Chef Launches New Healthy Take-Out Venture in Elk Grove

You've all heard my whining about the amenities we lack here in Elk Grove. I now am pleased to tell you that I've discovered something on our very doorstep that I’ve only read about in big cities like Los Angeles and New York: a personal chef creating healthy, portion-controlled meals at a reasonable price for pickup or delivery. 

Meals on the Run is the name of the business; Wendy Walton is the trained chef who owns it.  She has taken over the storefront and large kitchen of the sadly-defunct Coffee Bridge on Atkins Drive and Whitelock Pkwy.  From there, she is putting out a weekly menu featuring seasonal and locally-sourced ingredients that are portion-controlled.  The emphasis is on healthy food that tastes good.

And why do we have such a big-city thing in Elk Grove?  This is the silver lining that comes from the housing boom and bust. 

“I chose Elk Grove because the rent here was very affordable,” says Chef Wendy, who actually lives in Midtown.  "That and the fact that plenty of houses means a good potential for the market.” 

Chef Wendy used to be a personal chef in Sacramento, cooking for select clients with dietary restrictions.  At a certain point, she realized that if she increased her production, she could offer healthy food to more people for less money. Now she has clients all over Sacramento County. 

Meals on the Run's website features weekly menus, along with the relevant dietary information.  This week, for example, you could have the Roasted Red Bell Pepper Crusted Pork Chop, a mere 216 gluten-free calories with only seven grams of fat. Should you be looking for a vegan option, the Potato-Stuffed Portobellos, filled with a creamy mash (688 calories, 40 grams fat) are just one choice.  A bag of salad from the grocery store would make either of those a full meal.  Or you could order one of Chef Wendy’s soups and sides, like Cranberry Cabbage or Cucumber and Cantaloupe Salad.

And how much would this cost you? Menu items are prepackaged in single and two-servings sizes (although you can special order larger amounts). Prices for the single serving size range from $10 to $12 for entrees and $4 to $7 for sides. Discounts apply to the two-serving size, which works out to about $25 to $30 for a complete meal for two—not a bad deal for the quality of both the cooking and the ingredients.

Chef Wendy does run specials, which are listed, along with the next week’s menu, in the weekly email newsletter she puts out. Most of her clients right now are either single parents or couples, whose goal is to eat healthily but who don’t have the time or the ability to plan menus themselves. 

Those with a special diet can discuss it with Chef Wendy in advance.  And for those for whom no meal is complete without dessert, you’ll always find a choice from Batter’s Box Bakery. This week, however, they’re on vacation, so Chef Wendy is offering her own Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups—a vegan treat—for $2.50 each.

You’ll find Meals on the Run at 5650 Whitelock Parkway, Suite 110.  Talk to Chef Wendy at 916.714.6002 or email her at chefwendy@mealsontherun.net