From the day it launched, it was clear that Healthy Habit was going to be something more than a restaurant. After all, the eatery’s lofty mission statement, “to empower communities to live healthier lives through nutrition, lifestyle and education,” isn’t something that can be done through a brick-and-mortar location alone.
Executive Chef Jorge Covarrubias works with fresh vegetables in the kitchen.
In pursuit of that goal, Healthy Habit established itself early on as an innovator in healthy eating, pushing the boundaries of how we see healthy eating and what our relationship with food can be. This past year, they took their biggest swing yet.
“We started working on a program that was really derived from customer interest, that being folks who wanted to attain healthy goals and go deeper than healthy eating,” said Nick Bergelt, owner of Healthy Habit with his wife, Andrea. “We’ve had remarkable results.”
Dinner or lunch, perfectly portioned and ready to eat after 10 minutes in the oven.
That program went into beta testing just a few months ago, mirroring the meal prep subscriptions programs that have come into vogue lately. The key difference between Healthy Habit’s meal prep and those other boxes comes from what’s within–the same carefully curated dishes, thoughtfully crafted by partner and Executive Chef Jorge Covarrubias, from healthy whole food ingredients, that have made Healthy Habit the destination for clean eating on Hilton Head.
“Leading up to this, we went through a lot of different meal prep plans, pretty much everything under the sun, to understand what worked and what didn’t,” Bergelt said. “Frankly, with most of them, it just seemed like there must be a better way.… It felt like none of it was fresh. We are able to deliver to homes like the other folks are doing, but with a much higher threshold for quality.”
The program will provide subscribers a different healthy meal for lunch and dinner, giving them a chance to discover the flavor possibilities they might not have realized exist while eating healthfully.
The owners saw an opportunity–not simply to break into the meal prep space, but to truly enable Healthy Habit’s mission to transform communities through healthy eating. They would spend the next two weeks being their own first test subjects.
“The time savings alone were huge–we were buying back two to three hours of our day. For busy professionals or families trying to feed their kids healthy meals, this can be a game changer,” Bergelt said. “We’re presenting something approachable and flavor forward so you don’t feel like you’re making any sacrifice. If you love food, you’re going to eat everything on your plate … it really puts healthy eating on autopilot.”
Meal prep entrees for the week are ready for Sunday pick-up at Healthy Habit in Park Plaza
Having satisfied their own high expectations, it was time to roll out the soft launch. As with their own in-home trial, they played close to the vest, selecting from a few of the restaurant’s regulars. Steve and Annette Flaming put in an appearance at Healthy Habit nearly every day, following up a round of pickleball with an acai bowl or a smoothie. When they heard they could get their daily Healthy Habit delivered, as part of a no-fuss meal plan, they jumped at the chance.
“When Andrea told us what she was thinking, we said we’d be happy to be guinea pigs,” Steve said. “We travel a lot in the RV, so it’s perfect for us to be able to get a good healthy meal in two minutes.”
It wasn’t just about saving time for the Flamings–it was about making it even easier to enjoy the nutritious meals that kept them coming back every day. “For us, it’s the quality ingredients and expert preparation,” Steve said. “We’re on a whole foods diet anyway, so it worked into our wheelhouse. Of the 12 meals we had during the test run, I loved them all.… I can’t wait for all the testing to be done so we can start ordering.”
Personal trainer and nutrition coach Jessica Albright was another lucky customer to get in on the beta testing. As a person with strict dietary needs, she found that choosing great options became easier than ever. And as someone who helps others along their healthy journey, she’s excited about the possibilities that Healthy Habit’s new meal prep presents.
“Trusting the quality ingredients and the care they put into meals for people with restrictions was first and foremost for me. And it will be great to tell clients that they offer this to supplement what we’re doing in the gym. I won’t push something I don’t fully support,” Albright said. “I already have a bunch of clients who are asking to be put on the list.”
They’ll get their chance this month, when Healthy Habit fine-tunes its new meal prep program with a two-week promotion, the Healthy Habit Kickstart.
“There’s no better alternative out there for folks looking for a good crash course on two weeks of healthy eating,” said Bergelt. The program will provide subscribers a different healthy meal for lunch and dinner, giving them a chance to discover the flavor possibilities they might not have realized exist while eating healthfully. “Part of it is that discovery, but it’s all going to also be macro-controlled and under 500 calories a meal,” he said. “You’ll eat as clean as possible, spend about 75% less than you would on groceries, and save so much time.”
On top of effortless healthy eating, the program will incorporate feedback and community support through a Facebook page, helping people springboard from the meal plan to a completely new and healthy regime.
“Bring us into your living room and integrate this into your lifestyle, and you’ll start seeing those subtle behavioral changes,” Bergelt said. “With a little structure and a little discipline, we can really move the needle for people.”
Kickstart your own healthy habit when the Healthy Habit Kickstart launches later this month. Check it out at healthyhabithhi.com/mealprep to learn more and sign up, or visit them at 33 Office Park Road, Suite 227.
