Inside Scoop: To celebrate national burger day, we review our favourite healthy burger restaurant, B.GOOD. Find out what’s on the menu for us.

It’s rare that both of us (Jenni + Mirna) get to sit down and enjoy a meal together. So, when we got together last weekend in Toronto, we took a nice stroll and had the pleasure of sitting down for a delicious meal… and our preferred flavour of the moment? Totally burger time!

You may or may not know that we don’t have diet ideals when it comes to eating. We believe that local and sustainable is important, that meat should come from farms that take care of their animals, and that balance absolutely can be applied to a healthy lifestyle (10% chocolate, y’all!)

So, when we decide to eat out, we really appreciate having access to companies that line up with our nutrition values. Companies that…

• Take care of their food,
• Value their customer service,
• Give back to the community,
• Are all about BALANCE (just like us),
• And of course, provide food that tastes incredibly delicious!

It’s kind of rare to find companies like this though, especially ones that have burger and fries on the menu along with kale smoothies and hearty bowls. You know, fast food that’s totally balanced, like the burger joint we sat down at, B.GOOD which is the perfect spot to celebrate the upcoming #NationalBurgerDay. This company is redefining the meaning of ‘fast food’ just like we’re on a mission to reclaim the word ‘diet’.

That’s why on that sunny afternoon out, we popped by B.GOOD for a burger and chips. Sometimes we choose burger, other times salad, either way we know what we’re getting, and quality is of the essence.

B.GOOD TO YOUR FOOD

 To us, what we put in our body is pretty darn important, and sometimes we have to suppress our innate desire to have local, sustainable meals when we eat out, because to be honest, there aren’t that many restaurants that just ‘get it’.

We get why.

It’s not easy running a restaurant or anything involving food and overhead costs. But, we’d just rather spend a little bit more on food that makes us feel good and on companies that give back to the community. We love showing our support to those who can tackle it all!

Just check out some of the amazing features B.GOOD has.

Sustainably Sourced

B.GOOD has legit food values. Not only is their food from sustainable sources (meaning from farmers that help protect the environment, animal welfare and local communities), but they deal with animal products that are antibiotic and hormone free. You can meet and get to know some of the local farmers they’re been working with here.

They have even started their own farm in Boston called ‘Hannah Farm’ where they grow their own food (75% of which was donated to people who need fresh and healthy food!).

So, sustainable, check! But, on top of that B.GOOD food is free from artificial preservatives, flavours and colours and their packaging is 100% recyclable. These are some of our BIGGEST values as nutritionists. You know, their motto is ‘healthy food can also taste good’, which is so weird because this is what we say to, basically everyone!

Balanced, Seasonal & Local

Speaking about food, one of the coolest features about B.GOOD is that they put up their local and seasonal food highlights on a chalkboard in their restaurants, daily, and even show you what local farms the food comes from. How cool is this?

B.GOOD values local and seasonal food because it not only helps with sustainable farming practices, but it also helps the environment by tapping into crop rotation and the natural harvest system. This ensures that the soil will have more nutrient bioavailability, keeping your food fresh and nutrient dense (no pre-harvesting and travelling far distances to reach your plate). Love, love love this!

Focusing on seasonal ingredients also means that you’re eating a wide variety of fresh fruits and vegetables, not the select few that you’re used to buying year-round. This helps your body to obtain all the essential vitamins and minerals for optimal health.

Community Support

We’re all about companies that support local farms, that get seasonal food, and make sure their brands are as sustainably sourced as possible, but let’s just really put the icing on the cake here.

The B.GOOD Family Foundation awards micro-grants to people who are involved in their communities and are looking to make sustainable, impactful changes. Through fundraisers, events and the involvement of their customers, B.GOOD are able to donate to organizations that are making a difference like Boys & Girls Club, Food Rescue and The Friendly Kitchen.

GETTING BACK TO THE BURGERS ON NATIONAL BURGER DAY

Because B.GOOD is a healthy fast food joint with the right kind of balance, expect to find burgers, sandwiches, salads, bowls and smoothies. These come along with all the fixings, whether you want a side of real fries, sweet potato fries, or seasonal sautéed veggies and washed down with a Three Greens Smoothie or a Traditional Milkshake.

There is so much variety, and the menu is the perfect size. It’s always easy to navigate, and we’re sure you’ll find something you love.

Because it’s National Burger Day, we’re of course looking for something a little heartier, so we’re going for the all-natural beef burger, which contains nothing more than ground beef and kosher salt.

Our favourite is the Adopted Luke toppings: mushrooms, caramelized onions, smoked gouda and bbq sauce, on a whole-wheat bun with a side of chips, pleaaaase!

But there are so many options, you can choose between the beef, turkey or veggie burger (that’s made of ingredients that you can recognize and no weird fillers or fake meats). And, if Adopted Luke didn’t appeal to you, you can also dress your burger up as…

THE TRADITIONAL:

Cousin Oliver: lettuce, tomato, onions, Chef Tony’s homemade pickles

BACON LOVER’S:

El Guapo: bacon, homemade jalapeno slaw, jalapeno ranch

Sal Bacado: corn salsa, avocado puree, bacon

MEXICAN INSPIRED:

West-side: avocado, cilantro, fresh salsa, chipotle puree, lime

Next, choose your bun from whole wheat, white bun, gluten-free bun or you can even go bun-less and have your burger on lettuce (as the grain-free Jenni did). There are so many varieties!

It doesn’t have to be national burger day to pop by B.GOOD, and even if it is, here are some other amazing dishes that you can get there that aren’t in the form of a burger.

BOWLS

Made with local and seasonal veggies, kale and a grain of some sort, whether it be rice, quinoa or a super grains mix. The ‘Farmstand Tomato Salad’ is the way to a girl’s heart and is topped with halloumi!? YES, PLEASE!

SEASONAL SALADS

They have a wonderful variety of seasonal salads that are made with fresh and local ingredients. The menu varies by season and location depending on what’s available. You can check out the full menu, by location here.

Always in season, and right now their ‘Watermelon Feta’ is one of our favourites. Made with greens, watermelon, white bean salad, toasted corn, mint, feta and a balsamic glaze, a total summer goddess of a salad.

IN THE END, IT’S NOT JUST ABOUT THE FOOD

“We’re out to do something bigger than just serve wholesome, delicious food. We want our food to be the roots that connect community and inspire good.”

Eating out can sometimes be tricky. You don’t need to go for salads and load up the veggies every time you eat out, but deep down in our little nutritionist souls we really believe that the companies we choose to purchase our food from should have strong values, just as we do.

The more sustainable and community practices a company has, the more likely you’re getting high quality food too!

Companies that want to take care of their food, their communities, their people, and the environment are our kind of companies whether they are serving you up a hot pulled pork poutine, or a plant-based meal.

If you don’t have a B.GOOD close to you, you can look for one next time you’re in a big city because they have locations all over the world. Be sure to pop by and say hi to us on National Burger Day!

Have you popped by a B.GOOD before? We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

*Photography Credit: Josh Tenn-Yuk @joshteewhy