The Story
When Kiara Ringgenberg was 15 years old, her doctor informed her that she was obese. The obvious solution was to start eating healthier, but as we all know, this isn't as easy as it sounds.
"People go on diets because they associate them with being able to lose weight. But once the diet's over, they always revert back to their old ways and gain the weight back. Eating healthy isn't just about losing weight; it's about changing your lifestyle to live a longer, healthier, and happier life," says Kiara.
As she slowly incorporated more exercise and wholesome foods into her diet, Kiara lost 50 lbs in her first year of implementing a healthier lifestyle. Since then, she's continued to maintain her new weight and build up muscle with an all-natural, plant-based diet. For healthy meal ideas and fitness motivation, find her on Instagram @kiara_ringgenberg and @healthcravegirl. She decided to take her passion for health one step further and created her meal prep business.
How It All Started
In January of 2016, while trying to find something healthy, tasty, and affordable to eat, Kiara came up with the idea of making her own snacks. Using just dates, nuts, and other dried fruits, Kiara begun making her own date balls, which are now being sold at multiple Daily Juice Cafe and Barley Bean locations around Austin. Flavors include Cherry Bliss, Nutty Goodness, Key Lime, and Chocolate Coffee (my personal favorite).
As she continued selling snacks and learning the ways of a young entrepreneur, Kiara decided to take her business even further to reach more customers. She sat down one day and decided to start a meal prep business for college students who didn't have the time or the knowledge to cook for themselves. At UT, she joined Launchpad (a start-up club) which provided her with resources, mentors, and other peers who shared Kiara's interest for starting a business.
Once Kiara obtained all of the necessary permits and licenses to start cooking, Health Crave Co. was born.
About Health Crave Co.
Health Crave Co. specializes in providing healthy, affordable, and yummy meals to anyone who's looking to avoid the hassle/time commitment of cooking. Every Sunday, Kiara cooks and delivers about 60 meals to students and Austinites around the city. Averaging about $7 per meal (delivery is free for UT students!), placing an order is only a text away. Meal options include Chicken and Brown Rice, Chicken and Sweet Potato Fries, Quinoa Madness (vegetarian), and Vegetarian Chicken Supreme (my favorite).
Next time you're at a loss for healthier food options, consider giving Health Crave a try — I'm sure you won't regret it. Besides, what's cooler than supporting local businesses? Then maybe #SmallBusinessSaturday could be a thing every Saturday.