What Kristen Bell Really Eats In A Day
Kristen Bell has appeared in all kinds of acting projects, including Veronica Mars, Gossip Girl, Frozen and Frozen 2, and The Good Place. The actress brings a certain kind of magic to every show or movie she's involved in with her radiant smile, chipper attitude, and overall good-natured talent. Can you even imagine anyone other than Bell being the voice of Anna?
In addition to being a fantastic actress, you might have noticed that Bell is in pretty killer shape. That's no accident, as she takes great pains to make sure that she stays fit and active, even when she's stuck on set for long hours at a time. That doesn't mean she lives at the gym — she's a little too busy for that, with her career and her family — but she does make sure to move as much as possible on a day-to-day basis.
Additionally, Bell makes sure to monitor what she eats in order to feel as healthy and happy as possible. So what exactly does that look like? Read on to see what Kristen Bell really eats in a day.
It's super important that Kristen Bell knows where her food came from
If you were to go grocery shopping with Kristen Bell, you'd notice fairly quickly that it's not going to be a quick trip where she just grabs whatever looks good at the moment. Instead, you'd find yourself taking your sweet time as she reads the nutrition label on everything she puts in her cart — and that includes every ingredient on the list. "Food — that's my jam," she shared in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. "I want to know what's in everything. I'm obsessive about food. I want to know who made it and where it came from." That's definitely a noble ambition.
Bell encourages others to do the same with their grocery lists, as knowing exactly what's in your food, as well as how it's been produced, can help you to demystify your pantry. "Food feels confusing, but it's not," she continued. "If you have the inkling to better your life and health, there are resources out there and a little understanding goes a long way." Fair point!
Kristen Bell starts her day with a healthy breakfast
Being an actress means that Kristen Bell often has to spend long hours on set, which means she's dependent on what food offerings are available. Fortunately, it sounds like she's got the healthy breakfast option on lock, with lots of exciting textures and flavors that she can choose from. "For breakfast I had an egg-white scramble with avocado and habanero sauce from the caterer on set, and I made a matcha latte with almond milk," she revealed in an interview with Grub Street. "I'm not that fancy, but it has some nice caffeine and doesn't give me the slump that coffee does."
Sometimes Bell will change it up, opting instead for oatmeal with fruit, or perhaps going with what she can throw into a blender. "Breakfast was a smoothie with organic spinach, organic kale, frozen organic berries, maca powder, chia seeds, and chocolate vegan protein powder," she continued. And, of course, that was accompanied by her usual matcha and almond milk latte. Bell definitely seems to have taken note of all the things healthy people eat for breakfast.
Tracking macros is super important for Kristen Bell
One of the strategies Kristen Bell uses in order to eat healthy and feel satiated is mentally tracking her macros (macronutrients), which helps her make the most sensible food choices throughout the day. "I pay attention to a food's nutritional value and then balance my diet really well," she explained in an interview with Shape. "Like knowing, OK, I've had enough protein today, I'm going to eat carbs for dinner, or vice versa." Sounds pretty foolproof!
At the center of this concept for Bell is balancing her diet, which ensures that she looks great, can think clearly, and isn't constantly starving. "I try to balance everything," she continued. "Does an avocado have a ton of fat in it? Yes, but it's healthy fat, so have an avocado with sea salt. Same thing with fruit." So she isn't just concerned about how much protein something has, or how many carbs it contains — it's a holistic approach that considers all of the ingredients.
Kristen Bell eats a garbage disposal salad for lunch
When it comes to lunch, Kristen Bell has a go-to dish that she prefers, as it can be customized every day to be a little bit different. "We always have a big salad bar, and my personal favorite dish in the world is my 'garbage disposal' salad because it's never boring," she shared in an interview with Grub Street. "I try to add a little bit of everything and keep my diet very diverse."
As to what that can look like, there are a variety of different options. Sometimes she'll throw red beans and peppers on her salad, and other times different legumes and vegetables. "Today's on-set salad included spinach and romaine lettuce, chickpeas, red beans, broccoli, cauliflower, jalapeños, red pepper, feta, and a fig glaze and olive oil dressing," she continued. Sometimes she'll also have sweet potatoes on the side, and will wash it all down with Perrier. Yum!
