My friends, today calls for a celebration. As of yesterday, the first-ever Chick-Fil-A in Columbia, MO was officially opened to the public. Hallelujah! I don't eat out a lot; especially at so-called "fast food" restaurants. HOWEVER. CFA, in my book, is not fast food. It's more of a quick-service, always-reliable, always-delicious, and always-craved place where I know I'll always have an excellent, customer service-oriented, wonderful dining experience. Can you tell that I'm a fan???

Ryan and I have been living in towns without a Chick-Fil-A {the nearest one to any place we've been is an hour away} for the past two years. Needless to say, it was a sad time. I began to identify with how the Israelites must have felt during their 40 years in the desert. Ok, maybe I'm being a little dramatic. But now the past is the past and we have been delivered into a Chick-Fil-A promise land! You see, the new owner of the Columbia CFA just happens to be our next door neighbor....and was also one of the first people we met at the church we've been visiting. And he invited us to the Grand Opening of the restaurant...so OF COURSE we said we'd go!

Little did I know how grand a CFA grand opening would be. There were tastings....LOTS of tastings. We pretty much tasted half the menu! And the whole restaurant looked like a party. Here was our party invite:

What's a party without door prizes? I was thrilled to win the first door prize of the evening because I correctly guessed the 4 standard CFA hand-spun milkshake flavors. Do you know what they are???

Some of my favorite tasting highlights include some new healthy menu options. Like the Greek Yogurt Parfait pictured below:

I'm thrilled to say that we got to try the new Superfood Salad that you can get as a side item starting this fall. It was a DELISH combo of massaged kale, broccolini, dried cranberries, and toasted nuts in a sweet and citrusy vinaigrette. Such a cleansing, fresh addition to a Chick-Fil-A meal!

We also got to try CFA's most popular entree salad - the Market Salad. It was a bright and fruit-filled salad with grilled chicken, dark leafy greens, nuts, and a yummy Apple Cider Vinaigrette. I'd totally order this on a busy night when we eating out is a necessity but we want to make a healthy choice on the go!

Next up on the list of healthy fare was the Grilled Chicken Sandwich. I've been enjoying this beauty since my college days. I love the hearty wheat bun the sandwich is served on, and the chicken never fails to be flavorful and juicy. The Honey BBQ Sauce that comes with it is a must-try!

And if you have a sweet tooth but don't want to break the calorie bank, CFA has you covered! The Frosted Lemonade made with Diet Lemonade is such a refreshing treat to share with someone and end your meal on a sweet note. I'll be enjoying these on hot afternoons through the rest of the late summertime here in MO!

To top off the night, we got to go on a backstage kitchen tour and see how things work behind the scene. Ryan and I were both stoked to see this fun tribute to Mizzou designed with roasted corn and blueberries on the salad prep station. As we were walking out the door, we were given a bag of freshly-baked chocolate chip cookies and two "to-go" coffee mugs as souvenirs. We were titled "Chick Fil-A" ambassadors and can't wait to make CFA converts out of all the friends we make in Columbia!

If you love to eat at Chick-Fil-A like I do but want to make a health-conscious choice, you'll be glad to know that there are several amazing meal choices that won't break the calorie bank. You'll get a lot of good nutrition bank for your buck with lean protein, lots of fruits and veggies, and whole grains. Here's a handy dandy infographic with Chick-fil-A meal options for under 500 calories!

Like what you've seen? Check out what else is on sweetcayenne.com: Pork Chops Skillet with Cranberry Apple Pan Sauce, The Best Tuscany Driving Itinerary, Apple Pom Fizz (a refreshing drink). If you haven't seen any of the sweetcayenne.com videos, check us out on YouTube.

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*Note: this post was not sponsored in any way; nor was I compensated for my attendance/coverage of the Chick-fil-A grand opening. All opinions are my own, and I'm simply promoting a product that I love through this post!*