WHOLESOMENESS, QLD

{ Wholesome (adjective): Conducive to, or suggestive of, good health and physical wellbeing. With a definition like that, this Brissy business is right on the on the money. }

Wholesomeness Personal Catering Service truly delivers on the definition of “wholesome”. Brisbane, please meet your 100 per cent gluten-, dairy- and preservative-free home delivery food service and cafe. Every meal has been lovingly prepared with fresh, free range, locally grown, seasonal and organic (where possible) ingredients. These nutrient-dense meals are amazingly affordable and can be delivered straight to your doorstep.

The brain behind the business and the Wholesomeness kitchen bench is Brisbane local, Ben Limmer. Ben’s career as a chef began 15 years ago in the catering business.

“When I started in the business, outside of a vegetarian or two, there were next to no dietary requirements on the function list,” Ben recalls. “A decade later, they consume half of the order list, the most prevalent and risky being those with coeliac disease. While still in the catering business, I started creating Wholesomeness meals one day a week. Then two, three, and eventually made the break into Wholesomeness as my full time job.”

After starting a family and being too exhausted to cook at the end of a long day, Ben and his wife Georgia began to notice the lack of quality take-home meals in the Brisbane area. With Georgia being dairy intolerant and the two of them determined to consume healthy whole foods, it became apparent that Wholesomeness would fill a hole in the market.

Quality of ingredients is a top priority for Ben. If free-range meat is not available one week, that dish will be changed on the menu. Ben has a zero-compromise policy and is not willing to sacrifice quality for convenience. Each meal is always 100 per cent gluten free and Paleo inspired. The menu changes seasonally, ensuring that the produce is picked at peak nutrient density and that it can be sourced locally. With the chilly winter season now in full swing, customers should get excited about slow-braised meat and stew with root vegetables. Each Wholesomeness meal is delivered fresh, never frozen. These preservative-free meals arrive in BPA-free food safe plastic containers and can last up to four days in the fridge or three months in the freezer.

“Because our product is fresh with no preservatives and we do not gas our meals, we cannot stock as many days as the supermarkets would like. But if you think you’re buying a fresh meal and it’s actually two weeks old, is it really fresh? I want it to be truly fresh every time.”

As a family company established to meet the needs of their own dietary intolerances, Ben is happy to work with his customers to ensure there are meals available to suit their individual needs. Wholesomeness has also specifically designed a menu for a 30-Day Reset Plan, which eliminates ingredients that are known to cause inflammation in the gut. With food prep and management handled by a personal Wholesomeness chef, customers can confidently enjoy creative and delicious foods while knowing that their detox or dietary needs are being met. Wholesomeness lets their food do the talking, using simple seasonings such as whole spices, salt, pepper and locally grown ginger and turmeric.

What’s most exciting is that, as of December 2014, customers can now sit down and enjoy a beautiful gluten-free meal at the Wholesomeness café and shop front. Step inside and discover a gluten-free haven like no other with pulled pork brekky, acai bowls, cold-pressed juice and coffee and milk alternatives sure to suit everyone. You would never know that the humble cafe with cheerful patio furniture and homegrown herbs in a quiet Brisbane suburb is pumping out more than 1000 gluten-free meals per week.

Are you now dying to get your hands on a Wholesomeness take-home meal? For those of you living between Noosa and Coolangatta, the simplest way to find Wholesomeness is to hop online and create your own unique menu. The website lists the ingredients and nutritional breakdown of each meal. You can choose to have your meals delivered, swing by the café for pick up or find Wholesomeness in select IGA supermarkets across Brisbane.

Stop by the café, grab your coffee for the day and food for the week. Ben would love to hear about your journey to health and share his passion for the gluten-free industry and paleo-inspired living.

Store/café: Shop 4, 8 Days Road, Grange QLD

www.wholesomeness.com.au