I’m not one for cleanses. I never saw the appeal of starving myself over juice drinks, protein powder, and vegan shakes just so I could “restart my metabolism” and maybe lose a couple of pounds. Those who know me well know I enjoy eating and trying new foods more than anything – so I was pleasantly surprised when I found Splendid Spoon (or rather, when Splendid Spoon found me).
Nicole Chaszer founded Splendid Spoon in 2011 under her “souping” philosophy – that is, making it easier for people to get their daily dose of vegetables for the day. Over the course of five years, Chaszer and the Splendid team researched cleanses, dieting and meal trends, and of course, plenty of fruits and vegetables to concoct a weekly plan that aims to keep subscribers’ bodies “fitter, stronger, cleaner.” The weekly schedule is simple – one day of a cleanse consisting of five soups followed by five days of “soup swaps.” I found Splendid Spoon’s simple mission inspiring, so I decided to give the soup challenge a go.
Monday: Cleanse Day
After inhaling half a pizza from Mancini’s the night before (it was Super Bowl Sunday, mind you), I woke up feeling not so great. Following Splendid Spoon’s tip to meditate on Cleanse Day, I stretched and did a couple of downward dogs before I went downstairs to the kitchen.
9 AM: I warmed a glass of water and lemon and heated up my breakfast – the brand’s Cauliflower Coconut soup. Honestly, I was a skeptic at first. To the eye, the soup had a grainy texture, but after my first bite, I was pleasantly surprised. The soup’s light texture went well with my decaf chamomile tea. I stayed full until my next meal.
11 AM: I left my spot at the Student Space to heat up my next meal – Carrot Turmeric Elixir soup. Splendid’s Carrot soup had a thick, bisque-like texture with a kick to it. This kick, I later realized, was the dash of cayenne pepper added to the bottle, which jumpstarts metabolism.
2 PM: After a few episodes of Keeping Up with the Kardashians, I finished my mid-day snack: Pumpkin Pear Hempseed soup. This soup quickly became my favorite of the week (I am a sucker for all things pumpkin and the soup’s hearty texture). I was feeling quite full after three meals, but I found my three-hour seminar daunting, so I took a handful of nuts and decaf chamomile tea to my next class.
5 PM: I refilled my cup of chamomile before heading off to our Her Campus meeting.
6 PM: By the time dinnertime rolled around, I was ready to eat my Hearty Beet soup. I loved the soup’s vibrant beet red color, chunky texture, and sweet taste. It left me feeling satisfied for a night of homework ahead.
8 PM: Right before my friends came over to watch this week’s episode of The Bachelor, I warmed my nightcap – Vegan Bone Broth. Sipping on Splendid’s Broth was like sipping on tea – it warmed my body and left me feeling rejuvenated and relaxed for the rest of the night.
Tuesday – Saturday: Swap Days
On Tuesday morning, I woke with a start at 8 AM. “Why am I up so early? Why do I feel this good?” I wondered as I slipped out of bed amidst and early-morning snowfall. But Tuesday morning was no anomaly – for the remainder of the week, I woke up feeling incredibly well rested and awake, all signs that my body was feeling good, too.
Like most collegiettes at Bucknell, my schedule is chaotic. But during my Splendid Spoon Week, I used lunchtime as a meditative excuse to take a pause in my otherwise busy day. Each day, I swapped my lunch (which usually consists of a Terrace Room salad) for one of Splendid’s soups. The company’s Cauliflower and Carrot soups can be enjoyed hot or cold, which made it easy for me to bring to classes or meetings during lunchtime.
When I wasn’t enjoying one of Splendid Spoon’s soups, I was eating, well, what I normally do. For breakfast, I ate either a bowl of oatmeal with fresh berries and banana or egg whites and whole grain toast. I tried my best to break my habit of snacking in between meals and opted for carrots and hummus, berries, or air-popped popcorn when I needed an afternoon pick-me-up. The company’s all-natural, simple ingredients also inspired me to cook cleaner dinners. For the rest of my meals, I bought vegetables and lean meats to make salads, fajitas, and stir-fry.
By the end of my soups on Saturday night, I discovered that cleanses shouldn’t be targeted towards weight loss, but rather nutritional gain. Cleanses shouldn’t leave us feeling groggy, emotional, or hungry, but rather reenergized, vibrant, and the best versions of ourselves. Splendid Spoon’s cleanse taught me how to be mindful of and respectful to my body through clean, vegetable-rich eating, and I plan to maintain a wholesome outlook the next time I go grocery shopping.
Want to try Splendid Spoon at home? Visit www.splendidspoon.com to get started!