Paleo is in the City- At Your Local Bodega!

“It’s hard to find good, fresh, healthy food“, people say all the time.   And, depending on where one lives, it can be quite true.

However, both at home in Los Angeles as well as here in NYC, I must comment that the ease at which one can find a healthy option for a meal any time of day is something we really must appreciate.

And I’m not just talking about reserving a table ahead of time and calling in, in advance, to explain your food preferences to the maitre d.

Yes, of course this works, however, many of us are on the go and need a quick place to pop into and grab something healthy in a time period quicker than a New York minute.

What are the options?

Enter…the bodega.

I’ve lost count of the number of little hole-in-the wall delis that have a more than suitable salad bar filled with fresh vegetable and protein options.

Here’s the deal- this can fall into a grey area so I want to be as clear as possible.  It is quite likely that the lettuce in many a bodega salad bar may not be organic, the chicken breast may not be pastured and the olive oil may not be extra virgin.

Yet the takeaway is this:  popping into a local deli and creating a salad in a hurry that you’ve got as much control as you’re going to have, unless you’re shopping then cooking at home, is a realistic option that’s cost effective and much closer to True Paleo than what you’d get, and in a shorter time frame than at many a restaurants.