Energy Kitchen in Fort Lauderdale Opens Friday

​Attention, health fiends and Meatless Mondayites: Energy Kitchen, a health-conscious concept in which no menu item is more than 500 calories, opens Friday.

Does under 500 calories mean healthy? Peruse a McDonald's menu and a slew of items fits that bill: a hamburger (250), cheeseburger (300), double cheeseburger (440), McDouble (390), fillet of fish (380), crispy chicken sandwich (420), the grilled Ranch BLT (380), and the McChicken (300) are all under 500 calories. Even the Big N' Tasty hovers at 440 calories.

Whole grains, egg whites, grass-fed beef, bison, and turkey differentiate this veggie-heavy menu from other fast-food chains. Burgers cost $6.50 to $10; wraps, salads, and smoothies run $5 to $10.

FIU grad Anthony Leone told Short Order that he started Energy Kitchen out of frustration. "I found it very difficult to eat healthy in a fast casual atmosphere. Food was loaded with hidden calories and fat. They had multiple serving sizes. I wanted to take the thinking out of eating healthy. We are going to change the eating habits of America!"

Leone expects to open 25 franchises in Florida and 1,000 around the country, including D.C., Texas, Illinois, and Colorado, reported the South Florida Business Journal.

Energy Kitchen will offer free delivery for orders of more than $10.

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