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NEDERLAND — When Carrie Richard began working out approximately 12 years ago she started to understand more about the break down of ingredients and how items are made and grown.

She learned what happens when certain foods are put into a person’s body and it became concerning, she said.

Eight years ago the Orangefield native created Fresh Prep in Bridge City. The business began to grow, and on Wednesday she hosted a ribbon cutting for the Nederland location at 3312 FM 365, next to Mathews Jewelers.

What is Fresh Prep?

Fresh Prep features gluten-free, soy free, nitrate-free, no-GMO and no-MSG food.

“What it is is clean food, God-made food. There’s nothing artificial, there’s no bad preservatives, gluten, soy, anything like that is any of our foods,” Richard said.

Richard does not use sugar. Instead she uses local honey or maple syrup.

Fresh Prep offers breakfast, lunch and dinner, and its menu switches out every 14 weeks. There is an option for individual ordering and packages for men and for women that are catered to nutritional needs.

The business also features treats and extras such as Oreo balls, Peanut Butter balls, 7-layer dip and a variety of smoothies.

Miranda Prosperie is a fan of Fresh Prep. She shared her thoughts on the healthy eating lifestyle and business.

“Most people who want to get healthy like to think it’s a struggle,” Prosperie. “You have to buy the food and have to cook the food and have to buy the right foods. Which labels am I supposed to read? This takes all of that out. You can come here and pick it up off the shelf and know you’re getting clean, healthy foods.”

The treats are also an attraction of Prosperie and her kids. Her sons call Fresh Prep the “peanut butter ball shop.”

“I like the smoothies. They can put anything in them, have a list of ingredients they can add to the smoothies,” she said.

More information

Richard works to change the menu up, she said.

“With using the type of ingredients that we use you’re restricted a lot because there’s not that many kinds of different vegetables and the kind of meat so we try to keep it interesting,” Richard said.

Meals range from the $5 to $13 range and there are also personal macro plans where Richard, a certified nutritionist, will work to create the meals the customer needs.

Richard said orders may be placed though freshpreptogo.com. Make sure to note which location you will pick the order up at. Orders can also be made through Facebook Messenger or by phone.

The Bridge City location is located at 2467 West Roundbunch Road.

For more information, call 409-719-8491.

— Written by Mary Meaux