NYC Healthy Lunch Spots Continued

NYC Healthy Lunch Spots Part 2

Hu Kitchen, your Paleo best friend.

Right now, while on the Whole30, Hu Kitchen is my safe haven for a NYC Healthy Lunch. It is one of the few restaurants I’ll eat at, confidently knowing exactly what is in their food. Hu Kitchen is trying to start a food revolution. Not only are they aware of the big changes needed in the Western diet, but they’re actually doing something about it. Simply put, Hu Kitchen is taking everything they’ve learned about the benefits of a pre-industrial diet, creating food out of this knowledge, and letting us reap the benefits easily with their premade selection of delicious food.

Though definitely on the pricier side, you can’t deny the high quality of this food. All of their food is unprocessed, made in-house, dairy free, gluten free. Plus, they only source grass-fed, pastured meats and dairy, organic poultry and eggs, and wild seafood. And are you really going to put a price tag on your health? With this type of quality and taste, I’d say this food is 100% worth every extra penny.

You can’t go wrong with anything, but some of my favorite NYC Healthy Lunch choices include the curried sweet potato, brussel sprouts, chicken wings, fish sticks, and the grand master veg. And if you really have that extra penny, you must grab a couple chocolate bars. Made with very few ingredients, and the only sugar added being coconut sugar, this is a treat you can indulge in with no guilt.

Fresh and Co.,

It may just look like another long-line salad shop, but what I like about this spot is that they do value the source of their ingredients, with many of them being from local farms. Their website provides a look into many of the farms they use. They also feature a salad of the month, with most of the ingredients being seasonal, making the nutrition quality higher. They also have a lovely selection of soups, and hot bowls with lots of great and healthy variety.

Online ordering is available, but I like to go in person to pick out my ingredients. Sometimes something hits your eye when you see the many options that are available.

But with any of these “healthy” spots, it is incredibly easy to eat “unhealthly”. Yes, even a salad can be incredibly bad for you, but the choice is really yours. When looking at add-ins, always opt for raw veggies when you can. And many of these places have pita chips, croutons, and even tortilla chips/strips as add-on options, which really just add empty calories to your bowl, with no nutritional boost. But if you’re craving that crunch, why not try raw nuts for a much healthier alternative. If cheese if your thing, feel free to add a little, as it is okay in small portions if it sits right with you. As for dressings, I choose to take my olive oil and vinegar on the side. Many of the creamy dressings are no good for you, but the oil based ones, like a vinaigrette, may be high in calories, but the nutritional value is much greater than others.

Any other NYC healthy lunch spots I missed? Let us know your favorites!

And good luck to all of you healthy New Yorkers!