Discovery: Vigilant Eats

In 2007, after a decade-long search for a healthier way of life, Doug Siegel began to incorporate raw foods into his diet. The challenge, however, was in finding convenient options for his meals—a problem he resolved four years later when he created his own line of organic, gluten-free, vegan cereal called Vigilant Eats.

Based in Bloomington, Siegel decided to cut out the middlemen of the grocery industry and get the ingredients for his packaged heat-and-eat breakfasts straight from the source: family farms. In the process, he encountered rules and regulations preventing individuals from buying directly from private producers—which prompted him to partner with organizations that protect the rights of consumers and farms to work together. Made of unaltered ingredients (like cacao nibs, hemp flour, and sun-dried mulberries) and coming in at 280 to 360 calories per serving, the oat-based cereals contain more than 30 percent of the recommended daily fiber and come in four flavors: Goji Cacao, Coconut Maple Vanilla, Maca Double Chocolate, and Espresso Maca Mulberry. And Siegel ensured that convenience is no longer an issue. The just-add-water packaging even comes with its own spoon. 812-964-2456, vigilant-eats.com

Photo by Tony Valainis

This article appeared in the September 2013 issue.