Meals with a mission: Women open catering kitchen to feed busy families

One of Cape Girardeau's newest eateries offers takeout with a twist. Well, actually, a few twists.

Faithfully Fed, which opened in April, offers handcrafted dishes made from scratch with organic and local ingredients whenever possible; are free of preservatives, refined sugars, sodium and chemicals; and are made to order, with vegetarian and gluten-free options. Its chicken is "free range," and each entree offering contains four or five servings.

Faithfully Fed, its owners say, is akin to a "catering kitchen." It has no dining room, and some of its menu offerings will come and go on a monthly basis, in an effort to be "seasonably fresh."

Orders are made through its website, faithfullyfed.com, or via telephone at 573-290-0024, and picked up at its cozy and colorful kitchen at 2148A William St. -- adjacent to Quiznos at the intersection of William and Kingshighway.

Cheryl Mothes and Tina Graham of Faithfully Fed in Cape Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

The partners of Faithfully Fed -- Tina Graham and Cheryl Mothes -- characterize it as "an affordable, healthy alternative to eating out."

LAURA SIMON ~ lsimon@semissourian.com

In describing the name of the eatery, Graham refers to a Bible verse, Matthew 6:26: "Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"

"God has been faithful in feeding us," Graham says. "Here we are, serving God's food, feeding his people. We see this as a ministry as well."

She adds that they plan to donate 10 percent of net profit to local food charities.

"There's a shift. People are awakening to the thought that food is medicine. Diet really can make a difference in your health," says Graham, a Missouri native whose background is in the health field.

Mothes, a transplant to Cape Girardeau from Southern California, where she was a personal chef and holistic nutritionist, says, "Everything we prepare is made to order, fresh and made from scratch. We think we'll have something to please every palate."

By line:Faithfully Fed, which opened in April, offers handcrafted dishes made with organic and local ingredients whenever possible. (Laura Simon)

"We have food that is catered quality to take out," Graham says. "We think the convenience appeals to busy moms," who may not have time to cook a complete meal each night, but realize the importance of a healthy diet.

Faithfully Fed is at 2148A William St. in Cape Girardeau. (Laura Simon)

Among its initial entree offerings are vegetable lasagna, sweet potato and kale casserole, a Mexican chicken casserole and a vegetable loaf they say is "so satisfying you won't miss the meat." Entrees, with four or five servings, range from $30 to $44.

Side dishes include chicken soup and three salads -- marinated kale, grain and chicken. Salads also are available as a wrap.

Among its treats, Faithfully Fed offers a signature protein bar and a variety of muffins.

They offer a family combination for $45 that includes an entree of choice and one side dish and is great for a family of four.

In addition to the order-ahead menu, Faithfully Fed has "grab-and-go" offerings that would appeal to families on the run, and they're developing a children's menu.

Hours are 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 4 to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday. It is closed Sunday and Monday.