There’s a sense of irony in the development of new food-related technologies, as they’ve unfolded over the past several hundred years. We’ve gotten miraculously efficient at cultivating and distributing mass quantities of calorie-dense food, and for cheap. We’ve also gotten really good at making foods so tasty we eat them even when we’re not hungry, and so accessible it’s hard to turn them down. The end result is that many food companies are engaging in unsustainable practices, many consumers are overeating, and most of us aren’t providing our bodies with the nutrition they need to stay healthy.
Thankfully, we’re entering a new era, where entrepreneurs are founding startups to provide us with healthier, more sustainable options—and ones that are just as delicious and inexpensive as the junk foods that surround us every day.
The Healthy Startups That Want You to Eat Better
These are just some of the health-focused startups hoping to change the way we eat for the better:
- The Jar – Healthy Vending. First up, there’s The Jar – Healthy Vending, a London-based startup that provides vending machines to businesses and locations at no cost, featuring a wide range of locally-sourced, nutritious foods. Packed with options like salads, juices, snacks, and desserts, these vending machines are a simple and convenient way for busy professionals, students, and customers to pick up something quick and healthy to fill their stomachs. You can even purchase multiple items at once for a full meal, selected a-la-carte.
- Blue Apron. Blue Apron is one of the biggest names in meal delivery, providing customers with all the ingredients they need to make a healthy home-cooked meal. With it, you can create a meal for yourself in 35 minutes or less, with a total calorie count between 500 and 700—all with locally or sustainably sourced ingredients.
- Beyond Meat. Beyond Meat’s recent IPO generated tons of headlines, but the company has long been striving for a better meat alternative. Essentially, the company makes meat from vegetable proteins, attempting to recreate not just the function, but also the look, taste, smell, and feel of real meat. Vegetable-based meats would be much more sustainable for the planet, and could have health benefits to the average consumer as well.
- Soylent. Soylent is a product designed as a “food alternative.” It’s a nutritious, affordable drink that provides you with everything your body needs, including carbohydrates, proteins, fats, fiber, and micronutrients like vitamins and minerals. You can prepare an entire day of sustenance in just 3 minutes, and ensure you’re getting everything your body needs.
- Revolution Foods. School cafeteria food is notoriously bad, in terms of quality, sustainability, nutrition, and even taste, but Revolution Foods is out to make improvements. This company provides minimally processed foods with little to no artificial flavors or additives, and puts an emphasis on fruits and vegetables for school meals.
- Plated. Plated is another meal delivery service, sending you a box of pre-portioned, locally sourced ingredients every week. With it, you can pick and choose your options, and rest assured that no ingredient is wasted. And if you’re not around to pick up the delivered box the moment it arrives, you don’t have to worry, since your food will stay chilled for up to 24 hours.
- Instacart. Instacart is a different kind of startup that focuses on more standard grocery shopping, rather than meal delivery. With it, you’ll get a personal shopper in your area. You’ll give them a grocery list, and they’ll head to a local supermarket (or several), and provide you with all the groceries you need in a matter of hours. It’s more convenient, and can stop the temptation of deviating from your grocery list with junk food.
Changing the World, One Startup at a Time
The more we learn about the nuances of nutrition and the long-term effects of unhealthy eating, the more obvious it becomes that we need more sustainable food habits—both as individuals and as businesses. These startups are taking the first necessary steps toward a new era of healthy, sustainable eating, and they’re sparking a trend that will (hopefully) last for generations to come.