The roots of HealthyNut trace back to 2000, when founder Jen Foley welcomed her first child, Shamus. Shortly after his birth, Jen began experiencing persistent joint pain and was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis. Medications helped only minimally, and after years of tests and trial-and-error treatments, she finally discovered the real cause: a gluten allergy, along with several other food sensitivities.

This discovery opened Jen’s eyes to just how much everyday food choices impact overall health and wellbeing. While continuing her career in the corporate world, she began studying to become a certified nutrition coach, wanting to better understand the connection between food and how we feel.

In 2016, Jen was laid off—a moment that encouraged her to shift her focus fully toward nutrition and her role as a cycling instructor at Tread A year later, HealthyNut officially came to life. Jen began sharing her healthy recipes, snacks, and her now-popular protein balls. And, like many passionate home chefs, she kept hearing, “You should sell these!”—so she did.

During the pandemic, while many small businesses faced challenges, HealthyNut found its stride. Jen began offering twice-weekly deliveries, building a strong local following. In 2023, HealthyNut launched its first farmers market booth, marking an exciting step forward.

Today, in 2025, HealthyNut has its own storefront just outside downtown Wakefield, MA, and is carried in more than eight local businesses. What started as Jen’s personal journey toward feeling better has grown into a community-driven brand dedicated to simple, nutritious, feel-good food.