Altitude Açaí – More Than Just Dessert

Who knew healthy could taste so good?

Megan and Brendan McDonald knew. The two have been offering açaí berry sorbet bowls from their Altitude Açaí food truck since 2024, and this spring are preparing to open a brick and mortar location in Suite C of the Hart Mountain Suites at the corner of Beck Ave. and 13th St.

The fresh, high-quality açaí bowls that the McDonalds have been serving from a mobile kitchen will soon be offered year-round, complete with delicious (and nutritious) toppings that their customers have come to expect.

“It’s been a hit, because there’s nothing like this for a two hour drive,” said Megan. “It definitely started off as this healthy eating idea, and also a little part time job to help me out with raising my kids.”

Megan, a beautician from eastern Montana, met Air Force veteran Brendan in 2023. Originally from Burns, Oregon, Brendan had retired from the military in 2022 and moved to Cody, where his father managed the district office for the Bureau of Land Management. The two were dating when she decided to move to Cody and open Altitude Açaí as a food truck for supplemental income.

“As a single mom, I needed a little more than just doing hair, and a flexible schedule to work around the four kids that I moved here with,” she said. “Coming out here to visit Brendan the summer of 2023 and seeing all the food trucks at an event at the park, there was nothing healthy but still delicious. So I figured maybe just on weekends visiting my then-boyfriend, I could come down when I didn’t have the kids, and offer a healthy option for events.”

What Are Açaí Bowls?

Açaí bowls start off with a sorbet base that is thick and spoonable. They are made from frozen, blended organic açaí berries (a superfood native to the Amazon jungle), and are generally topped with granola, fresh fruit, seeds, and nuts, as well as dark chocolate, peanut butter, and other toppings. Megan explained that the combination of superfood nutrition and delicious topping options make açaí bowls a healthy meal or snack option.

Altitude Acai’s “To-go” Acai Bowl

“First off, the açaí berries are organic, but then we keep all of our ingredients gluten free, even our granola,” she said. “Then you get fruit and protein with nuts as an option, or a little sweetness with the toppings—coconut, dark chocolate, and then the sauces just kind of tie it all together.”

Altitude Acai sorbet is made in the USA and is certified organic, and Megan said the toppings contain no extra added sugars or salt.

“The great part is that you feel good after you eat it,” she said. “So if it’s a dessert, you don’t feel kind of slump-ish like a dairy product or an ice cream would make you feel. And then as a meal, you can load it up as a protein bowl, and you kind of hit all the major food groups.”

Megan said that with the right toppings, an açaí bowl can contain close to 40 grams of protein.

“Pepitas, or pumpkin seeds, are high in protein,” she said. “And then hemp seeds are an option, peanut butter, or a high-protein granola as a substitute for regular granola.”

Megan pointed out that açaí bowls are nutritious—and delicious—enough to be served as a meal.

“Some people think it’s just dessert,” she said. “When I have a birthday party for my child at home, I serve açaí bowls to the kids for dinner.”

Family and Community

When Megan started the Altitude Açaí food truck in 2024, she worked part time, three or four days a week, doing mostly special events. Brendan would assist between guiding trips, and Megan’s older daughters helped behind the counter.

“It’s a really neat bonding family thing, and we get to hang out and teach them how to run things and order and manage and communicate with the public, and be respectful and kind,” she said.

Brendan and Megan have been working together to remodel the space that used to be a hair salon.

“We built this entire place ourselves, short of things like plumbing,” said Brendan. “But I’ll continue to sling bowls, as we say, and do the day to day maintenance. There will be seasons coming up that I still guide, and I still contract for the military and I travel occasionally. So in between guiding and that, I’ll be here working as well.”

The menu items for Altitude Açaí include not only their signature bowls, but also will also offer drip coffee in the mornings, as well as Italian sodas.

“We’re trying to keep it simple right now, because the space is limited,” said Megan. “We’re trying to kind of mimic our food truck as far as production and simplicity.”

The names of Altitude Açaí’s signature bowls actually reflect Megan’s children’s personalities and tastes, although she said customers can create their own using the toppings on the menu.

“My oldest daughter’s nickname her whole life was Kyya Bear, so ‘Bear Attack,’” said Megan, referring to a bowl topped with berries, pumpkin seeds and bee pollen. The “Goldilocks” bowl, referring to Megan’s three blonde daughters, features mangos, pineapples, bananas, coconut, almonds and dark chocolate.

“And then ‘T-Rex,’ my son’s name is Ruxyn, and he loves dinosaurs,” she said. Ruxyn’s favorite bowl is topped with extra bananas, blueberries, rolled oats, graham crackers and Nutella.

Megan and Brendan hope that the new location will also serve as a gathering place for the community.

“I would love it if amateur musicians were out here a couple of nights a week,” said Megan. “Artists of all kinds or other mobile small businesses – just networking.”

And although the 13th Street location will give the business a permanent address, the food truck that introduced the community to the healthy deliciousness that Altitude Açaí offers will still be found around town.

“We’ll still be doing special events and things like concerts in the park,” said Megan. “Special events and other information can be found on our website or our social media pages on Instagram and Facebook.”

Altitude Açaí’s new location will open May 21, and they plan to be open 7 days a week from 7:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m. They’ll also be open 5 p.m.-8 p.m. Friday and Saturday beginning in June.

Customers can find out more about Altitude Açaí on their Facebook page.

[Community Profile]

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