Lakehurst native Brianna Palmer welcomes guests to her ‘one-stop shop’ for clean eating and wellness products.
By Matt Skoufalos | March 9, 2023
Brianna Palmer of Earth Eats Cafe in Haddonfield. Credit: Matt Skoufalos.
Although she’d always been interested in healthy living and clean eating, her mother’s breast cancer diagnosis sent Brianna Palmer deep into researching holistic and integrative health.
Palmer was in the police academy at the time, leveraging her master’s degree in forensic psychology into a career as a crime analyst for the New York City Police Department.
Although the diagnosis prompted a significant lifestyle change for her mother, Palmer began delving into organic-focused, minimally processed cooking for herself as well. She added what she learned from her mother’s recovery to her own healthy habits, including cold-pressed juicing and limited-ingredient recipes.
When the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic hit, Palmer started thinking about how to parlay it into a new career.
“I’d started creating new recipes with cleaner ingredients; started juicing, getting into herbs and supplements,” Palmer said. “I dreamed up this whole company, and started a meal prep company with clean ingredients.”
Earth Eats takes its name from Palmer’s interest in eating the most minimally processed foods available, relying upon organic ingredients wherever possible, and making as much in-house as she can, including salad dressings, and eventually, almond milk.
She’s also working to publish ingredient lists for every menu item on her business website, the better to inform her customers about what they’re eating.
“It’s hard to eat out in a way that I know what’s in the food,” Palmer said. “I’m very picky with what I want to eat. I wanted to create a space where you can know what’s going on.
Brianna Palmer outside Earth Eats Cafe in Haddonfield. Credit: Matt Skoufalos.
“We really focus on the ingredients here more than anything,” she said.
“I try to push as far into as clean and homemade as possible.
“I use things here that I believe in.”
The café features a menu of wellness drinks, smoothies, and shakes; and sweet and savory small plates, from loaded toasts to grain bowls and salads.
Palmer has stocked its shelves with a selection of groceries and personal care goods, the bulk of which are sourced from local and women-owned businesses.
They include local honey from Medford-based Mill Creek Apiary, herbal medicines from Seed Apothecary of Avon-by-the-Sea, and organic CBD from Daily Dose of Neptune. Palmer is also retailing bulk protein and supplements from Truvani, bath and body goods, and homemade candles. Organic elderberry syrups will follow soon.
“I see myself as a one-stop shop,” Palmer said. “You can get juices, a shake, a meal, and some products; we have a little bit of everything here.”
Although Palmer is new to Haddonfield, she is eager to plug Earth Eats into the community of businesses that comprise its downtown marketplace.
“When I walked in this space, I fell in love with the layout,” she said. “I love the small business community feel of this town. It’s got a small-town vibe, and everyone supports each other. I want to be a part of all that stuff, too.”
Earth Eats Café is located at 211 King’s Highway East in Haddonfield. The shop is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday and Wednesday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. For more information, call 856-433-8890 or visit them online.
