NeedAllTheFries Posted April 4, 2016 Share Posted April 4, 2016 I emailed customer support at CAVA to ask exactly which items I could eat while on W30. I was emailed back today with a list of compliant ingredients: Thanks for reaching out! Absolutely, I took a look at our menu and here are the items that you can continue to enjoy that do not contain dairy, grains, chickpeas or sweetener: - Base: Salad greens - Dip: Harissa - Proteins: Chicken, Grilled Meatballs, Spicy Lamb Meatballs, Roasted Seasonal Vegetables - Toppings: Shredded Romaine, Cabbage Slaw, Tomato + Onion, Diced Cucumbers, Tomato + Cucumber, Kalamata Olives, Lemon Wedge, Mint - Dressings: Green Vinaigrette, Spicy Harissa, Lemon Herb Tahini - Spring Seasonal Soup: Carrot Ginger- Juices: Unsweetened Tea This makes me so happy! Looks like I'll be having CAVA lunch every week before grocery shopping. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators SugarcubeOD Posted April 4, 2016 Moderators Share Posted April 4, 2016 That's great that they were able to help you. Did you mention soy products as well? Do you know what their proteins are cooked in? It would be better if they can give you an ingredient list of what you're thinking of having... not saying they're being untruthful but sometimes the sneaky sugars aren't noted or they use a soy oil or soy lecithin or something... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lauren5021 Posted April 21, 2016 Share Posted April 21, 2016 I would like to provide some clarification on this after I did some further probing with customer service at Cava Grill. At first they gave me pretty much the exact answer listed above, but thankfully they were very patient with my many inquiries and corrections. They cook all their proteins in olive oil, which is also added to their harissa and I assume also their vinaigrette. All of the ingredients listed above are soy free on their website, so no concerns there. One thing I happened to catch on their website is that their grilled meatballs are not gluten free. When I asked about this, they said that they use some of their pita bread as a binding agent in the meatballs, but then proceeded to tell me that there were no grains. I politely let them know that if their pita bread contains wheat, then their grilled meatballs do indeed contain grains, which is an important distinction to make for future inquiries. After that, I asked about their spicy lamb meatballs, which they confirmed do not have the pita bread or any other grains. Bottom line, everything on the above list is good except the grilled meatballs. This will be one of my go-to options on the days I don't feel like cooking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ElizabethG Posted April 25, 2016 Share Posted April 25, 2016 Wow, thank you for doing this research! So glad to know there is an option for those days/meals where cooking at home is just not an option! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
liz517 Posted April 25, 2016 Share Posted April 25, 2016 I would like to add that The Little Beet is also a great option! Everything is gluten free and cooked in olive oil I love getting either chicken or salmon, with sides of the roasted kale, broccoli, or string beans! The butternut squash hash + baked sweet potatoes (come with cheese, but you can request them with no cheese) are also awesome if you need a starch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheLadyD Posted May 17, 2016 Share Posted May 17, 2016 This is awesome. Cava is just down the street from me, and I figured I'd just skip it for the next 29 or so days. Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paigesmama815 Posted September 28, 2016 Share Posted September 28, 2016 Thank you both for taking the time to research this. Makes my life a lot easier! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mnwerner Posted January 13, 2017 Share Posted January 13, 2017 Thank you!! I was just trying to figure out what I could eat out for lunch with coworkers in Chinatown. LOVE Cava and happy to hear they have lots of compliant options. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie McD Posted January 17, 2017 Share Posted January 17, 2017 WOW. THANK YOU!! I'm on Day 2 and feeling overwhelmed. As in I can't contemplate dining out options, Cava and Little Beet are both near work/home, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators ShannonM816 Posted January 17, 2017 Moderators Share Posted January 17, 2017 57 minutes ago, Julie McD said: WOW. THANK YOU!! I'm on Day 2 and feeling overwhelmed. As in I can't contemplate dining out options, Cava and Little Beet are both near work/home, etc. Even though you've read the information here, be aware that you are still responsible for asking about ingredients. Restaurants can change recipes or suppliers, and the original post was several months ago. Here's a download with some tips for successfully dining out on Whole30: http://whole30.com/downloads/whole30-dining.pdf Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RoastedVeggiesaretheBest Posted January 26, 2017 Share Posted January 26, 2017 I just LOVE Cava Grill - thanks for doing all this research. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcmom Posted February 1, 2017 Share Posted February 1, 2017 Great info but CAVA uses a SO much salt- I really wonder if everything is truly MSG-free? Just wondering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheWholeDale Posted March 16, 2017 Share Posted March 16, 2017 Great research. Thank You Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duchess Posted June 1, 2017 Share Posted June 1, 2017 Thank you! And they sell their Harissa in the store too, which is huge! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
