Loaded Lettuce — a hearty, healthy alternative

Within the Deep South, of us are likely to fry every little thing. The checklist of fried gadgets is sort of a rendition of legendary gospel singer Shirley Caesar belting out a litany of Sunday soul meals dishes — “beans, greens, potatoes, tomatoes, lamb,” and every little thing else from A to Z, together with okra, fish, rooster, pickles, and, sure, even watermelon.

Go to outside occasions just like the Mississippi State Honest or any yard cookout, and cargo up on fried oreos, turkey legs, funnel truffles, alligator, Snickers sweet bars and even Kool-Help.

All that fried meals is fast to make, tasty and cheap. However, the far-reaching outcomes — Mississippi ranks on the prime of the nation in weight problems, coronary heart illness, hypertension and diabetes.

“On this space, you don’t must go far to search out fast-food. And, most of the time, it’s one thing fried,” stated Christopher Deans III, operator and co-owner of Loaded Lettuce, positioned within the Westland Plaza restaurant in west Jackson. “It’s not simply the fast-food eating places, even the comfort shops and fuel stations provide one thing deep fried.”

Deans III is a former trainer at Provine Excessive College in Jackson. Elevating his rising household on a trainer’s wage satisfied him to go full-time with the enterprise. His former college students work on the restaurant, and he hires from the group with plans to open a second restaurant close to Jackson State College.

Loaded Lettuce opened in September 2021, and is the brainchild of Deans’ father, Christopher Deans, Sr., an area bodily therapist. The enterprise was first referred to as Merely Salad, however trademark points resulted within the change to Loaded Lettuce.

“My dad has been in well being look after over 20 years. He’s seen the long-term results of an unhealthy weight loss program, a foul weight loss program,” stated Deans. “He will get you after you’ve had that stroke, so he is aware of. And he cares. Loaded Lettuce is the results of his caring.”

“Right here at Loaded Lettuce, we provide a nutritious different. Our aim is to convey a hearty, wholesome, and handy option to the group,” Deans explains. “Our clients inform us that we’re a breath of recent air,” he says with an enormous smile.