NASHVILLE, TN – In a fast-growing city where health, hustle, and hospitality intersect, Happy Belly has carved out a niche that’s as nourishing as it is necessary. This Nashville-based personal chef company is changing the way families eat and how they heal by providing whole food-based, customized meal prep services tailored to each client’s lifestyle, health goals, and dietary needs.
At its core, Happy Belly is more than just a meal service. It’s a wellness-driven experience rooted in care, education, and community. What began as a way to support postpartum women has expanded into a thriving business serving families, individuals with chronic illnesses, and anyone in need of healing food made from scratch.
The company’s founder, Megan Haley, didn’t always plan on a culinary career. “I grew up cooking, my mom made dinner every night, but I never saw it as a job,” she explained. Megan initially pursued a career in the music industry, but quickly became aware by the unhealthy lifestyle that surrounded it.
While living in Manhattan, she made the spontaneous decision to enroll at the Institute of Culinary Education. “I just wanted to try it and see,” she said. “And I loved it. I loved being around people who were as obsessed with food as much as I was.”
After graduating, she worked in top-tier New York restaurants but realized the restaurant grind wasn’t for her. “I always wanted that one-on-one connection. I loved the idea of being in someone’s home, helping them choose meals and ingredients that make them feel their best.”
That vision came to life in 2017 after she moved to Nashville and gave birth to her first child. Fueled by the experience of early motherhood, Megan launched Happy Belly with a focus on postpartum women. “I had just had a baby, and I saw firsthand how critical nutrition is during that healing window,” she said. “So I wanted to support other women in that same space.”
Though Happy Belly began as a postpartum-focused business, it quickly expanded. “Word just got around that if you need healthy food, call Megan,’” she laughed. “It wasn’t long before we were working with busy families, people with allergies, cancer patients, and those on strict medical diets.”
Personal chef services weren’t widely available in Nashville. “People thought having a chef come into your home was something only celebrities could do,” Megan said. “But our model with customized, in-home meal prep, offered an affordable, health-conscious solution for everyday families.”
The key clientele? Dual-working parents with busy kids, those who rely on takeout but want something healthier, and individuals with dietary restrictions. “A lot of people don’t realize that when you’re constantly ordering food, it’s not only expensive, but you also don’t know what oils or ingredients are being used,” Megan noted. “With us, every ingredient is intentional and tailored.”
Today, Happy Belly operates with a growing team of chefs and a built-in nutritionist. Each menu is curated specifically for the client based on their tastes, goals, and health conditions. “We’ve helped clients with everything from celiac disease to kidney disease,” she said. “One client needed an extremely low-sodium diet. We made sure everything they received was verified by our nutritionist.”
Megan is quick to clarify that Happy Belly doesn’t follow any trendy or restrictive diet plans. “We don’t preach paleo, keto, or Whole30. We just believe in whole, unprocessed ingredients—nothing prepackaged, nothing artificial,” she said.
Sample meals include dishes like roasted white fish with lemon almondine sauce served over either vegetables or pasta, depending on the client’s preferences. Other staples include whole roast chicken with rotating sides, Thai vegetable curry with tofu, or Mediterranean-inspired dishes like braised beans with tomato and feta—recipes influenced by her travels through Greece, Spain, and Israel.
“The goal is to make healthy food that people actually want to eat,” Megan said. “Because if it’s not enjoyable, it’s not sustainable.”
While the clientele has expanded, Megan’s heart remains with the moms. “The postpartum stories are the ones that remind me why I do this,” she shared. After a challenging first postpartum experience herself, she prioritized rest and recovery after her second child which included planning her meals, staying in bed, and fully embracing the healing process.
“The difference was night and day,” she said. “No exhaustion, no inflammation, no hormonal crash. And when I hear from other moms who’ve had that same turnaround because of our meals, that’s what keeps me going.”
Megan says the postpartum support Happy Belly provides fills a real gap. “So many moms are here without their extended families. Their friends and relatives from out of town can now gift them a meal package that makes them feel truly cared for.”
Explore their services and postpartum packages at here.
“These days, I’m not cooking as much myself. I spend more time running the business,” Megan explained. “But our chefs are the ones showing up in homes, customizing meals, remembering the little details. They’re the heart of this operation.”
Meet the a few of the Happy Belly Chefs below:
To celebrate her team, Megan hosts a “Cookbook Club.” Each chef receives a cookbook, selects a recipe, and they all gather to cook, taste, and connect. “It’s one of our favorite things to do together,” she said. “It reminds us that we’re not just cooking, we’re creating experiences.”
Outside of work, Megan and her family enjoy Tennessee’s natural beauty. “We’re always outside at the pool, hiking waterfalls, biking with the kids,” she said. At home, their backyard has become a culinary playground. “We built a fire pit, added a grill rack, and just got a pizza oven. Now we cook outside almost every weekend.”
As Happy Belly continues to grow, Megan’s mission remains rooted in service, nourishment, and empowerment. “Food is so personal,” she said. “It’s not just fuel—it’s comfort, it’s connection, and in so many cases, it’s healing. That’s what we’re here to provide.”
For more information on Happy Belly and to get started with them, visit their website or follow them on Instagram.
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