Lettuce eat healthy: Chop Drop makes it possible

HURON — Healthier and convenient meal options are making their way to Norwalk from Huron-based Chop Drop. These days, it is hard to find the time to prepare healthy meals at home, so many are stuck ordering take-out and settling on the convenience of fast food. Bill Murray, a 2001 Sandusky High School graduate, cooked up the idea of ready-to-eat fresh salads. "We needed some healthier and convenient food items," Murray said. "You know, everything's fast food and that's not very healthy." "I have always cooked for myself. This is just something I have always been interested in, and we really thought there was a need here." Chop Drop did six or seven rounds of beta testing on family and friends, then officially launched at the end of January. Four times a week, Murray and his business partners, Adam Machoukas and Rich Roldan, along with a small staff and other helpers, cook eight different heart-friendly meals. The meals are delivered fresh to local stores Tuesday through Friday. Murray said while the Cobb Salad was probably the most popular thus far, the Cilantro Rice Bowl is his favorite. The bowl consists of jasmine rice, cilantro sauce, sautéed poblanos and onions, chicken, topped with grated cotija, fresh cilantro and a creamy chipotle sauce. "My wife has already asked me to bring it home for her tonight," he said. They try to have at least one vegetarian option a day. "Everything is fresh," Murray said. "Chopped and diced in house and all sauces are made here." Chop Drop has recently started selling in Sheri's Coffee House here in Norwalk. The concept of premade salads has been a huge success at the coffee house. "Sheri's counts for close to half the sales now," Murray said. They are very excited about their first corporate order for 40 people tomorrow (April 14). "If you're doing a big order for a business we will deliver," he said. People can purchase Chop Drop meals online by visiting chop-drop.com or stopping by these local stores: River + Road Marketplace in Huron, Vine & Olive in Perkins Township, Vita in Sandusky and Sheri's Coffee House in Norwalk. Chop Drop also has two other pickup locations including Armstrong Drive Thru in Huron and the Huron Market. The first week of May the business will be on delivery.com, and owners hope to be on other apps such as DoorDash in the near future. Register staff writer Andy Ouriel contributed to this piece.