Alejandra Valdez, owner of Viva Fit Kitchen. Photo by Susi Franco, JEFAS Magazine.
By Karlha Velásquez
The day Alejandra Valdez noticed her feet were still swollen two days after a walk at the zoo, she knew something wasn’t right. In her early 20s and working long hours in an office, she ate whatever was available and felt tired all the time. That moment became a turning point that not only changed her health, but also her professional path.
From Corporate Job to Latina-Owned Meal Delivery Business
Now 32, the California native with roots in Michoacán, Mexico, runs Viva Fit Kitchen, a business that prepares and delivers healthy meals in Omaha, Nebraska, and Council Bluffs, Iowa. Her mission goes beyond convenience. She’s transforming how busy professionals fuel their bodies with balanced meals, serving people with little time to cook, just like she once was.
Her journey began with a health scare. “I used to eat nothing but junk food. I wasn’t drinking water, I was always exhausted. I was diagnosed with prediabetes. I didn’t exercise, and even though I knew I had to change, I didn’t know where to start,” she recalls.
The path forward came through support and gradual changes. With the encouragement of her then-boyfriend, she joined a gym. She started working with a coach and followed a nutrition plan. Little by little, she felt the difference: more energy, better mood, less inflammation. But time was still a problem. Between her job at Werner Enterprises, the gym, house chores, and a weekend bartending job, preparing healthy meals daily was nearly impossible.
Soon after, she was promoted to truck manager. As her interest in healthy eating grew, so did her exhaustion from long workdays. That’s when her entrepreneurial instinct took over.
Having studied Business Administration and Marketing at the University of Nebraska at Omaha, Valdez understood market opportunities. Her business training kicked in. Between 2017 and 2020, she researched companies that offered prepared meals but couldn’t find anything that truly reflected her values and cultural background. She thought, “What if I do it myself?” She talked to friends and her mother—an expert in Mexican cuisine—and found immediate support.
Embracing Balanced Nutrition with Cultural Roots
They started together. Her mom cooked while she promoted the meals on Facebook. “Cooking wasn’t my strong suit, but I knew exactly what I wanted to offer: real, fresh food with great flavor and balanced nutrition.” Sales grew quickly, but profits did not. “I had to learn about costs, margins and pricing. My business education helped with marketing, but finances were my weak spot at first,” she admits.
Success demanded structure. In 2019, she officially registered Viva Fit Kitchen while still working part-time at Werner. In 2023, she took the leap and left her corporate job to focus fully on her business.
Now the company has a five-person team handling marketing, cooking, finances, and donation management. Along the way, Valdez studied nutrition.
Her advice centers on macronutrients, organic ingredients, fewer carbohydrates, more vegetables, protein, and fiber. “We Hispanics often eat in a disorganized way—too much bread, too many tortillas, and not enough protein,” she says. “My idea is to change that without losing flavor.”
Alejandra Valdez, owner of Viva Fit Kitchen. Photo by Susi Franco, JEFAS Magazine.
Alejandra Valdez’s Vision for the Future of Healthy Eating
Her customer base reflects her original challenge. Most are construction workers, professionals with tight schedules, and people looking to improve their health.
“I just wanted to feel better. I discovered that by taking care of myself, I could also take care of others. Today, with every meal we deliver, I feel like we’re serving hope.”
Thanks to her online presence, EatFitGo contacted her to carry her meals in their stores.
Success hasn’t meant forgetting about her community. Viva Fit Kitchen donates part of its profits to local organizations. In 2024, they supported the Simple Foundation, and in 2025, they began collaborating with the Soccer Team Club of Omaha.
Valdez isn’t slowing down. She dreams of having her own storefront, offering scholarships for Hispanic youth interested in health and nutrition, and becoming an exemplary mother.
Her transformation from prediabetic office worker to health-focused entrepreneur illustrates how personal challenges can become professional purpose. “I just wanted to feel better. I discovered that by taking care of myself, I could also take care of others,” she says. “Today, with every meal we deliver, I feel like we’re serving hope.” From swollen feet at the zoo to building a business that nourishes her community, Valdez proves that the best solutions often start with solving your own problems first.
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