About Us - Mindful Kitchen

We Prep, You Cook

Welcome to Mindful Kitchen, your one stop shop for delicious, healthy and easy to cook meals made from premium organic and natural ingredients. With our delicious meals–available for store pick up or delivery–you’ll save time and minimize the hassle of menu planning and shopping.

After we receive your order we’ll get busy making your entrees and call you in a few days when they are ready for pick up. All entrees are placed directly into our freezer after they are prepared, so you can pick up at your earliest convenience.

Make dinner easier, so you can enjoy it more!

Why should I choose Mindful Kitchen?

Great Question… here’s why: Mindful Kitchen is the one f the only businesses of it’s kind that offers organic and all-natural ingredients. From the organic spices and vegetables to the organic and natural meats and cheeses, we use ingredients aimed at keeping your family healthy! If we aren’t proud of it, you won’t see it in Mindful Kitchen! For more information on the benefits of eating all-natural and organic foods, click on the ORGANIC button under the “Healthy You” tab on our menu bar. At Mindful Kitchen you have several choices as to how you can receive our healthy and delicious entrees: You have the choice of having our Personal Chefs make any number of meals for you for a quick pick up or delivery OR stopping in when it’s convenient to see what is available in our Grab ‘n Go case. We cater to the savvy consumers who want the most value for their food dollars… Our entrees are individually priced to suit your budget and your tastes. Unlike similar businesses, you can order as few as 1 entree…made to your unique specifications…and our Personal Chefs will gladly hand make them for you for a quick pick up or delivery.
Who are Mindful Kitchen customers?

Almost anyone can benefit from Mindful Kitchen entrees: Dual income families, stay at home moms and dads, single parents, singles, empty nesters, college students, newlyweds and retirees are all welcome.
Where are you located?

We are located at 250 N. Evergreen Avenue, Arlington Heights. Please click on our “Contact Us” button for further directions and a map. Phone number: 847-398-7480
I enjoy eating meat, but am trying to consume more vegetable based proteins and fish. How can you accommodate people like me?

Each month our selections will usually include several vegetarian options and seafood choices. Many entrees that contain meat can be made vegetarian by leaving out the meat. In addition, tofu or tempeh can be substituted in certain situations. If you have questions about specific entrees, give us a call and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.

How do I defrost my entrees?

Unless the directions state otherwise, all entrees should be defrosted in the refrigerator according to the specific instructions located on the label. Thawing foods at room temperature will compromise the safety of your food.
I always forget to defrost my entrees. What can I do?

Some entrees have instructions on the label for “cooking from frozen”. Try this tip from our staff: On Sunday, consider the days that you might want to have a Mindful Kitchen entree for dinner. Pull 2 to 3 entrees from your freezer for dinners in the upcoming few days.
If I forgot to defrost my entrée, can I still cook it for dinner tonight?

For best results, we recommend that your entrees be previously defrosted in the refrigerator, unless otherwise stated on the cooking label. However, you can still cook many meals that are not fully defrosted by lowering the cooking temperature and adding additional cook time. Always check to be sure that your food has been cooked to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees.
How long can my meals stay defrosted in the refrigerator?

For best results and freshness, entrees should be used within 2 days once they are defrosted (1 day for seafood items).
How long can I keep my entrees in the freezer?

Because our ingredients contain no preservatives, we recommend you use them within 45 days, for best results. However, most entrees are safe to consume even after a few months in the freezer.
How long do my entrees take to defrost?

Generally each entrée will take about 24 hours to defrost in your refrigerator. Generally, small items may thaw overnight in the refrigerator, while larger items (such as casseroles and fully-packed zip-locks) may take 2 plus days.
How do you practice food safety at Mindful Kitchen?

The safety of your food is of the utmost importance to us. You can be assured that Mindful Kitchen meets or exceeds all Arlington Heights Health Department guidelines for food safety and sanitation. In addition, we are certified by FoodServ in sanitation and the safe handling and preparation of food.

What is the cost of Mindful Kitchen entrees?

Each of our entrees is priced individually, just like menu items in a restaurant. Our prepared meals tend to be a pinch more expensive than if you bought individual ingredients and washed, chopped, diced and cooked everything yourself (if you are not putting a value on your time), but less expensive than eating out at a restaurant or going to the prepared foods counter at your natural grocer like Whole Foods. Our vegetarian dinners are typically on the lower end of our price scale, while our beef and seafood dinners occupy the higher end.
What is the value of Mindful Kitchen entrees?

When you consider that the meal planning, shopping, label-reading, prepping and clean up are all done for you by the Mindful Kitchen staff, it is no wonder that our customers often comment on the fact that they SAVE money when purchasing our dinner entrees as compared to the cost (and sometimes, waste) involved with buying each ingredient in the grocery store and making the entree at home. When you throw in the mental benefits you receive by knowing what you’re having for dinner–and knowing that it is a healthy dinner choice for your family, you can’t go wrong with Mindful Kitchen entrees!