realfoodwithdana Posted June 13, 2017 Share Posted June 13, 2017 Great info on Cava!! Definitely a Whole30 staple for me too! If I'm ever not sure of ingredients, I'll just skip the dressings and load up on toppings like mint, olives, tomato/cucumber, the cabbage, and a squeeze of lemon juice for the dressing. The toppings are so flavor-packed I feel like I don't need a dressing anyway Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aug2017w30 Posted August 18, 2017 Share Posted August 18, 2017 This post has made my day!!!! THANK YOU lauren5021 NeedAllTheFries Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kellyfsu34 Posted January 3, 2018 Share Posted January 3, 2018 It seems the protein at The Little Beet is cooked with Soy that's unfortunate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohannaE Posted January 7, 2018 Share Posted January 7, 2018 I thought I'd provide an update on the Cava conversation since as a mod noted ingredients change from time to time. I reached out to Cava, and am excited to confirm that there are still many options. Please see below! Thanks for reaching out. At CAVA, we change our menu four times a year to reflect the change in seasons and think eating seasonally is a great way to fuel your life. Our current 2018 Winter menu items includes lots of items that anyone doing Whole30 can enjoy! Base: All of our greens (Supergreens, Arugula, Baby Spinach, Romaine, Splendidgreens) Dip + Spreads: Harissa Proteins: Chicken, Braised Lamb, Braised Beef (available at select locations), Spicy Lamb Meatballs, Seasonal Roasted Vegetables Toppings: Shredded Romaine, Cabbage Slaw, Tomato + Onion, Diced Cucumbers, Tomato + Cucumber, Kalamata Olives, Pickled Banana Peppers, Lemon Wedge, Fresh Mint, and our seasonal Raw Beet + Dill Salad Dressings: Lemon Herb Tahini, Green Harissa, and Spicy Turmeric Tahini (an amazing dressing for these cold months, also on our seasonal menu!) Juices + Teas: Unsweetened Black Tea, and two seasonal drinks: Jasmine Tea and Pineapple Apple Mint So that you are aware, these ingredients do not contain dairy, grains, legumes (chickpeas) or have any added sweetener. You can also view more on our menu/allergens at: http://cava.com/menu/allergens.Best of luck on your challenge - thanks to letting CAVA help fuel your life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohannaE Posted January 11, 2018 Share Posted January 11, 2018 On 1/7/2018 at 2:36 PM, JohannaE said: I thought I'd provide an update on the Cava conversation since as a mod noted ingredients change from time to time. I reached out to Cava, and am excited to confirm that there are still many options. Please see below! Thanks for reaching out. At CAVA, we change our menu four times a year to reflect the change in seasons and think eating seasonally is a great way to fuel your life. Our current 2018 Winter menu items includes lots of items that anyone doing Whole30 can enjoy! Base: All of our greens (Supergreens, Arugula, Baby Spinach, Romaine, Splendidgreens) Dip + Spreads: Harissa Proteins: Chicken, Braised Lamb, Braised Beef (available at select locations), Spicy Lamb Meatballs, Seasonal Roasted Vegetables Toppings: Shredded Romaine, Cabbage Slaw, Tomato + Onion, Diced Cucumbers, Tomato + Cucumber, Kalamata Olives, Pickled Banana Peppers, Lemon Wedge, Fresh Mint, and our seasonal Raw Beet + Dill Salad Dressings: Lemon Herb Tahini, Green Harissa, and Spicy Turmeric Tahini (an amazing dressing for these cold months, also on our seasonal menu!) Juices + Teas: Unsweetened Black Tea, and two seasonal drinks: Jasmine Tea and Pineapple Apple Mint So that you are aware, these ingredients do not contain dairy, grains, legumes (chickpeas) or have any added sweetener. You can also view more on our menu/allergens at: http://cava.com/menu/allergens.Best of luck on your challenge - thanks to letting CAVA help fuel your life! This is disappointing - We want to provide a quick update on our Whole30-friendly menu items. Unfortunately upon further review, our food and beverage team has removed our Winter seasonal Raw Beet + Dill Salad and Spicy Turmeric Tahini dressing from the list. We sincerely apologize for the oversight and appreciate your understanding! If you have any additional questions please let us know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Washwords Posted January 12, 2018 Share Posted January 12, 2018 Thank you all! And really the lemon tahini is compliant?! It feels creamy! But i checked locally too great news! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon Rose Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 Thank you so much for all the Cava info...one of my favorite restaurants pre whole 30. I'm on day 2 and still learning so I appreciate the help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Michael L. Posted March 13, 2018 Share Posted March 13, 2018 Thank you for this! I'll need a break from cooking one night so I have noted these ingredients for future use! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimba341 Posted May 23, 2018 Share Posted May 23, 2018 I wanted to update this thread. Last night, (May 2018) I went to Cava Mezza on H Street and it was an amazing experience. I asked the server if she was familiar with Whole30 and she reached over and pulled out a guide and proceeded to tell me which of their items were compliant and which were not. I was also referencing an older post re: Cava and had added the roasted vegetables (which i now see wasn't on the latest post) before she told me that they weren't compliant due to sugar in the carrots. Due to the fact that I'm 10 weeks in to my Whole30 journey, I just picked out the carrots and rocked on. I got my mixture of greens, braised lamb, cucumber/tomato, harissa (which is amazing!), the roasted veggies, fresh mint, and a green vinaigrette. Wonderful! Check them out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Administrators ladyshanny Posted May 23, 2018 Administrators Share Posted May 23, 2018 Hi @Kimba341 - thanks for the update. Just a note though, we would appreciate if you did not copy and paste the same dialogue across multiple threads. It's against forum rules and makes more work for the volunteers who aim to keep the forum tidy and smoothly flowing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saladflambe Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 Thought I'd come offer an update from the email I just received RE: Summer 2018 menu Thanks for reaching out! At CAVA, we change our menu four times a year to reflect the change in seasons and think eating seasonally is a great way to fuel your life. Below lists our CAVA menu items that are Whole30- compliant, including our Summer 2018 menu items! Bases: Supergreens, Arugula, Baby Spinach, Romaine, Splendidgreens Dip + Spreads: Harissa Proteins: Braised Lamb, Braised Beef (available at select locations), Spicy Lamb Meatballs, Seasonal Roasted Vegetables Toppings: Shredded Romaine, Cabbage Slaw, Tomato + Onion - Diced, Diced Cucumbers, Tomato + Cucumber, Kalamata Olives, Lemon Wedge, Fresh Mint, Pickled Banana Peppers, White Bean Salad Dressings: Lemon Herb Tahini, Green Harissa Juices + Teas: Unsweetened Black Tea, Jasmine Green Tea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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