Healthy Choices: Eating Out and Eating Well in OPRF

Life expectancy would grow by leaps and bounds if green vegetables smelled as good as bacon — Doug Larson

No matter what you are craving you are sure to find a restaurant that meets your needs in the OPRF area. There are countless restaurants serving a delicious variety of foods -Sushi, Indian, Thai, Burgers, Pizza, you name it, you can find it.

Mind you, I’m not trying to sound like a restaurant ad, I am going somewhere with this.  As delicious and plentiful as these restaurants are, some provide healthier options than others. At the risk of sounding cheesy, to my delight there has been a recent trend in the emergence of local restaurants catering to those of us who want healthier choices.  Not just a salad here, or some grilled fish there, but LOTS of options.

The good news is these restaurants provide a DELICIOUS and HEALTHY assortment of food for your taste buds. So what restaurants am I referring to?

Well, here is a list of my favorites in the area.

• Munch: I love to pop in to Munch for lunch (sorry for the cheesy rhyme). This vegetarian and vegan café has yummy smoothies and a great selection of snacks and entrees filled with nutrient packed foods. Added bonus, you can actually order your kids a meal from the ‘kids menu’ that isn’t deep-fried or highly processed, which frankly is hard to come by these days.
• Blue Max: I LOVE Blue Max. Aside from the awesomely attentive and kind staff, they have breakfast and lunch menus that include a number of healthy options. I love that you can get a breakfast burrito with egg whites and whole-wheat tortillas, or a side of roasted sweet potatoes and fruit instead of greasy bacon. I also love that their lunch menu provides a variety of salads and sandwiches that are chalk full of veggies! Plus, you can get an awesome cup of coffee to go with your meal.
• The Juice Joint: This is a new one that I have recently discovered and is quickly on it’s way to being one of my frequent stops. If you like fresh smoothies and juices, this is the place to go. When I mean smoothies, I don’t mean a high sugar, calorie packed smoothie that you get at your local smoothie chain, or the gym. These are fresh and yummy smoothies that come in loads of different flavors. Whether you are a veggie kind of person, or a straight up fruit smoothie fan, you will definitely find something here.
• Delia’s: Delia’s is what I like to call a “healthy diner,” it provides the traditional diner staples that so many people look for, but with the added bonus of providing organic and gluten free options as well as a few ‘leaner’ selections. I love that I can go here and get a veggie or protein scramble, while my husband can indulge in his old-school favorites.

These are just some of my favorites. I can’t promise that everything on these menus is low cal or super nutritious, but there are definitely a variety of options for those that are seeking a healthy alternative.

What are some of your favorite local restaurants to go to for a nutritious meal?