Chicago-based food startups are bringing healthy fast food to the masses

When browsing traditional food delivery apps it’s easy to be seduced by the cheesy, greasy, calorific concoctions on offer. But just because you don’t have the time to cook, it doesn’t mean you have to eat fast food. EatPurely gives you the choice to be healthy, by delivering fresh, chef-made, seasonal and organic food to your door in 20 minutes. The Chicago-based startup was founded in 2015 by Jeremiah Green, Raymond Lyle and Dan Wetherald and has just moved into new offices in West Loop where it plans to expand into the Midwest area. Americaninno, a website following new innovations in the U.S, says the new office will allow them to deliver 10,000 more meals a day and that new technology automates the ordering system and streamlines the company’s operations. “The new kitchen is a pivotal step in the geographic expansion of Eat Purely,” Green told Americannino. “Our focus in 2018 will be on growing our footprint throughout Chicagoland and the Midwest, and our new space, with its cutting-edge technology, is essential to achieving that goal.” EatPurely has been able to expand due to its impressive growth in the last couple of years. Cision, an online PR service provider, puts the company’s success down to its quality guarantee. The food is served chilled, so you don’t lose nutrients by heating it up twice, the recipes don’t use cream or butter, and the chefs use as little salt and oil as possible while still providing a delicious meal. There is a huge market for healthy food in Chicago, with many of the recent food startups in the windy city being firmly focused on fresh, nutritious products. Farmers Fridge, founded in 2013, has redefined the vending machine. The startup makes wholesome food easily accessible by selling gourmet salads, snacks and meals from automated fridges, and last year expanded to Milwaukee, as well as its native Chicago. Wise Apple is helping stressed parents make sure their kids get healthy, delicious packed lunches by delivering dietician approved meals for children. Aware that most children are pretty picky about what they eat, they make it easy to mix and match items depending on personal tastes, and stops parents finding half-eaten sandwiches at the bottom of school bags. Chicago may be home to the infamous Chicago deep dish pizza, but it’s finally time to push it off its pedestal and pave the way for healthy, wholesome fast food. When people are busier than ever, it’s harder to maintain a healthy diet, but these new Chicago startups are making it quick and painless, and their companies are thriving.