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For years, Shannon Allen, wife to former Miami Heat player Ray Allen, was having a hard time finding healthy and nutritious fast food for their 5 kids, an issue that was especially important since her 9-year old son Walker has Type-1 diabetes.

But one day, a light bulb went off in her head.

“I had an aha moment where I realized I couldn’t sit around helpless waiting for someone else to create a fast-food option that met our family’s dietary needs, and as we did our research it became obvious that this wasn’t a struggle unique to us, families everywhere are looking for convenience without compromise,” she told the Miami Herald.

And from there Grown was born, their upcoming organic fast-food restaurant set to open in South Miami next month.

Working with chefs and nutritionists, some from Mrs. Allen’s own cooking show The Pre-Game Meal, the menu will include locally sourced and organic cuisines including “soups, salads, sandwiches and wraps, gluten-free baked goods, cold-pressed juices, fruit smoothies and coffee,” the Herald writes. The items range from $4 – $18, which can work for folks’ budgets.

Mr. Allen, who is currently a free agent, believes that in these more health conscious times, there is a demand for a place like Grown that will and can meet the needs of Miami’s diversity.

“People want to be healthier, eat cleaner and feel better about what they’re putting in their bodies,” he told the Herald.

He added, “I know this from personal experience, and when Grown opens it will very much be a concept unlike anything else, designed to be accessible by everyone, from the weekend warrior to the soccer mom and anyone in between.”

Oh, and the 1,900 square foot restaurant will also be mad environment friendly with it’s a “rooftop garden where local farmers will grow vegetables, greens and herbs for use in the restaurant’s kitchen” the Herald points out.

The Allens aren’t the only sports-related folks to try to their hand in the restaurant business. LeBron James and his wife Savannah Brinson owned a juice bar in Miami before moving back to Cleveland. Plus Michael Jordan and former NFL stars John Elway and Dan Marino have also opened steakhouses, noted the Washington Post.

We wish the Allens good luck on their new venture!

[SOURCES: Miami Herald,The Washington Post]

RELATED LINKS:

New Dietary Guidelines Want Us To Eat Way Less Sugar And Much More Veggies

Shonda Rhimes Talks 117-Pound Weight Loss: ‘I Wanted To Be Around For My Kids’

Grass-Fed, Free Range, Organic…Oh My!: 16 Tips On How To Read Food Labels For Real

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