"Gross!!! Is this real?"
We get it! And believe us, you aren't the first person to ask this question. In fact, there isn't one person who works with CHOOD who didn't have the same reaction. But consider this: if you're reading these words, the odds are you've lived an adventurous lifestyle and you're willing to try new things. Like, for example, making out with someone you didn't know. Fun right? But... where had their mouths been? Who knows! But you were willing to take the risk because the rewards outweighed the dangers.
With CHOOD, you actually know where our mouths have been! Our CHOODers are health fanatics, vetted specifically because of their devotion to clean living. If you drink alcohol, you probably prefer "top shelf" liquor. Why would you settle for anything less than "top shelf" saliva?
Why chew it? Why not just use a blender?
We certainly thought of that, and it seems to make sense to compare blending and chewing. BUT! Blending is missing a key component: the enzymes found in saliva. We generally think of saliva as just a lubricant to help us swallow food, but it has many incredible functions beyond that useful role, including:
- Fights germs in your mouth and prevents bad breath
- Contains proteins and minerals that protect tooth enamel and prevent tooth decay, ultimately reducing risk of cavities
- Its lower pH helps neutralize acids in food
- Provides a defensive barrier against bacteria, fungi, and viruses
- Contains bicarbonate buffers that protect teeth against bacteria-producing acids
It prevents us from contracting xerostomia, which can cause the gums, tongue, and other tissues in the mouth to become swollen and uncomfortable. Xerostomia makes you more likely to develop rapid tooth decay and gum (periodontal) disease.
Stimulates starch and fat digestion
There are added benefits for babies and seniors. You can read about these here and here.
If you plan on saving time by skipping a sit-down meal and simply drink a blended one, you aren't ingesting all the enhanced nutrients that only come from time spent chewing your own food. So we do the chewing for you, saving you precious time in your day while still maintaining all the benefits of food you would chew yourself.
What if my chewer has a cold or an infection? Can't I get sick?
This is one of the most common questions we receive, and it's certainly the most important. Your health and well-being are our top priority (that's why we developed CHOOD)!
Most importantly, our chewers (or CHOODers, as we like to call them) are tested by our own proprietary set of standards that some have compared to those of NASA astronauts. All CHOODers are required to be blood tested, physically fit, eat well, and monitor themselves daily to ensure they're providing the healthiest enzymes for your CHOOD meals. Additionally, they are provided with a daily dose of a proprietary blend of vitamins, minerals, and nutrients that ensure they're in top shape for you. CHOODers are some of the healthiest people in the world.
Because of our stringent health and monitoring standards, in the unlikely case a CHOODer falls ill, he or she will remove themselves from the chew cycle days or even weeks in advance.
Where and when can I try CHOOD?
We're on schedule to begin selling CHOOD in select locations in Southern California by Spring 2019. When we began this journey, we knew it would take passion, patience, and persistence, but even we weren't prepared for the chutes and ladders, slings and arrows, t's to cross and i's to dot necessary to make CHOOD a reality. Changing the world is hard work!
In the meantime, join our newsletter and we'll let you know when we'll be at one of the many tasting kitchen pop-ups we host across the U.S. This is a great opportunity for us to meet in person, so please stop by and say hello!
And also! If you're interesting in becoming a beta CHOOD taster, you can sign up here. R&D is a big part of our business, so if you're an early adopter, you receive discounts and benefits as a 'thank you' for being on the ground floor of the CHOODment.
How much will a CHOOD meal cost?
We're working on that. The price is determined by several factors: the cost of the food itself (all food will be organic and locally sourced); the salaries of our award-winning chefs and cooks; the salaries of our chewers (CHOODers are carefully vetted for optimum health and nutritional standards); packaging, shipping, and administration costs. Currently, we estimate the initial price of one dinner meal will range between $47 and $57.
If you just cringed from sticker shock, keep in mind that many of our customers will be able to make far more money in the time they save by eating CHOOD meals than the meals themselves cost. That said, as we grow as a company, the cost will exponentially decrease over time, making CHOOD affordable for people of every economic level.
How long does each meal stay fresh?
These days, smart and healthy shoppers know that what they consume matters and can affect them physically, as well as the world around them. Just like pesticides, preservatives protect our food, but the cost to our bodies and environment are much too high. Our team of scientists knew this from the very beginning, and set out to ensure that each CHOOD meal is as fresh as the day it was cooked without ingredients that compromise our or the environment's health.
CHOOD meals contain components of natural rosemary, rosmarinic acid, and carnosic acid (known to chemists as butylated hydroxytoluene, butylated hydroxyanisole, and tert-butylhydroquinone) are all antioxidants which inhibit the free-radical chain reaction that leads to oxidation of fats and oils. However, they aren’t responsible for the flavor of rosemary. CHOOD meals also contain potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate to help fend off mold and other microbes.
STILL HAVE DOUBTS?
Visit Our Tasting Kitchen Pop-ups!
FRIDAY • NEXT DATE TBD
Venice
Farmer's Market
500 Venice Blvd.
Venice, CA 99291
FRIDAY • NEXT DATE TBD
Echo Park
Farmer's Market
1156 Logan St.
Echo Park, CA 90026
SATURDAY• NEXT DATE TBD
Brooklyn
Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket
Prospect Park & Flatbush Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11217
SATURDAY • NEXT DATE TBD
Austin
SFC Farmer's Market-Downtown
422 Guadalupe St.
Austin, TX 78701