With our fast-paced and busy lives, eating healthy can sometimes feel like a challenging task. However, eating clean and healthy meals doesn’t mean limiting yourself to only eating salads. Health foods can be delicious, flavorful, interesting, and leave you coming back for more! Consciously choosing well-balanced meals provides a wealth of nutrients your body needs to function optimally. As they say, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” but unfortunately, it’s not quite that simple.

Eating a balanced diet full of a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, and healthy fats plays a substantial role in your overall wellness. Health is wealth. If only we’d put as much time, effort and funding into caring for the one body we’ve been given as we do into our busy lifestyles, professions, and our continual search for “happiness” through hopelessly buying mere things. Let’s switch up our priorities, get things right, and start eating clean and healthy, Spokane!

Method Juice Café

With two locations in Downtown and North Spokane, Method Juice Café is a go-to destination for healthy and organic eating. Their menu boasts an array of smoothies, vitality shots, acai bowls, salads, rice bowls, soups, curries and snacks.

Method Juice Café focuses on organic ingredients that provide higher nutrient and antioxidant levels to your body than non-organic foods (as supported by scientific studies).

The owners witnessed remarkable changes in their health firsthand when they started a plant-based diet that incorporated daily juice. “We had more energy, lost weight, and generally felt fantastic.” Inspired by their own health journey, they now serve mindful meals to the city of Spokane.

Fresh & Foraged

Fresh & Foraged is a family-owned restaurant driven by a passion for fresh, healthy food. Specializing in gluten-free and dietary-friendly options, their menu features salads, soups, curries, baked potatoes, roasted veggies, sandwiches, smoothies, acai bowls and mushroom coffee. Fresh & Foraged is 100% Gluten-free with numerous vegan and dairy-free options.

Using locally sourced, sustainable ingredients whenever possible creates delicious meals that are good for you and the planet. Almost everything is made in-house, including dairy-free dressings, and dishes can be custom-tailored to meet your needs and preferences.

“Food should be a source of pleasure, not stress,” said owners. “We strive to make every meal at Fresh & Foraged a satisfying and enjoyable experience.”

RÜT Spokane

You don’t have to be vegan to delight in vegan food! People from all walks of life are invited to dine with them. Dedicated to plant-based cuisine, RÜT is Spokane’s modern American-style gastropub that offers vegan and vegetarian comfort food. Their foliage-filled interior encourages patrons to linger longer while enjoying creative dishes and hand-crafted cocktails.

Devoted to the food culture and the natural beauty within the Spokane area, RÜT was voted “Best Vegan Restaurant” and “Best Vegetarian Restaurant” in the Inlander’s Best of poll every year since they opened in 2019.

 “Through the appreciation of plants and real food, RÜT is dedicated to the health of the Earth and all of its inhabitants. We are committed to creating a safe, welcoming space where progress may take root.”

Wild Sage Bistro

Located in Downtown Spokane, Wild Sage is a locally owned American Bistro and bar. Their unique menu features high-quality meats, fresh seafood, locally sourced ingredients and seasonally-inspired dishes. Wild Sage provides a comfortable fine dining experience with a farm-to-table twist whenever possible.

Owned and operated since 2006, the two managing partners and consulting partner have drawn from their extensive restaurant experience to provide a premier dining “adventure” that quickly became an award-winning favorite amongst locals. Their dining layout allows for a relaxed experience where conversations can flow comfortably and privately.

Wild Sage sources from trusted local producers and farmers in search of the finest ingredients the Spokane region has to offer. Always looking for unique ingredients to highlight, their menu constantly evolves with seasonal delights to keep dishes fresh and innovative. Describing their style as “Regionally Sourced Northwest Cuisine,” they utilize local beef, fresh regional fish, local gardens, and heirloom vegetables and fruits.

Mizuna Spokane

A Downtown Spokane staple since 1996, Mizuna is a quintessential dining experience for locals and visitors alike. Their focus has always been on sourcing the freshest ingredients and keeping the food simple and clean to let the quality of their fresh ingredients shine. 

Organic produce is used whenever possible, and sustainable meats are always used. Vegetarian cuisine has always been a primary focus, so they offer a full vegetarian menu that’s seasonal, honest and clean. Many of their entrées can be made gluten-free. Their bar features an extensive wine list, hand-crafted cocktails and microbrews.

Top Picks for Healthy Grocery Stores Around Spokane

One of the best ways to eat healthy is by cooking at home. Spokane houses many fabulous farmer’s markets and local natural grocery stores. Here, you can purchase fresh ingredients and take your health and wellness into your own hands. Cooking at home isn’t just good for your body. It’s also good for your soul.

My Fresh Basket

My Fresh Basket offers an excellent deli, salad bar and hot-entree bar options where you can grab something ready-to-eat or check things off that never-ending grocery list. At My Fresh Basket, you can count on fresh, high-quality, value-conscious products procured locally whenever possible. With knowledgeable food experts in every corner of the store, they aim to spread a passion for fine food, cooking, and sharing. Customers can be confident about their local products that are made fresh, never anything less.

Huckleberry’s Natural Market

A Spokane favorite since 1996, Huckleberry’s has evolved and grown as an organic, non-GMO grocery store. Sourcing local food has become more critical than ever before. They only offer food made with clean ingredients, organic or non-GMO ingredients, or locally produced food. When determining whether or not to carry items in their store, they have a team that scours the ingredients, looks up each company’s history, and researches manufacturing processes to ensure they can fully stand behind the products they sell.

Main Market Co-op

Main Market Co-op is a member-owned natural market and deli committed to responsible sources plus local and sustainable products. Their mission is to provide wholesome, responsibly sourced food and safe products for your home. They strive to offer the highest quality items with the smallest footprint while supporting the local food system. In their 13-year history in Spokane, they have grown their membership to 9,000. That’s 9,000 Spokane-area households that own and operate the business democratically. To benefit Spokane’s people, environment, and local food system, they take pride in sourcing from local farms and ensuring fresh, sustainable options for the community.

Since all bodies are different, eating healthy for you can look different for someone else. What foods make you feel good mentally, physically, and emotionally? Eat these! What foods make you feel full but lethargic, slow, heavy and bloated? Steer clear of these, even though they may provide a quick dopamine hit.

Learn to be intuitive with what your body needs. Are you hungry, or are you lacking hydration? Listen to your hunger and fullness cues and try to eat without distractions to thoroughly enjoy and absorb your food.

Eat a balanced diet with various food groups, including veggies, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins and healthy fats. Focus on nutrient-dense foods rich in vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants over those with “empty calories.” Avoid processed, pre-packaged foods, added sugars and sweeteners, and foods with long lists of ingredients, especially those you’ve never heard of.

While eating healthy can seem complex, it doesn’t have to stress you out. Life is also about finding balance and not holding yourself to too strict of rules. We all deserve a cheat day without feeling guilty occasionally. Let your food and your health/wellness be an adventure. We only have one body! It’s critical that we pour as much time, effort, and finances into caring for ourselves as we put into our jobs and busy lifestyles.