Noble Savage Foods opens at CrossFit LoDo

Founded in May 2013, Noble Savage Foods has been expanding its distribution of healthy prepared meals into CrossFit gyms all over Denver. Opening this week, the latest location is CrossFit LoDo.

"We're growing very quickly," says Jake Cohen, one of four partners in the business. "Basically, we saw a need for healthier meals in the Denver area."

"We wanted to combine two popular diets: the paleo diet and the 'Zone' diet," says Cohen. "Paleo is basically the ingredients -- no grains, no sugars, no dairy -- and the 'Zone' diet is to make sure you're eating the right portions of macroingredients. The combination of the two makes for a great diet."

Paleo has emerged as one of the most popular diets in the country in recent years, and Denver is something of a paleo hub. Biochemist Barry Sears popularized "The Zone" diet in a series of books advocates a balanced ratio of protein, fat carbohydrates, and other sources of calories.

Noble Savage sells its meals through self-serve, ShelfX-based refrigerators at six Denver-area CrossFit gyms, whose clientele is a perfect match.

"The dietary philosophy with CrossFit has evolved over the years," says Cohen. "It was 'Zone' originally, then it was paleo, and now it's a combination of the two."

Most customers sign up for a meal plan, and meals typically cost around $10. Individual meals are also available. "Instead of going to McDonald's or Chipotle, you can get something that's nutritionally really good for you," says Cohen.

Popular meals include a shepherd's pie topped with mashed cauliflower instead of potatoes and beef lo mein with squash-based noodles.