It’s no surprise that staying healthy is on everyone’s mind right now. COVID-19 and the ongoing pandemic has been a reality check for a lot of us. Is our body ready to fight a virus? Am I getting the correct nutrients every day? Do I work out enough? What can I do differently? How can I improve?

Turns out, it’s easier than people think! Especially here, in Jersey City.

As one of the most diverse cities in the country, Jersey City makes eating healthy and getting fit simple for just about everyone. From the variety of farms that surround us to the vast amount of gyms open to the neighborhood meal delivery service, mademeals, that brings local, organic, and delicious meals right to your door, residents of this unique place have it pretty much made.

Here’s why…

Staying healthy in Jersey City starts with eating local.

Local food means fresh food. The freshest you can get, actually.

Did you know… when farmers ship their produce hundreds of miles away, they actually harvest it before it’s fully matured. This allows for it to not spoil as it’s transported. But it also deprives the produce of reaching its peak nutritional value. Furthermore, once that far-away produce is harvested, it immediately begins losing nutrients. So food that comes from across the country, or even halfway across the country, has significantly lost its quality by the time it gets to your kitchen. Unfortunately, the fruits and vegetables you see in your neighborhood market (unless noted they’re grown nearby) aren’t as healthy as they could be.

That’s where eating local comes in! By eating produce from farms like Nolasco Farm in Andover, NJ, or heading to one of the many farmers markets taking place around Hudson County each week, you’ll be getting your fair share of nutrition. More so than you would by shopping at the grocery store.

But not everyone has the time, or the means, to seek out the closest farm or farmers market.

Thankfully, there’s a way to get this fresh food delivered right to your door. And better yet, it’s already prepped, cooked, and perfectly portioned for you.

Mademeals uses local ingredients in their kitchen (from farms like Nolasco Farm!), so you’re getting the highest quality and most nutrient-dense food in every meal. No more wasted nutritional value during transport. No more produce picked too early. Just fresh food. Made with you in mind. Guaranteed.

Make sure your food is full of vitamins and minerals.

There’s been a lot of emphasis on figuring out how to get all your vitamins and minerals in on a daily basis, and taking supplements seems to be most people’s go-to. But the truth is, your diet should be fulfilling those nutritional requirements alone – not by adding supplements. (Unless otherwise noted by a doctor, of course!)

Did you know… eating ½ cup of raw red bell pepper completely fulfills your recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for Vitamin C? Then if you consumed a baked sweet potato after, you’d be good to go with your RDA for Vitamin A!

I know what you’re thinking… meal planning is hard enough. You don’t have time to prep a week of meals, let alone make sure your required nutrients are being optimized. But that’s where mademeals comes in again!

Mademeals makes it their business to pack each and every meal with a healthy dose of nutrition, while simultaneously using the freshest and most nutrient-dense ingredients possible. So you can get your vitamins and minerals from nature again. And enjoy the taste, too!

Stay active in Jersey City.

Staying healthy isn’t all about being in the kitchen (although we often wish it was…). It’s just as important to treat the outside of the body the same way we treat what’s going inside of it. Lucky for those who live in this diverse mecca of Jersey City, there’s an array of ways to do this.

Maybe heading to the gym is your jam. In Jersey City alone, there are so many gyms to check out; each with their own mix of workouts, classes, and programs to build muscle, burn fat, and keep your body in shape. Maybe the gym isn’t your thing. Maybe running along the Newport Waterfront is more your style. Or heading to the one of over eighty parks peppered across the city. Or dusting off your bicycle to explore the historic routes around the most bike-friendly city in the state of New Jersey.

Possibilities to stay active here are endless.

But don’t forget to combine your new fitness routine with a meal delivery service like mademeals! Their team of trained chefs creates dishes with both your busy schedule and your nutritional requirements in mind. You can mix and match the types of meals you get, and heat and eat them whenever you need!

Mental Health is equally as important.

In the puzzle of staying healthy, there’s one piece that’s often overlooked. Mental health.

Mental and physical health are equally important. In fact, they’re even dependent on one another. Poor physical health can cause poor mental health, and vise versa. But what does it even mean to focus on your mental health?

For most, it simply means that self-care should be taken more seriously.

In a community like Jersey City, self-care isn’t only easy. It’s fun! With cooking classes, virtual game nights, live music, and art exhibits a-plenty, ‘the city that never sleeps’ found a new home across the Hudson. (You can find updates at Hoboken Girl of all the happenings around Jersey City each week.)

And to add to that, while you’re out living your best and healthiest life around town, you could have a tasty and delicious meal from mademeals waiting for you at home. Mademeals is re-imagining mindful eating, because they know the mind and body are intrinsically connected.

If you’re struggling with mental health issues that have been clinically diagnosed, we know self-care isn’t a cure, and we urge you to reach out to a licensed professional for help.

Health and wellness is as important as ever.

The benefits of re-thinking your day-to-day routine to include nutrient-dense and high-quality foods, moving your body more often, and simply going outside for some fresh air, are endless. And in a place like Jersey City, there’s so many things to take advantage of.

Talk to the farmers at the Grove Street Market every Monday and Thursday. Take a drive around the Garden State and see what’s in season. Head to an outdoor Zumba class. Make it a goal to walk every park. See what the latest offerings at Word are. Grab a coffee at Bwè. Take it to the Newport Sand Beach. Head home and heat up your mademeals.

Relax.

Because your days of worrying about finding the time and energy to plan and prep a healthy meal is over.

But your days of fulfilling your nutritional requirements, having the flexibility to choose what you want, getting the freshest foods delivered right to your door, and enjoying every second of it… Well, that’s just getting started.

With mademeals, you can spend more time enjoying the city you live in, while staying healthy, happy, and satisfied in the process.

Mademeals