Four Best Restaurants for Healthy Meals in Kingsport, TN

The fuel we choose to put in our gastric gas tanks can make the difference between our being sleek sports cars or smoke-belching jalopies. Those who care about what they eat are all too familiar with the challenges of dining out. Who knows how it’s prepared, or where the ingredients come from? Fortunately, as home to the Healthy Kingsport initiative, this town has no shortage of local restaurants providing high-octane premium fuel for your body.

Mustard Seed Cafe

The quaint, laid-back Mustard Seed Cafe prides itself on locally sourced, fresh, and healthy ingredients. It serves a variety of sandwiches, quiches, and specialty coffees. All of the soups are made daily from scratch. Folks rave about the Tomato Pie quiche, the chicken salad, and the Micah’s Smash sandwich.

Mustard Seed is nutrition for the soul as well as the body. The pleasant service, relaxing atmosphere, and roomy interior make it a perfect place for a healthy and refreshing meal. Oversized windows flood the restaurant with light. Outside seating is available for those who want an additional dose of vitamin D with their lunch.

Panera Bread

Though Panera Bread is a huge chain restaurant, it doesn’t mean they don’t care about providing healthy meals that are responsibly sourced. Kingsport knows this, and Panera’s presence is welcomed and embraced. The restaurant features fresh-baked bread and a wide variety of sandwiches and salads.

Panera has made a commitment to remove all artificial colors, flavors, and sweeteners from every one of its cafe and Panera at Home grocery products by the end of 2016. It has even created an extensive “No No List” of commonly used food additives such as sodium benzoate, FD&C colors, sulfites, and glycerides, all of which are either banned from Panera’s food or are in the process of being removed. Panera is committed to offering menu transparency to all who choose to dine there.

Barbaritos

As a member of the Healthy Kingsport family, Barbaritos is dedicated to providing fresh ingredients, lean meats, gluten-free options, and a variety of nutritious choices. Its “healthy initiative” menu features delicious offerings such as veggie burritos, guacamole salads, jerk fish tacos, and burrito bowls.

The food is prepared fresh every day, salad dressings are made in-house without preservatives or additives, and protein selections include all-natural chicken, 100 percent sirloin steak, organic tofu, and lean ground turkey. Check out the extensive fresh salsa bar to add some pizazz to your meal.

Stir Fry Cafe

This Asian fusion cafe offers a wide spectrum of choices for the healthy eater. Sushi, noodle bowls, and fresh-grilled meats and seafood are all delicious options. The menu is vast, encompassing Japanese, Chinese, and Thai specialties. The cafe even serves burgers, offering not only half-pound Angus beef patties but also grilled chicken breast and vegetarian black bean burgers.

Items that are normally frozen or premade, such as French fries, sauces, and even cheeses, are made from scratch right on the premises. Stir Fry Cafe offers fare that’s not only scrumptious but also homemade and thus free of preservatives and other chemicals.

Health-conscious Kingsport denizens need not starve when dining out, thanks to restaurants such as these. Next time your fuel tank hits the red, consider filling up at one of these fine establishments.

Image via Pixabay

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