Souplantation, also famous as Sweet Tomatoes outside of California, is a buffet-style restaurant chain with locations in American West and Southwest. The company has also lately been expanding into Southeast America. Souplantation restaurants operate under the banner of Garden Fresh Corp., a company incorporated in 1983. Garden Fresh Corp. went public in the year 1995 and by 2004, it had been taken private again. Today, the company operates over 104 Souplantation restaurants in the United States.

Souplantation restaurants are popular among bon vivants for their vast selection of delectable soups and garden-fresh salads made from an assortment of fresh vegetables, nuts, fruits, seeds, and various salad condiments. Apart from their massive and distinctly diverse salad bars, all Souplantation restaurants also boast of a small bakery and a dedicated dessert section. These all-you-can-eat-style restaurants also offer a wide selection of sumptuous pasta recipes in appetizing sauces as well as oven-fresh pizzas if you wish to convert your light lunch into a three-course lavish meal. All Souplantation restaurants also maintain a standard menu that remains unchanged alongside a featured menu that changes based on the cuisine being served in the restaurant.

If you are a regular at Souplantation restaurants or Sweet Tomatoes and have feasted on their healthy recipes, here are a few things you should know about this famous American buffet restaurant chain:

1. The idea of a buffet-style restaurant serving farm-fresh food was conceived by two surfer friends in San Diego in late 1970s. One of these two friends was Dennis Jay, a bartender based out of El Cajon. Dennis was the pioneer figure behind the first Souplantation restaurant opened in San Diego in 1978.

2. Souplantation can be very budget friendly. Not only is it all you can eat so you can fill up even the largest of appetites but they offer great coupons to help you save even more. The best place we have found, and our go to, is CouponDad.net for Souplantation coupons. They always have the latest coupons ready to print.

3. Souplantation’s San Diego office, which is also its headquarters, is often used as a test market to study customers’ reaction to new and innovative menus as well as ideas. Most Souplantation restaurants are generally only open for lunch and dinner. However, all San Diego Souplantation restaurants are the only Souplantation restaurants that also serve breakfast on Sunday mornings. Similarly, when in 2011, Garden Fresh Corp. decided to foray into the quick-serve restaurant world, it decided to start its first Souplantation Express in California.

4. Souplantation has not only survived bankruptcy but resurged right out of it. In 2016, Garden Fresh Corp, the owner company of Souplantation restaurants, reported between $1 million and $10 million in liabilities and a debt mounting up to $175 million. The company filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. Post-filing for bankruptcy, the company also announced its plan to close 20 to 30 of its outlets. Though in January 2017, the company was already looking at the possibility of resurging out of bankruptcy, full respite came when Perpetual Capital Partners and CR3 Capital came together to acquire Garden Fresh Corp.

5. If you are new to Souplantation, you will perhaps stick to the delicious combos laid out by the masterful people at Souplantation restaurants. However, once you become a Souplantation regular, you will understand the importance of bringing your own creativity to the plate. Consider adding bacon or cheddar to your forever gratifying mac and cheese to further elevate your gratification quotient. Red pepper flakes are an absolute favorite of most Souplantation regulars and can spice up any bland item on the menu. If you are not going bonkers with your food and trying all the different combinations possible, you have not learned to enjoy this buffet restaurant yet.

6. Souplantation has never wavered from its focus on quality food. The tossed salads available at the salad bar are prepared fresh every 20 minutes. In most Souplantation restaurants, diners will get to savor at least 8 different types of soups. The company sources top-notch ingredients only from farmers and farms that use ethical and sustainable practices to grow crops.

7. Back in the 1970s, when most people preferred cooking at home to make ends meet and deal with arching inflation, Souplantation seemed like a concept unlikely to succeed. However, as inflation eased and the United States economy resurged, Souplantation caught people’s fancy and became a symbol of American convenience. This restaurant chain has, over the years, retained its charm as it has been able to successfully portray itself as a healthy eating joint. With people becoming more conscious about eating healthy, the appeal and charm of Souplantation restaurants will only further increase in the near future.

Conclusion

Souplantation restaurants, in many ways, have time and again been directly responsible for changing the dietary landscape of many American cities. If you are a fitness enthusiast with active and demanding taste buds, this place is a must visit.

