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Jacquelyn Jones is a certified health and wellness practitioner and vegan chef extraordinaire who opened her own business in Perrysburg two years ago with a mission to help others find better health through better eating.
Jones returned to Perrysburg from LA where her SolFood Collective Truck was featured on The Food Network’s “The Great Food Truck Race” and opened her own SolFood Collective offering the community an alternative way to eat. Most importantly, one that can be accessible to those who want to try something new but feel overwhelmed with the whys, hows, and whats when going it alone.
Jones works hard to remove those obstacles and show that better eating is doable. Not only has she done it herself, but she has managed to keep her own autoimmune condition under control, healing herself in ways most doctors would’ve said couldn’t be done.
A healthier way to eat
SolFood Collective offers a new menu of organic vegan meals every week on their website. You can place an order by Friday and pick it up Tuesday. There are soups, salads, main courses and deserts to choose from. It’s very clear when you talk to Jones that she has a love and reverence for food – not only for the beauty on the plate and the wonderful taste, but the role that it’s played in making herself and others healthy.
How does roasted za’atar cauliflower and mashed potatoes with creamy mushroom gravy sound? One week, the Garden Bowl features broccoli, roasted asparagus and zucchini, blanched green beans, umami quinoa and avocado with lemon garlic dressing. Jones never seems to run out of food ideas. And she’s added Agua Dulce tea, an organic brand from Monroe Michigan to her website, featuring 15 different flavors. Coffee lovers are in luck because organic dark and medium roast coffee made for SolFood Collective is also now on the menu.
Healthy food plus sustainability
Jones has over two hundred items on her menu that she rotates, but her new Grab and Go food challenges her culinary creativity. It’s allowed her to be spontaneous and bring that extra joy to her kitchen which gets passed on to clientele. “There’s a lot of food that gets wasted in a kitchen and it really makes me sad,” says Jones, “so with any food I have left I create new dishes for people so that nothing goes to waste. That’s how I got the idea for Grab and Go. Plus, the extra food doesn’t get wasted! Just seeing a black radish gets me thinking about new recipes. I got inspired to make made-to-order avocado toast with pickled onions and black radish drizzled with avocado oil along with beautiful microgreens.”
Her clients are happy because sometimes they get busy and forget to preorder. It’s a win/win for everyone. When you come in to SolFood Collective, the Grab and Go cooler is there with unique items to choose from and Jones is on hand to talk with you about the food items she’s crafted. If you’ve picked up a probiotic bowl, she can tell you why the kimchee in it is good for you. It’s important to know what you’re eating and what effect, good or bad, it has on your body.
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In addition to all the cooking and menu planning, Jones also offers recipe books and programs for turning your diet around, cooking classes and coaching, has a YouTube channel and even a live cooking segment on WTOL, just to name a few of the many things she does.
“I am really focused on health coaching this year. Some people come in and know exactly what they want, but the biggest question I get is, ‘I want to eat healthier, but I don’t know where to begin.’” When clients come to her for coaching, they’re getting years of experience Jones has accumulated on her own journey along with weekly check ins and tweaks to the diet if needed.
It takes a tremendous amount of passion to do everything Jones does. As she says, “All I want to do in life is the ‘teach a man to fish’ philosophy — just teach people how to be healthy. Your health is a gift, and it’s up to you to take care of that gift. I’m living proof that eating well works.”
You can check out SolFood Collective’s Grab and Go foods Wednesday through Friday from 11 am to 2 pm. Jones is looking to expand those hours soon, so make sure to check the website for updates. solfoodcollective.com
