Sunny Bridge Natural Foods and Cafe: Providing Healthy Choices for the Modern Family

“You only get one mind and one body. And it’s got to last a lifetime…it’s what you do right now, today, that determines how your mind and body will operate ten, twenty, thirty years from now.” — Warren Buffet

Oodles of noodles. Chicken nuggets. Boxed mac and cheese. These are the dietary staples of my twin 4-year-olds. Finding inspiration from the above quote, I made a concerted effort to better the diets of my youngest children. In my search, I found Sunny Bridge Natural Foods and Cafe located in the Peters Town Center Shoppes in Peters Township. 

Sunny Bridge Natural Foods and Cafe, my newest grocery store addition to my week’s shopping rotation, has been in business for nearly 15 years. I had the pleasure of meeting the owner, Gina Synder on my first day of store exploration. We spoke at length about her store and how her goal is to empower customers to positively change and maintain their health and wellness. She does this through providing a wide range of natural products from local farms and vendors. 

 

On my first visit, I brought my energetic twins, and the staff was eager to help us and answered our many questions. We could easily navigate the store, as it is extremely family-friendly and just the right size–not too big and overwhelming, yet still having ample space for a wide selection of healthy products. 

Although we initially came to store seeking dietary alternatives for the little ones, as I made my way through the store and its various departments, many items matched the specific needs of each of my older children and husband. 

The supplement and vitamin section was expansive, from the latest trends to tried and true classics. Vitamins, minerals and dietary supplements abound. There were supplements and vitamins for every age and gender, as well as a large section of proteins (perfect for my son who uses proteins to recover from various sporting activities). The staff was very knowledgeable and helped to select the best supplements and vitamins for the needs of each of my family members.

A large selection of bulk spices is also available.

Next we made our way to the personal care section, here, there was a  large selection of not only organic and natural  products, but also eco-friendly (this section is perfect for my teenage daughter). The body and skin care products are all paraben and sulfate free, and offer a natural alternative to chemicals typically found in body care products sold at chain stores. Additionally this section contains a large selection of essential oils and carrier oils for anyone who likes to make their soaps, body care, healing mixtures or home scents.  

As we made our way through the grocery section, I was so impressed by the local products available: meats, dairy and free range egg sections, as well as offering local organic fruits and vegetables. The meats are sourced from Logan Family Farm in Irwin, PA. It is wonderful to have a local option for meats, dairy and poultry. 


And like most families, we have special dietary needs, and Sunny Bridge has a variety of gluten-free and paleo choices to add to the dinner rotation. There are fresh and frozen offerings from breads to pizzas, as well as a grab-and-go section. Additionally, there is an assortment of gluten-free flour blends as well as other cooking and baking needs available in the gluten-free bulk section of the store. 

 

Additionally, Sunny Bridge caters to families who may have additional food allergies. Sunny Bridge provides dairy-free, soy-free, nut-free and egg-free diet selections. There is also a large selection of alternatives to peanut butter, which is so essential for today’s families.

We capped our visit to Sunny Bridge with a visit to the cafe. Aptly named ‘SunnyBakes,’  it is a gluten-free, in-house bakery and cafe. Executive Chef Jason Kerstetter does a fantastic job with his fresh baked daily selection (cupcakes, cookies donuts, muffins and pies) as well as making customized wraps, pizzas, and salads (the wraps and pizza crusts are all gluten-free and made in the bakery as well). 

There is also a selection of flavorful soups, fresh juices and smoothies, all prepared from organic ingredients. And for coffee lovers, SunnyBakes brews fresh, organic coffees, which are ‘Fair Trade Certified’ and range from House Blend to Decaf and a special coffee of the month. I ordered a specialty wrap (with turkey bacon, lettuce, tomato–delicious, I highly recommend) from the cafe and the twins enjoyed cookies and cupcakes.

The food was delicious and healthy too! These two thoroughly enjoyed their first (of many) gluten-free desserts!  

15th Anniversary Celebration

Sunny Bridge’s 15th Anniversary celebration will take place on Friday and Saturday, March 3rd – 4th at the Peters Township store. Look for 15% discounts throughout the store and cafe. They’ll have new products to sample, vendor demos, giveaways and raffles, live radio and delicious cafe and bakery specials. Their knowledgeable staff, fresh groceries, and selection of supplements are sure to help you take those steps towards a healthier lifestyle. More anniversary details can be found on Sunny Bridge’s Facebook page here. Sunny Bridge is currently running a promotion on Facebook right now for a chance to win a $50 gift basket, click here to enter the drawing.

We’ll be heading back to Sunny Bridge for the anniversary sale and recommend visiting then to enhance a healthy lifestyle or to continue to follow through on New Year’s resolutions. You’ll be sure to find something for everyone in your family.

For further information visit their website at http://sunnybridgenaturalfoods.com/.

Sunny Bridge Natural Foods & Café
130 Gallery Drive
McMurray, PA 15317

724.942.5800

Hours:

Mon – Thurs: 9am – 8pm
Fri: 9am – 7pm
Sat: 9am – 5pm
Sun: 10am – 5pm

Cheers to a healthy tomorrow.

Pittsburgh Moms Blog has partnered with Sunny Bridge Natural Foods and Cafe for this project, but as always, the opinions are all our own.
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Sarah Knight
Sarah Knight is a mother of five children, wife of her college sweetheart and companion to her numerous household pets, as well as a resident of the South Hills of Pittsburgh. She holds two degrees from Duquesne University: A Master's in English Literature and BS in Business Management. Growing up as an only child, Sarah has faced many challenges raising a large family. Raising children (the youngest being highly energetic twin 4 year olds) has provided many lessons in parenting, patience and life. She is an aspiring writer who is now finally able to put pen to paper, as her kiddos are a little bit older. As a stay at home mom, living on a single income, Sarah is always finding new ways to keep the family on a budget. She is an avid runner, and has run five half marathons and will be running the Pittsburgh half this May. She loves learning new things, whether experimenting with cooking, making home decor or gardening. Follow her writings at wicklowwildflower.com or @wicklowwildflower on Facebook.