Dieting with a French flourish and home delivery

By Katherine Monahan

Working on your weight or  just concerned about healthy eating but in too much of a rush to pay proper attention to your needs? Well there's help on its way, right to your door with a French flourish.

A new meal delivery service  has opened in Panama City..  La Petite Diet, a gourmet weight-loss program, delivers three meals a day – or just lunch, if you prefer – to  home or office.  And the food looks tasty.

“In Panama it’s really hard to find something healthy AND good – not just healthy, and not just good,” said Catherine, the French founder of La Petite Diet. 

Catherine came to Panama four years ago, and ate “everything” at first.  She missed having access to fresh, healthy meals, and realized that other people must be feeling the same way.  She used to run a meal delivery service in Miami, so she knew how to get started.

She hired a Cordon Bleu chef who specializes in French and international cuisine, and a nutritionist, who helped them to calculate the portions and ingredients for different calorie plans.  The meals are mostly French recipes, and also Thai and Chinese.  “It’s light but it’s really good,” said Catherine.

La Petite Diet is off to a good start, with many satisfied clients and a new industrial kitchen space.  Catherine was surprised at the strong interest from middle-class, working individuals, who don’t have time to prepare their own healthy lunches.

“People are really happy,” she said.  “The first client, who began six weeks ago, lost 15 lbs.  People normally lose 2-4 lbs a week . . . it works!”

Catherine has seen two or three organic shops open since she’s been in Panama, and hopes this indicates a growing trend toward healthy food.

Meanwhile, she’s proud to have started her own business.  “It’s new, I’m very excited.  It’s the first time I run a company.  People are happy!”