Busy afternoons and evenings often mean picking up fast food, but that doesn’t have to the be the norm for time-pressed families. The Owensboro area is lucky to have options for healthy eating on the go.
Gourmet Meals to Go offers online ordering from an easy-to-navigate website. Katie Wimsatt is the owner, operator, and executive chef for this business. She attended culinary school at St. Paul College, working alongside professionals in the top of their field. Inspired by these passionate chefs, she decided to follow her own dreams and open Gourmet Meals to Go.
“They gave me that drive, that confirmation to follow your dreams,” Wimsatt said.
In the span of more than a year, Wimsatt’s business has grown considerably. Her advertising heavily relies on word-of-mouth, and she has used customer feedback to improve her products and service. She credits the community for supporting her, citing vendors who provide local produce to doctors who refer patients to her.
“I choose to invest in my community…and it’s a good thing to do,” Wimsatt said.
Gourmet Meals to Go offers clients customized meals prepared to their liking. Some people mistakenly call her the “Low-Carb Queen,” but she claims that there are plenty of carbs available. Clients have the ability to choose low-carb options. She stresses the importance of listening to your body, to take into account how certain foods make you feel.
“Our community needs healthy meals to maintain healthy lifestyles,” Wimsatt said.
This week alone, she will feed 65 people from her business located on Crabtree Avenue; there are approximately 500 meals going out Monday. The meals are guaranteed to have no butter or salt, except in keto recipes. The meals are ideal for people that desire ‘clean’ foods that support a healthy lifestyle but lack time to prepare their own. They are refrigerator, freezer and microwave ready for customers to receive and use throughout the week.
Wimsatt not only provides familiar menu options but also enjoys creating new recipes.
“We’ve got new fishcakes rolling out soon, a new Brussels sprouts recipe, and the ever-popular Juicy Lucy,” Wimsatt said.
The Juicy Lucy has many variations across the country, but Wimsatt’s version is a gourmet cheese-stuffed burger, made from beef sourced from Beef and Bacon, a local meat processor.
Wheatgrass Juice Bar is also an option for busy consumers seeking help with meals.
While Wheatgrass doesn’t have ovens, the shop still creates mouthwatering meal options. Known for their smoothies, Wheatgrass offers more, including wraps, salads, snacks, and even soups and plate lunches in the fall and winter.
Wheatgrass is owned by Melissa Phillips, a certified health coach. In operation for over four years, the business moved to a new location a little over a year ago. At the new Villa Point location, Phillips said that they have the capability to offer an even wider range of vegan (no meat and no dairy) options.
The soups are sold in quart jars that families may stop by and grab in lieu of opting for fast food. Customers are also rewarded with a price break if they return the quart jars.
“Some of the favorites include the cauliflower curry and taco soup,” Phillips said.
Wheatgrass prides itself on serving no processed foods and even providing alkaline water to customers to lower the acidity of the water, thereby decreasing the amount of inflammation caused by bottled water or even tap water.
“We serve real food…we like to serve the community and be healthy. People don’t always know that we serve more than smoothies,” Phillips said. “As a health coach, I like to focus on helping people change their lifestyle and set them up for success.”
