Today we’d like to introduce you to Sydney Verwilst.
Sydney, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Passion for Healthy Eating. Specifically, Granola. My name is Sydney and I am so excited you stopped by to check out my shop. If you are wondering why I am so involved with granola then please keep reading. I grew up in the Midwest during the 1990s where there wasn’t a huge market for fresh, whole foods. My parents were advocates for healthy eating, but access to organic and raw food was unavailable and widely unrealized.
It wasn’t until college that I began to appreciate the relationship between eating well and performing well. When I recognized that I was in control of my well-being via what I ate, I complied with my body and haven’t turned back. Fast forward 4 years and I am now twenty-six years old living in Chicago, IL. I recently began thinking about what it is the world wants from me and how I can be most impactful during my time on the planet.
I knew I wanted to create something that exemplified my passion for healthy lifestyle via a nutritious diet. That is how Ingrained was born. By perfecting my granola recipe and making it available online, I am nourishing the bodies and minds of others in a way that is familiar and delicious to me. You could say I am living my dream come true! I hope you grab a bag, or two, or three so you can see what all the hype is about! Don’t forget to pass along the good news to your community!
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Learning about nutrition and what works for my body has been a bumpy road. What keeps me optimistic about my food journey is that it is never finished – like all bodies, mine is ever-changing, and I am still learning to accept this truth and ride the wave, thus you’ll find me routinely modifying my fuel to maximize performance. Going further, granola is the perfect vehicle to uphold an ever-changing diet.
This is because its recipe profile is super adaptable and there are such a wide variety of flavors and ingredients to choose from that its almost always something my body is able to tap into for nourishment. Granola has been with me through all the ups and downs and is an instrument I use to keep my mind/body/spirit alive and well. It continues to make me brave, humble and continually hungry (pun intended) to learn more about nutrition and how to best incorporate it into my life.
In short, my passion is finding health and happiness through healthy, mindful eating and Ingrained is my gateway to share fun healthy food trends with my local fitfam here in Chicago, I think that on a micro scale, diets need to focus on serving the incredible needs of the body, mind, and spirit. Whatever your purpose on earth is, you cannot serve your highest potential if you do not feed these three things.
Granola fine tunes my gears and supercharges me with hope and positivity. Incorporating it into my diet the way I do gratifies the carbs and fat my body needs, the artistic element my mind craves, and the purpose-driven mission that my spirit yearns fulfill. My goal with granola is to satisfy crunchy and/or sweet and/or salty and/or floral and/or spicy cravings I have every day. It is my favorite aspect of a meal because it ties flavors together and adds texture.
I believe that with the right spice combinations and a little love, granola can be the dynamic, key player you look for in a meal (breakfast, lunch, dinner), which, for me, memorializes it and keeps me satisfied.
Please tell us about Ingrained Granola.
I manufacture and sell organic, vegan, GF granola in Chicago and online at my website, www.ingrainedgranola.com. My mission statement is what I believe what sets me apart from my competitors: It is very cool to see the shift in consumer loyalty today. I am proud to be part of a generation that cares about the origin of its grub and asks the important questions before buying. We need to continue to hold food companies accountable for our health.
History shows that the most impactful way to initiate change is to seek the best food from the most transparent sellers. There is so much strength in your silence. For example, when we throw shade to processed food, big companies have no choice but to change. Join me this year in investing in your most prized possession, your health. Stand behind the people in the food industry that care about YOU, by paying the extra couple of $$ for locally sourced products in your market.
It is so important that society recognizes honest, sustainable manufacturers vs. those who are producing for a system. You deserve to fuel your body with real nutrients that it can absorb. Be vigilant and you will begin to see your life change for the absolute better. This message is paramount to achieving your personal best so I hope that it resonates with you. When you know better, you do better.
If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
Nothing, lessons learned are all too valuable and endearing to erase.
Pricing:
- $8.50 / 6oz bag
- $40.00 / 5 bags
Contact Info:
- Address: 845 N State Street Unit 1901
- Website: www.ingrainedgranola.com
- Email: syd@ingrainedgranola.com
- Instagram: @ingrainedgranola.com
Getting in touch: VoyageChicago is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
