Americans spend less time cooking and sitting down to eat than in decades past. Time is a barrier to a healthy diet—we often feel like we don’t have enough time to find recipes, buy groceries, cook or eat in the right ways.
Meanwhile, 29 million people in the U.S. have diabetes, and an additional 86 million adults live with prediabetes.
These trends captured my attention as medical director of the MedStar Diabetes Institute (MDI), because diet plays a critical role in the prevention and management of diabetes and prediabetes.
Introducing WellRooted
To help address these challenges, MedStar Health created WellRooted, a unique food delivery and nutrition education service. WellRooted makes it easier for MedStar patients and associates to put diabetes-, heart-, and family-friendly meals on the table to have a healthy diet.
WellRootedfoods.com offers two menus:
- Cook-at-Home: Free recipes—selected in partnership with MedStar doctors and diabetes educators—plus ingredient delivery via Instacart.
- Ready-to-Eat: Delivery of fully prepared meals by Power Supply, a locally launched company with a hub in the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area.
With “bite-sized” health and nutrition tips embedded in the website and recipes, WellRooted is an excellent resource for those with newly diagnosed, or uncontrolled diabetes or prediabetes seeking healthy diet options.
WellRooted “meets people where they are” when it comes to cooking—whether time, energy or ability limits your kitchen time.
Making the Menu
All WellRooted meals contain 350-600 calories, 30-60 grams carbohydrates and fewer than 750 mg sodium—while offering delicious taste and cultural variety.
Cook-at-Home meals contain no more than 12 ingredients, can be cooked within 20-35 minutes and use basic cooking equipment and methods. All recipes include step-by-step instructions with pictures. Ingredients can be ordered anytime—even for same-day delivery.
Ready-to-Eat meals are prepared by local chefs, free of gluten and dairy, and contain no added artificial ingredients. The order deadline is every Thursday before midnight, to receive fully prepared meals the following Monday and/or Thursday.
Trying WellRooted
Cook-at-Home orders for four or more servings start at $30 for home delivery. Ready-to-Eat orders for two servings start at $19 (with pickup at nearby locations) or $23.99 (home delivery).
If you need an extra nudge to try WellRooted, consider the discounts: Enjoy FREE delivery on the first Cook-at-Home purchase, and a FREE meal with the first order of two or more Ready-to-Eat meals.
MedStar doesn’t make money from WellRooted through price “mark ups,” and no subscriptions are required. We’re providing WellRooted because we want the service to be accessible and helpful to a wide range of patients and associates who are interested in having a healthy diet. WellRooted has admirable roots: MDI co-created it with the 2015-16 Health for America at MedStar Health fellows, during a yearlong health innovation program for young professionals.
WellRooted inspires rave reviews. We’ve heard the meals are “wonderful” and made some people “wild for zucchini.” WellRooted has also introduced individuals to grocery delivery in Southeast D.C. neighborhoods, where they previously could only get Chinese food delivered.
So, how will YOU solve a problem like mealtime? Try WellRooted today!