This is what Kristen Bell likes to snack on
To supplement her main meals, Kristen Bell likes to have snacks on hand for when she gets hungry during the day. Additionally, one of her mainstays is something she created herself to cater to her own palate — and do good for people who need it. "For a snack, I had a dark-chocolate-cherry-sea-salt bar from This Bar Saves Lives," she revealed in an interview with Grub Street. "I'm a co-founder of the company, so I made sure all the flavors were my favorites." She added that for each box sold, the company donates nutritious food to hungry children in need. Good stuff, Kristen!
When she's not reaching for a snack bar, Bell has a few other favorite go-to foods to whet her appetite. "As a snack at work, I'll grab a Chobani yogurt," she explained in an interview with Shape. "At home, I'll pick things that are blooming in my garden – mulberries, nectar plums, blackberries." Sometimes she'll reach for vegan cookies, too, but opts for those with plenty of protein.
What is Kristen Bell's favorite restaurant?
Los Angeles has one of the most diverse food scenes in the country, according to Eater. To that end, Kristen Bell has no shortage of places to dine in or take out, but there's one place she especially adores: Sqirl. "It's my favorite restaurant in the city," she shared in an interview with Grub Street. "So delicious. My kids love it." That's one heck of an endorsement!
So when Bell is kicking back on the weekends, sometimes she'll allow herself to get a little lazy and order from the restaurant for her afternoon meal. "I used the online delivery system Postmates (a gift from the gods) to order from Sqirl for lunch," she continued. "I got the sorrel pesto rice bowl and the Kabbouleh salad." That sounds delicious!
Given the wide variety of items on the menu at Sqirl, chances are Bell can switch it up on a fairly regular basis, too.
Kristen Bell loves eating carbs for dinner
When it comes to what Kristen Bell likes to make for dinner, she's especially fond of pasta, a food she unabashedly loves. She also has a go-to recipe that she and her family enjoy for their evening meal. "What I'll do is cut up some cherry tomatoes, fry them in a pan with a little olive oil, throw the cooked noodles in, then add a little more olive oil, and maybe some ghee, and crack an egg in it for creaminess," she explained in an interview with Shape. "The dish is like a carbonara, but with tomatoes and without meat, and it's truly divine." It sounds like it!
If Bell wants to add some extra textures and protein, she just reaches into the fridge in order to round out the dish. "I really like the Beyond Meat crumbles to add some protein," she shared in an interview with Delish. "I also add in whatever Paul Newman's Own pasta sauce we have in the cupboards." Then, presto! Dinner's ready.
The pasta that changed Kristen Bell's life
Kristen Bell doesn't just grab any old box of spaghetti off of the shelf at the supermarket — that would not be in alignment with her nutritional principles. Rather, Bell has discovered a pasta that she adores, which is healthier than your standard, regular semolina-based products. "There is a brand of pasta that I've been getting at Thrive Market called Banza that's made from chickpeas and pea protein," she revealed in an interview with Shape. "It's got a lot of protein in it – about 25 grams a serving – and it tastes like regular pasta." That certainly helps turn pasta into more of a nutritious meal, as it better balances carbohydrates and protein.
Bell isn't shy when it comes time to sing Banza's praises. "It's so good," she continued, adding, "I'm telling you, this pasta has changed my life." That's a pretty high compliment for a humble, weeknight dinner staple!
This is Kristen Bell's favorite food
Obviously, being healthy is super important to Kristen Bell, who's extremely mindful about what she eats and drinks. But it's not just about having a fit bod for Bell — she has more important motivations, as well as ways in which she measures her well-being. "To me, being healthy means feeling good about the choices I'm making," she declared in an interview with Shape. "And most important, it's about keeping fit mentally and physically. I'm constantly reminding myself that it's not about my thighs: It's about my commitment and my happiness level." That's a really good approach to overall wellness, for sure.
That being said, Bell doesn't just eat vegetables and other healthy foods all day, as she has a rather indulgent number one pleasure. "My favorite food, though, is croutons," she continued. "Any and all croutons. I don't discriminate." Chances are, then, that croutons make a regular appearance in her salads. They certainly do add a nice crunch and flavor to meals.
