For Megan Junker, health has always been on the forefront of her mind. “I have always been athletic, but after having kids I got into bodybuilding,” Junker says. “After bodybuilding, I started personal training, and that’s how I started meal prepping …”
Now, Junker owns and operates Health Junkie, a meal prep service offering fresh home-cooked, pre-portioned meals that meet the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics guidelines for macro-calorie intake. The rotating menu offers five meals, each with meat, though Junker says the menu also offers vegetarian and vegan options—noting there’s also a menu for more strict diet plans and breakfast options.
“It’s healthy, and it tastes good,” Junker says. “I like to say our motto is, ‘Eating healthy has never tasted so good’ because I want to make sure the meals have variety and flavor, too.”
Junker creates and cooks the meals out of Health Junkie’s commercial kitchen space in St. Paul; because she’s the creative mind and chef behind the business, she’s able to add a flavorful touch to the meals. “Our Korean beef bowl is always popular … Barbecue pulled chicken with sweet potatoes (flavored with cinnamon and salt) and broccoli is another popular option. The turkey taco bowl is another hit,” Junker says.
Clients order meals online at the Health Junkie website (healthjunkieusa.com), choose from an a la carte menu or a weekly recurring order, then pick their meals for the week. After the meals are ordered, clients have the choice to pick up the pre-prepared meals on Sunday or have Health Junkie deliver them to their doorstep on Monday.
Although the meal service is the focus of the business, Junker offers personal training in conjunction with the plans. “Overall, I’m looking to spread awareness to living a healthy lifestyle, and I want to help people do that however I can,” Junker says. She recalls one client in particular—a nurse working 12-hour shifts. “We customized her nutrition program, and it’s something she can sustain and learn to do without me helping,” she says.
Another client, Tara Ridley, personally knows Junker through the bodybuilding community and has been working with Health Junkie for quite some time. “I have two small boys and work as an ICU nurse,” Ridley says. “I started using [Junker’s] meal service as an easy way for me to have meals for work. Nighttime with two toddlers is pretty chaotic, so having prepared meals in my fridge to grab and go in the morning makes life much easier, and not to mention healthier (and more cost effective) than eating from the hospital cafe."
As for the future of Health Junkie, Junker says, “We are getting into our groove … We’re always looking to expand our menu. For winter, I’ll be doing a line of healthy soups.”
Community involvement is on the menu, too. Previously, Junker has worked with the bodybuilding community, Tartan High School and the Stillwater Chamber of Commerce. In August, Health Junkie teamed up with a local 5K race to benefit youth eating disorder prevention and awareness. She says, “It’s rallying everyone together for a good cause. We are doing a lot of community and youth involvement … I’m always on board with benefitting the community.”
Ridley says she would recommend anyone to try Health Junkie. “Whether you are looking to lose weight, save time or even have a night off from cooking, Health Junkie is the place to go!”
Health Junkie
783 Radio Drive #102; 763.703.2689
healthjunkieusa.com
Health Junkie @healthjunkieusa