Souplantation/Sweet Tomatoes is one of the very few all-you-can-eat style restaurants that you can frequent without feeling guilty about going overboard. After all, an extra bowl of soup or slightly more cheddar in your salad won’t ruin your calorie chart for the day. Conversely, if you are looking to meet up your carb intake, this place also serves toothsome pasta and pizzas. If you are trying to replenish your body’s glycogen store after a rigorous workout, head straight to the dessert section and hog on their amazing blueberry muffins. From salad lovers and foodaholics to dieters and gym junkies, the Souplantation food caters to the taste of all. However, eating healthy, even at Souplantation, is an art.

Healthy Souplantation Food Options

If you are on a weight-loss mission, Souplantation should be your go-to restaurant. This place will leave your taste buds as well as your belly satisfied. If you are looking for low-calorie options, try these healthy recipes from the Souplantation food menu.

1. Gluten-Friendly Bowl: If you have been consciously trying to eliminate gluten from your life, we are with you. To create a gluten-friendly meal, mix 2 cups of spring mix with 4 grape tomatoes, 1/4 cup red cabbage, 2 tablespoons of peas, 4 slices of cucumber and 2 tablespoons of radishes. Add 2 tablespoons of hard-boiled eggs to meet your protein intake. Add flavor to your meal with a 2 tablespoon serving of fat-free Italian Dressing. To meet your carbs goal, take a baked potato and cover it with cheddar cheese and green onions. This is a heavy bowl with less than 10% of calories coming from saturated fat. To avoid any binge-eating regrets later, stick to grapes for dessert. Healthy and flavorful!

2. Antioxidant Boost Meal: The Antioxidant Boost Meal is, in my opinion, the best item on the Souplantation food menu. To make your antioxidant boost bowl, mix 2 cups of spinach with 1/4 cups of bell pepper and 1/4 cups of red cabbage. Add 2 tablespoons each of carrots, mushrooms, garbanzo beans, quinoa blend, and hard-boiled eggs. Also, add 4 florets each of cauliflower and broccoli as well as 4 slices of cucumber and 4 grape tomatoes. Use balsamic vinegar dressing with a 2 tablespoon serving of sour cream and one tablespoon each of cheddar and green onions to give this meal bowl a slightly tangy and sweet taste. To satisfy your carb cravings, reward yourself with a blueberry muffin and few orange slices.

3. Tuna Tarragon Pasta Salad: Well, this isn’t a salad you can make on your own. The preparation is rather tricky and thus, it is a good idea to let the chefs behind all that amazing Souplantation food dawn their hats and use their culinary skills to serve you better. The tuna tarragon pasta salad has spinach fettuccine, sour cream, dried tarragon leaves, tuna, pasta and mayonnaise as major ingredients. It is slightly on the heavier side, but it is also unbelievably tasty. It’s a major hit and the next time you decide to binge on Souplantation food, make sure to ask for this salad.

Healthy Vegan Options at Souplantation

The world has changed. Today, it is more accommodating of alternative dietary lifestyle choices, such as vegetarianism and veganism. That said, it still isn’t easy to be a vegan. Not all restaurants serve vegan food. The handful of restaurants that serve vegan food suffer from a paucity of options. In such a scenario, Souplantation or Sweet Tomatoes is a safe haven for strict followers of Veganism.

1. Vegan Salad Bowl: To make a vegan salad, mix romaine lettuce, spinach, spring mix, bell peppers, broccoli, and tomatoes. To load on vegan protein, add garbanzo, black, or kidney beans to your salad bowl. Souplantation serves a variety of vegan dressings for your salads. If you like a creamy taste, try the fat-free vegan Italian dressing at Souplantation. If you prefer a slightly tangy after taste, the French vegan dressing is the right choice for you. If the Souplantation dressings are not to your taste, do not worry. Souplantation provides you with all the ingredients you will need to make your own dressing. Contrarily, if you are not in the mood to make your own salad, the Souplantation food menu also includes prepared salads and bread made especially for its vegan guests.

Conclusion

Eating healthy is a choice. While a place like Souplantation makes it easy for guests to stick to healthier dietary habits, it isn’t very difficult to veer off to the pasta corner or the dessert section and binge eat carbs. However, if you go in with a strong will and stern mind, Souplantation food will make it easier for you to say no to the bad choices.

A few years ago, a mind-boggling idea dawned on me. Clearly influenced by the growing cluster of health-conscious eaters, I began to very confidently bet on the success of an all-you-can-eat style buffet restaurant focussed on healthy eating and serving a nutritious and wholesome food menu. I had my business plans and financials almost worked out when someone destroyed my reverie by telling me about Souplantation.

