Snap Kitchen: Making Delicious Meals a Snap

I have a bit of a confession to make: my office is about a mile from a Snap Kitchen location. My two-year anniversary at the company is coming up, and every week someone talks about heading to Snap and asking if anyone wanted anything from there. Somehow, this always fell on a day when I had already brought lunch (or had already eaten), already had lunch plans, or was working from home.

Today was different, though. I would be a stranger to Snap Kitchen NO LONGER. After a particularly rousing Escape Room-esque game at the Seventh Room in Austin, TX, I found myself craving some food. Fortunately, one of the seven locations in Austin was right nearby, so I headed over.

Upon walking in, I was greeted by a cashier who asked me if I needed any help. "Why yes I do," I replied, explaining it was my first time and not knowing what the heck I was doing. I appreciated her guidance in picking out a few items for me, though all of the items in Snap Kitchen are nicely labeled, with ingredients listed right there for you. Gluten free, dairy free, paleo, vegan, the sugar detox I'm doing currently, or no diet at all, you can mix and match to your heart's content. Meals are chef created, dietitian blessed, and made from scratch every day in a local kitchen.

The dietary restrictions are clearly labeled, as well. So if you are doing, say, a dairy free diet, meals are easily color-coded and marked so that you know what you're getting into. It's as simple as scooping up some meals, bringing them home, and heating them up. Or, for things like salads, you can eat them as they are. Why would you want a warm salad, anyway?

I really enjoyed the organization of Snap Kitchen. I know I'm not alone in wandering around a grocery store for hours on end, looking for peanut butter or a jar of spaghetti sauce or something else that's not in the aisle it should be in. You don't have any of that nonsense here. It's a real simple deal.

Of course, while the idea of healthy meals is nice, sometimes the taste leaves quite a bit to be desired. That's not the case with Snap Kitchen. I popped my dish into the oven (a microwave also works) and within minutes, out came a delightfully vibrant meal, ready to be served...to me, by me.

I gave three dishes a try. Check out the whole menu here, and let me know if you find a new favorite!

• Naked Beef – grilled and sliced petite tender, with snap peas and roasted cauliflower
• Naked Chicken – grilled chicken, roasted cauliflower, and garlic snap peas
• Hot Chicken – Baked hot spiced chicken thighs with collard mac and cheese, lightened up with butternut squash

I like to consider myself a gourmet chef, but between you and me, I'd much rather have the prep work taken out for me and simply work my oven or microwave (now THAT I'm a pro at). The fact that I can do that to create a really tasty meal and one that's healthy? That's pretty terrific.

I'm glad I finally made the trip to Snap Kitchen. They really do make healthy eating a snap. Heck, you can probably even fool some of your friends into thinking you did all that cooking yourself. It'll be our little secret. Find the closest location to you right here.

Oh, and for my Chicago friends – check out the Snap Kitchen app, where you can get these meals delivered right to you. I know I sure wouldn't want to go outside during the winter if I can stay cozy and have food brought to me.