louis area locations.
Most popular menu item: Ever the crowd-pleaser, the Cheeseburger Bowl includes ground beef, basmati rice, cheddar cheese, mustard, pickles, and onions.
Delivery: Yes (via DoorDash)
Subscription: No
In a nutshell: Visit Revel’s brick-and-mortar locations in Brentwood (8388 Musick Memorial) and Kirkwood (11215 Manchester) to order salads, wraps, smoothies, and custom-made bowls. If you’re looking for grab-and-go, prepared meals, you’ll have to visit Schnucks. The grocer carries a variety of bowls, salads, juices, and more from Revel.
Most popular menu item: The Don’t Kale it a Comeback is Revel’s most-purchased prepared meal at Schnucks. The dish features kale, grilled chicken breast, Romano cheese, red pepper flakes, gluten-free cornflake crumbs, and garlic aioli sauce combined in a whole wheat wrap.
photography courtesy ful.
Delivery: No
Subscription: Yes (Build your plan around as few as three meals and as many as 30 meals per week.)
In a nutshell: Former Herbie’s and Kingside Diner executive chef Chris Vomund took over the health-focused meal service earlier this fall, setting up a grab-and-go retail location in the former Copper Pig location (4611 Macklind) in Southampton. Vomund brought back many of the dishes offered by the former ownership group, while adding some new items to the menu.
Most popular menu item: One of Vomund’s new dishes, the turkey burger with braised black beans, turmeric cauliflower rice, and pickled red onions, is already a customer favorite.
