Today we’d like to introduce you to Jimmy & Kristi Espinoza.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I (Jimmy) have always enjoyed cooking for family and friends. After receiving positive feedback for so long, I finally decided to create an Instagram page (@Jimbowls.eats) in March of 2024 with no clear vision on where it would take us. In April, I unexpectedly lost my job of 13 years as a field support engineer. Rather than immediately go back into the work force, I decided I wanted to dedicate my time and efforts to JimBowls. With the recent lifestyle changes Kristi and I had made (i.e., eating whole foods and working out again), I knew I wanted to share my grilled food with others navigating their own fitness journeys. There was an outpour of support that we received to help pave the way; like the saying goes “es mejor tener amigos que dinero”. Within a matter of days, we hosted our first catering event at Hero Performance gym. Days later, we received an influx of requests for meal preps. Just like that, JimBowls became a meal prep service provider.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Although the influx of orders we immediately received was a blessing, we were not prepared for the hours of labor that it would entail. One of the first weekends, Kristi and I pulled an all-nighter; thank God her niece was available to help, otherwise, we wouldn’t have met our deadline. I still can’t believe I grilled 185 pounds of protein on ONE grill!
In addition to being blindsided by the number of hours it would take, we also had to learn how to run a business without any experience. We had to learn how to calculate our profit margin, how to find suppliers, how to calculate the amount of food needed, how to market our product, etc. We had to start building procedures for taste consistency. It’s been a learning curve!
Currently, our most faced challenge is finding a work-life balance. Having two toddlers is time consuming and a full-time job in itself. Kristi works part-time and I now have a full-time job in addition to JimBowls.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Our proteins are marinated for 24+ hours which provides that extra flavor and juiciness people rave about. Additionally, our proteins are charcoal grilled, no better way to do it in Texas! The smell of the grill brings a special aroma to our bowls when they are re-heated. Another thing that really sets JimBowls apart is that every meal comes with our spicy tomatillo salsa, a nice tribute to our culture for all of our Mexican food lovers. We pride ourselves in being a meal prep service provider that does not use any oils for cooking; this helps reduce the amount of calories and fat within our meals. Additionally, all of our meals are dairy free for anyone with dairy sensitivities. JimBowls is all about providing balanced meals, consisting of whole foods, packed with high flavor.
Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
Before the meals are prepped and made, they are prayed over.
One of our core missions is to utilize our business to serve people in need. We’ve recently started to make a few extra meals each week for those near our community who are unhoused. In the future, we would love to be able to offer a job to those who don’t have a home address or just need a second chance at life.
Our food has frequently been compared to Chipotle and Cava and we’ve even been told it tastes better!
Another project in the making is gym apparel! We’re currently working on pump covers! Our goal is to promote the mentality to “Train Hard. Eat Clean. Live Well.”
Since starting JimBowls, Kristi has lost about 25 pounds and 10% body fat. I am down 10 pounds and 4% body fat.
Contact Info:
- Email: jimbowls.eats@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jimbowls.eats/
Image Credits
@jamcreates37 @0zcr
