Lean Green Gourmet is not a typical eatery. There is no customer seating; the storefront is open limited hours; food is served only once a week; and the menu changes each week.
The business model used at Lean Green Gourmet is different from other restaurants and aims to fill the niche of healthy, fresh food in a fast-food culture.
Customers review the menu posted online at leangreengourmet.com each Tuesday evening. Orders can be called in to the store or made directly online and will be ready to be picked up or delivered the following Monday. Orders can also be made in person during store hours. All orders must be received by 8:00 p.m. Thursday.
The orders are tallied and the meals are prepared and cooked over the weekend. An emphasis is placed on using local and organic ingredients.
“On average, we use about 90 percent organic vegetables, grains and beans, depending on availability. We buy locally as much as possible for the freshness and to help our small farmers stay in business,” the website states.
The local farmers used each week are printed on the menu, along with a detailed list of ingredients in each dish.
Recent dishes include sesame noodle salad with local bok choy, carrots, peanuts, scallions, sesame seeds and a tahini-ginger sauce; creamy potato salad with broccoli slaw, onions, celery and Green Garden mayonnaise; beet, red cabbage and carrot salad with a house-made orange-pomegranate-molasses dressing; and vegetable jambalaya with red beans and brown rice.
Each dish is cholesterol-free and contains no animal ingredients or by-products. The menus offer nutrient-packed meals that contribute to a heart-healthy, low-fat diet. Many of the dishes are also gluten-free.
Owner Judy Paynesmith is convinced of the health benefits that the meals at Lean Green Gourmet can provide.
“This diet style will prevent as well as reverse degenerative diseases like high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes,” she said.
Even using Lean Green Gourmet as side dishes to accompany protein-based meals is beneficial. Very little sodium is used to make the meals appealing to those on a restrictive diet, because someone can always add more salt or seasoning as they desire, she said.
In addition to the health benefits, customers benefit from the convenience of ready-made meals, including a dessert.
Instead of spending the time working hard in the kitchen to get healthy food on the table, families can spend that time at the table together, Paynesmith said.
Customers can pick up orders on Mondays between noon and 6 p.m., and delivery is available in Northwest Arkansas. As an added incentive, customers that sign up for automatic renewals receive a discount and don’t have to remember to order each week.
Individual dishes are available, but savings grow as multiple dishes are purchased. Prices range from $13.50 for one 24-ounce portion to a standard order of 24-ounce portions of all nine items for $83.
“The 24-ounce portion provides 2-3 servings, so the standard order typically works out to serve 10-14 meals,” Paynesmith said.
The meals are prepared without preservatives, therefore they typically last 5-7 days if refrigerated.
More information can be found online at leangreengourmet.com or by calling (479) 443-2327.