Kristen Bell keeps pizza on the menu
Croutons aren't the only indulgent food that Kristen Bell keeps in her otherwise healthy diet. Most notably, she refuses to take pizza off of the menu for a variety of reasons, late nights being one of them. "I got home around midnight from work, and there was leftover pizza from Lucifers that my husband and the kids had eaten, so I snagged some of that before passing out on my pillow, dreaming about carbs," she confessed in an interview with Grub Street. "I allow myself to do that, a) because it's delicious, and b) because 85 percent of my diet is healthy and thoughtful." We are definitely here for this approach.
Bell just doesn't see the need to be ultra-restrictive, instead allowing herself the latitude to have a decadent meal every now and again. "I don't beat myself up when I eat foods that are indulgent," she continued. "Also, if I can bribe my kids to eat vegetables by giving them pizza at a later point, I'll do it." Talk about relatable!
This is what Kristen Bell never eats
Though Kristen Bell includes some decadent foods in her diet, there are some things you won't see her chowing down on anytime soon, especially meat. "I was vegan and am now vegetarian," she revealed in an interview with the Los Angeles Times. "I'm all about eating clean and ethically, but I also believe that it's important to listen to your body."
Additionally, Bell understands that everyone has different nutritional needs, and she isn't here to police anyone else about their food intake. "Some people's bodies tell them to eat meat," she continued. "There's a better way to do it because factory farming is a nightmare. I give my children meat; the chicken they get has been raised in, basically, a spa." She added that the chickens even get manicures, so you know they're living large.
Instead, Bell is more likely to reach for meat substitutes like Beyond Burgers, which she eats freely during periods when she's working out a lot.
Kristen Bell avoids sugar as much as possible
In addition to avoiding meat, there's another thing that Kristen Bell doesn't indulge in: sugar. That all started when she and her husband did a 30-day no sugar challenge, then felt sick after re-introducing it to her diet once it was over. "You have to change your brain's receptors to thinking it's bad for you [versus] it's good for you," she explained in an interview with Delish. "You have to associate it with something negative in order to give it up."
Bell does keep a little bit of sugar on hand in case the cravings hit hard, but it's definitely not the first thing that she goes for when she has a snack attack. "I'll get a chocolate bar and keep it in the cupboard and have a piece of it if I really want something, but I cheat very rarely," she continued. "I will cheat with salty things, just not sugar. But that I think is better for you. I think sugar's really bad for us."
Sounds like Bell knows what eating too much sugar does to the body and has found her own ways to break a sugar addiction.
Kristen Bell very seldom drinks alcohol
Although Kristen Bell hasn't sworn off alcohol for life, it's not something that she indulges in very often. "I personally don't have wine every day," she shared in an interview with HuffPost. "But my wine is Netflix and cuddling with my husband or our date night." Aw! Talk about #RelationshipGoals.
So when it comes to her take on the alcohol saturation in parenting culture, she's just not that into it — though she does understand the message behind it. "The wine memes, for me, they're all-encompassing in the fact that they represent, 'Remember that you're an adult. It's OK if your kids are stressful and annoying. It's OK to take time for yourself,'" she continued. "But to me, that doesn't necessarily ever mean alcohol."
Bell did kick back and unwind in 2019, when she "discovered rosé" and had one glass every day while she was on vacation, according to Women's Health. But those days are definitely outliers, as the rest of the time she's fine being sober.
Portion control is important to Kristen Bell
If there's one thing that sums up Kristen Bell's overall attitude toward food and nutrition, it's that she "eats clean" about 90 percent of the time. That allows her the freedom to indulge when it feels right and to maintain a healthy relationship with both food and her body. That can be hard to do, especially in a cultural climate where being thin and perfect is expected of women!
Additionally, Bell definitely adheres to the notion that all things should be in moderation, including moderation. That's where portion control comes in quite handy, as it allows her to eat whatever food she wants to without worrying about undue consequences, especially when she's on set. "I'm not super restrictive. If they make au gratin potatoes, I'm going to have some, but I am mindful of the portion I take," she explained in an interview with Women's Health. "I find that through conscious eating, I'm able to have all the rewards and also maintain a healthy, steady diet."
We'd say Kristen Bell's stunning transformation is just beginning.