Souplantation, also known as Sweet Tomatoes, is an all-you-can-eat-style-buffet restaurant that goes back to the late 1970s. If only I had thought of my genius idea a couple of decades ago! At any Souplantation restaurant, guests can eat to their heart’s content for just $10. For over four decades now, this simple and healthy restaurant chain has managed to win over millions of buffet lovers.

With their salad bar and dessert section literally overflowing with options, waddling through the food section at a Souplantation restaurant can be both tricky and overwhelming. With so many options to choose from, a foodaholic must have at least some rudimentary knowledge of where to start and what to eat.

Always Start at the Salad Bar

The salad bar at any Souplantation restaurant is a massive affair. From farm-fresh vegetables and freshly made croutons to pre-mixed dressings and crisp dill pickles, the salad bar at every Souplantation restaurant will have something for everyone. If you are a fitness enthusiast, making your own salad is a good idea. All Souplantation restaurant salad bars always have small decanters filled with balsamic vinegar and olive oil in case you wish to make your own customized salad dressing. House-made Ranch and low-calories New Orleans French are the two most popular salad dressings — try them. For lovers of hand-tossed salads, there are a variety of options — Vegan Wonton Happiness salad, Caesar Asiago salad, Joan’s Broccoli Madness with Bacon and Cashews, and Tuna Tarragon Pasta Salad. Joan’s Broccoli Madness and Tuna Tarragon are absolutely a must try. These salads from Souplantation have gained such popularity that the internet is brimming with recipes from food bloggers to recreate these salads at home. However, the true taste of these salads can only be savored at a Souplantation restaurant.

Grab More than Just One Bowl for the Soup

You heard it right — if you are at Souplantation, you must try more than just one type of soup. We will recommend starting with everyone’s favorite — the Yankee Clipper Clam Chowder. You can add bacon if you like. I personally love eating this soup with a piece of freshly baked focaccia bread. For people voluntarily staying away from gluten, the Deep Kettle Chilli is a good choice. To bring out its taste, eat it with cornbread. Vegetarians can relish the Creamy Cauliflower and Cheese soup. For people unwilling to experiment much with taste, the Big Chunk Chicken Noodle soup is a good choice. Depending on the cuisine being served, you will find more options at the Soup counter.

They Also Have Pasta and Pizza to Satisfy Your Epicurean Tastes

Let’s face it — some of us go to Souplantation not because it’s healthy, but because there is a lot of food to be had for a really reasonable price. If fitness comes second and the palate comes first, there is a pasta and pizza section to alleviate your carb cravings. From the simple macaroni and cheese to slightly more complex alfredo and marinara, there are all kinds of pasta to be enjoyed. That apart, trying the many different kinds of bread at any Souplantation restaurant should be a top priority. Foccacia, Sourdough, Multi-grain, Quattro Formaggio, Cheesy Garlic Foccacia, and Cornbread are some of the many options available.

They Make Healthy Desserts That Are Tasty Too

Many restaurants claim to have mastered the art of making healthy desserts. I would rather eat an orange than pay to eat a muffin from these restaurants. Souplantation is a different story — their desserts are healthy, but they are tasty too. The Raspberry Gelatin is my favorite. The Tapioca pudding comes a close second. Souplantation restaurants also serve soft serve and there is a vast counter with all kinds of fresh fruits along with your favorite toppings — caramel, granola, chocolate, sprinkles, etc.

Here are a few Souplantation Hacks

Eating at Souplantation can be tricky. Here are a few hacks to make the food at any Souplantation restaurant tastier:

1. A baked potato is something almost everyone has at Souplantation. Make yours more flavorsome by adding cheese, sour cream, bacon, onions or literally anything you like. Potato is such a diverse vegetable that it goes with just about anything.
2. Make your own sandwich. The sourdough bread has an ardent admirer in me. Whenever I visit any Souplantation restaurant, I make my own Sourdough sandwich. It’s quite easy. Get some freshly baked Sourdough bread and fix it with all the veggies you like. Add some sour cream or a spoonful of your favorite dressing from the salad bar and you are good to go.

Conclusion

Souplantation is one of those rare places where you can either stick to being healthy or go completely berserk. That apart, with so many choices at one’s disposal, it is quite easy to get lost and end up trying all the wrong things. Hope our recommendations and suggestions will prove to be of some help on your next visit to a Souplantation restaurant.