Ten years ago, Shaley Bolks successfully lost 160 pounds. Ever since then, she’s been on a mission to help others to eat and live well, physically and spiritually.

In 2018, Bolks opened Daily Clean Food & Drink, a restaurant that focuses on organic, clean, and made-from- scratch foods.

The Sioux Falls eatery was born from Bolks’ frustration with the bland and processed diet food that she was consuming on her weight-loss journey. Bolks found that these low calorie foods weren’t healthy, and made dietary changes by using whole food ingredients in her cooking at home.


Fact

Daily is featured on the popular TV show Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives, season 38 Episode 7: “Rib-Stickers.”

Bolks also became a fitness instructor at Form Fitness, where she would meet her future business partner, Steve Gratzfeld. Together, they brainstormed a business for the changing landscape in town.

“We put our heads together, and I came up with a whole bunch of really awesome menu items and things that I thought Sioux Falls was missing,” recalled Bolks. “I wanted something that wasn’t ‘open up a bag and dump it in the fryer.’”

Despite her passion for healthy eating and cooking, Bolks had no prior experience in the field before starting the business.

“I had zero experience in the food service industry aside from working at B & G Milkyway,” she said with a laugh.

“I want everybody from the very strict vegan to the hardcore carnivore to be able to have something to eat here.” -Shaley Bolks

Before Daily, she’d been running a legal processing business out of her family’s home.

When Daily opened in November of 2018, Bolks said they got a bit of a bad rap for carrying strictly healthy food.

“It’s not just salads and low-calorie diet food,” she said. “We’re focusing on food for every diet.”


MORE ON THE MENU

ENTRÉES

+ JEB’S NO BULL BURGER

Veggie-packed vegan burger with a spicy kick. Served on a Breadico ciabatta roll with onions, pickles, tomatoe, and greens with a side of baked sweet potato fries.

+ MOROCCAN CHICKEN SALAD

North African-inspired chicken salad made with currants, cashews, and tasty curry dressing served over a bed of mixed greens.

+ Z’PAGHETTI AND MEATBALLS

Zucchini noodles topped with bison meatballs, Italian spiced marinara, and parmesan.

SCRATCH MADE PIZZAS

+ GREEN GODDESS

Avo-pesto, cherry tomato, spinach, artichoke, and walnuts.

+ SODAK SPICE

Chimichurri, mozzarella cheese, red pepper, bison, and banana pepper.

+ MIDWEST VEG

Daily ranch, artichoke, spinach, onion, tomato, bell pepper, and mozzarella cheese.

SMOOTHIES

+ WORKOUT WARRIOR

Almond milk, vegan plant-based protein powder, coconut milk, and peanut-coconut butter.

+ SUN SALUTATION

Mango, pineapple, mandarin orange, carrot juice, ginger, and turmeric.

+ HAPPY HEALING

Banana, turmeric, mango, cinnamon, ginger, coconut milk, and topped with chia seeds.


Daily’s menu carries dairy-free, gluten-free, plant-based, and allergen-sensitive dishes. In the words of Guy Fieri, “This is the restaurant for everyone and their gluten-free grandma.”

Fieri stated this when Daily was featured on the hit TV show Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives in February of 2021.

When asked what being on the show was like, Bolks got goosebumps.

“I was jumping up and down just to be considered,” she reflected.

Menu items range from vegan burgers, scratch-made pizzas, acai bowls, toasts, salads, smoothies, and specialty drinks and teas. Seasonal items are also popular at Daily. Baked goods, smoothies, and bowls are reimagined every few months, and local ingredients are utilized whenever possible.

Bolks says the culture behind the counter is just as unique as the options on the menu. She notes that Daily is a very tight-knit community that promotes a culture of learning, growing, and healing.

Inspired by visitors from all over the country, Bolks says she would like to expand the business into multiple locations. Customers often express a desire to see Daily made available nationwide.

“People have come in here and said, ‘I want a Daily in Florida, I want a Daily in Omaha, I want a Daily in Colorado,’” said Bolks.

Shaley Bolks

“Colorado?” she laughed. “Don’t you have everything you need out there?”

Bolks also notes that she receives an influx of emails and calls whenever her episode airs, asking for her recipes and weight-loss advice. The supportive response has been an inspiration, and she hopes to write her own cookbook in the future.

When asked what advice she’d give to her past self, Bolks’ response is simple: “The universe will keep you on the right path. Go towards the light.”

For more information, visit DAILYCLEANFOOD.COM.
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