I always read about celebrities who have personal chefs or high-end gourmet meal delivery of healthy, fresh, delicious food and personal trainers and think to myself, that is what I would do if I were famous/won the lottery. Of course, I do have a (shared) personal trainer, a great gym and lots of friends to run & bike with, so it is more the nutritious, personal chef that I long for… I also am trying to maintain my weight and am very active, so I am not looking for super low-calorie – just nutritious, balanced and (hopefully) delicious.
Given my desire to live like a star, and my propensity for buying and trying deals, I have tried a few of these meal delivery services on a trial basis for a low price. Until now, I pretty much got exactly what I paid for. I tried 3 days of Fresh Diet (just ok, not enough natural food – seemed processed even if it may not have been – not enough fruits and veggies for me and kind of blah) and Choice Diet (some of the food was so salty I could not even eat it and I did not like much of it.) I was about to give up when I saw a Gilt City deal for Chicago Green Gourmet.
The deal was $125 for 5 days – breakfast, lunch, dinner and 2 snacks. I also got 10% off on the Gilt deal (and 4% back from ebates) so it turned out to be ~$20 a day. The sell, “The Green Gourmet Chicago is Chicago’s newest gourmet delivery service, based on the 40/30/30 nutrition program, our meals are designed to provide an alternative to restaurants giving you chef prepared meals delivered to your doorstep. Our meals are prepared daily and delivered by 5 a.m.” They also can accommodate vegetarian, vegan, food allergies, etc.
When I used my voucher, I filled out preferences and allergies and then was contacted to discuss this in more detail. Joelle was as nice as can be and we discussed my activity level and needs. They have 3 levels – low calorie for someone trying to lose weight, a more average 1600 calorie a day plan and a higher calorie plan for endurance athletes. Since I like to add fruits, veggies (and of course a “few” treats), I decided to do the 1600 calorie option and to supplement it myself – especially on high mileage running days. I also have some lunch or dinner commitments, so I made sure that the food would keep for a day or 2 so I could move around the schedule.
So here are the menu items from days 2 through 5. They are posted daily on Facebook, too!
Breakfasts:
– Apple Walnut Buckwheat Pancakes (yummy and surprisingly filling!)
– Smoked Salmon Rolls with Ricotta & Chives (delicious but very small. I ran 8 miles before eating this so wanted (a lot) more volume)
– Amish Baked Oatmeal with Fresh Seasonal Fruits (very filling and delicious)
– Breakfast Tacos with Eggs, Onion & Greens (filling and delicious with a nice kick- was full all morning)
Morning Snacks (I mostly ate these with lunch):
– Carrot Soup with Cucumber Pistachio Relish (delicious and felt virtuous and clean)
– Arugula Salad with Avocados & Walnuts (what could be bad? I love these 3 things!)
– Sesame Noodles (great filling snack)
Lunches:
– Shrimp Rolls with Lettuce Wraps (tasty but would have liked it better w/rice noodles instead of the soba)
– Blue Cheese Crostata with Avocado & Papaya Salad (a clear winner- this was so DELICIOUS!)
– Meatless Sloppy Joes with Endive & Tangerine Salad (very tasty and filling- could have had double the salad)
– Vegetable Paella (tasty and filling)
Afternoon Snacks (Note: these were all delicious but I mostly saved them for dessert or froze them because afternoon snacks of sweets/carbs make me ravenous): Apple Crisp, Orange Almond Cake, Coconut Cranberry Cookies, White Chocolate Cherry Cheesecake (all raw, dairy-free)
Dinners: (the best thing about the dinners is that the sauces were great and it all seemed individually prepared – not mass produced)
– Teriyaki Salmon with Gingery Chard & Coconut Brown Rice (delicious and cooked perfectly)
– Fried Rice with Chicken & Vegetables (tasty but one of my less favorite)
– Pan Seared Prime Rib with Millet Mash & Sauteed Spinach (delicious and also perfectly cooked)
– Whitefish with Tomatoes, Summer Squash & Basil over Quinoa (yummy and enough quinoa to eat twice)
All in all, the Green Gourmet Chicago FAR exceeded my expectations. It was like having my own health conscious, gourmet (and kindly portion controlling) chef. (It also reminded me of Larry’s Personal Pantry days!)
Given my lifestyle and preferences the full plan five days a week does not make sense for me. However, with a 20 day purchase, you can pick the number of days a week and meals per day that you want. They also offered me (and YOU) a discount code for 20% off of any purchase. You can even try one day. I decided to buy 2 or 3 days a week of the lunch, dinner and snacks at the discounted rate – as I will likely spread the meals out a bit and mix w/other commitments (and eat my usual (larger volume) breakfasts that work for me after I work out). I am going to try 20 days before our vacation and see how it goes.
In Chicago and want to try it? Go to Green Gourmet Chicago and use code LESS20 for 20% off! (Plus – with the purchase of a 20 day program, they will set you up with a one hour consultation with a local trainer or a credit for the value of the session.)
Other Fun Stuff – See amazing architecture and landmarks in Chicago, NYC and all over the world:
– I was VERY excited to see that Open House Chicago is back. (October 13 and 14 from 9 – 5) What is it? A mostly free way to see 150 buildings and landmarks around the city with awesome tour leaders. Last year Stacy and I checked out the Chicago Tribune, the Amazing Roof Deck at an Art Deco apartment building, the Chicago Motor Club building and the Bridge Museum. So cool!
– Not to be outdone by Chicago, New York has Open House New York running October 6 and 7. When I lived there, I saw the Highline one year when it was still derelict. Then, City Hall and the Board of Ed building among others including beautiful private homes with Libbie and Neal another year.
– I just learned from the OHNY.org site that there are many more events all over the world. Check out Open House Worldwide for information on the global network of Open House events and Open House New York for a list of additional “Open Door” events.
And A Few Deals for the Road:
– Like designer denim? Check out the $35 for $75 worth of clothing at Blue Jeans Bar on Daily Candy Deals.
Another Chicago deal not to miss…Do good and get treated? Yes, please! Daily Candy has 40% off at Blue Sky Bakery & Cafe in Lincoln Square – Lisa Thompson of Blue Sky Bakery & Cafe found a tasty way to make a big difference. Her North Center nonprofit pastry shop provides employment for homeless and at-risk youth. By giving lessons on baking, customer service, and communication, she equips her staff with skills needed to launch a career in the food service industry. I feel like this one is my civic duty. Don’t you agree?
(Last time I mention this!) Every year I buy the a la card Chicago deck that offers $10 off of 52 locally owned, restaurants all over the city to promote local, independent chefs. Every year, I put it in a drawer and forget about it until around September 1st and then I cram trying to get to places (or give the cards away)…. so with that said, if you want to try any of the restaurants at here, be the first to call a restaurant by name in the comments here and I will mail/give it to you.
Have a great day!