What Danielle Busby Really Eats In A Day
Being a parent is hard, but being a parent of six? It would seem impossible, but everyone knows Adam and Danielle Busby from TLC's OutDaughtered are pros when it comes to parenting. Danielle, in particular, knows how to keep her kids — as well as her own health — in check, even when her days are super busy. One of the many things that Danielle Busby does best is keep her and her family well-fed with nutritious and yummy meals that are both kid- and parent-approved.
So what exactly does Danielle Busby's daily diet consist of? Well, as many moms know, whatever your kid's eating, you're usually eating, too. But she does have a few adult-only snacks and treats that she doesn't share with her children. Keep reading for all of the details about what Danielle Busby really eats in a day — and how to make some of her favorite meals!
Danielle Busby sometimes makes this for breakfast
For those interested in peeking into what Danielle Busby's daily diet is like, look no further than her blog, It's a Buzz World. On it, the mom of six often posts easy-to-make, crowd-pleasing (and kid-pleasing) meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. One of the easiest, according to her, is a breakfast casserole recipe that she often makes for her and her family to eat in the mornings. "We love to break this recipe out especially during [the] holiday season when everything is extra busy," she wrote. Since most casseroles make busy days a lot easier, we totally see how this comes through in a pinch, especially with how big Busby's family is!
The recipe for Busby's breakfast casserole is quite simple, and you don't need a lot of ingredients to copy it! As noted in Busby's "shopping list," all you need is ground sausage, canned biscuits, eggs, milk, and shredded cheese to make this super delicious, Busby family-approved dish.
This shake is a part of Danielle Busby's morning routine
According to an Instagram post from 2019, Danielle Busby's morning routine always includes a protein shake from Life SHAKE and a handful of personalized vitamins. The shake in question is a chocolate-flavored, 100% whey protein drink that is made from natural ingredients, according to its packaging. Having an easy-to-make breakfast like this one, which is fortified with personalized vitamins, is a great way to start the day, especially if you're an active mom like Busby.
Outlets like Well+Good and Healthline have touted the benefits of drinking breakfast shakes in order to help lose weight. But before you go adding any old shake to your morning routine — even one promoted by Danielle Busby herself — make sure to prioritize the quality of the shakes you drink. "You may be getting protein, which is a nice thing to have for breakfast, but there also tends to be added sugars because people want them to taste good, they want you to keep purchasing them," registered dietician Torey Armul told Well+Good. "Let that label dictate which is the healthiest choice."
Danielle Busby was criticized for making this food part of her breakfast routine
Danielle Busby got a little heat from fans by revealing that she feeds her kids Smithfield Brand biscuit breakfast sandwiches in the morning — and likely eats them herself. While it's helpful to point out that Busby has a paid partnership with the brand, that didn't stop fans from coming for her in the comments of the ad. Commenters pointed out that biscuits are known for having high levels of sodium content, which is considered to be harmful to kids and adults alike (via Healthline), and for not being the freshest breakfast option.
Still, Busby didn't take the post down, and the biscuits seem to be a crucial part of the Busby family morning, especially when they're running late. "When I first purchased this box of biscuits, it was one of those 'random purchases' to see if the kids would like them, and wow, it just worked out," she wrote in her caption. "They now more easily get in the car, put their belts on, and wait eagerly for breakfast — something that has never happened before." And we're sure Busby doesn't mind the quick on-the-go breakfast for herself either.
This veggie smoothie is approved by Danielle Busby and her kids
Smoothies are apparently a big deal in the Busby household. In a YouTube video, Danielle Busby shared how she sneaks in a ton of veggies into drinks that anyone — even her picky kids — can enjoy. It's been documented on the show that even just mentioning vegetables can send the youngest Busbys into full-blown meltdowns, so we imagine the mom of six will find any way to get her and her family to hit their daily veggie servings. "We like to kind of hide it in as many things as we can," she said in the video. "So we're gonna do a smoothie with lots of spinach."
In the video, the OutDaughtered star drops huge handfuls of raw spinach into a blender, but she also mentions that any kind of vegetables can go into the smoothie. "I've even thrown carrots in here before," she noted. She also balances out the vegetables with a good-sized serving of fruit and yogurt, though, for added sweetness. And we have to admit — the smoothie she made looked delicious! And though she made the smoothies in the video for her children, we assume Busby drinks them too — as most moms wind up eating — or drinking — what their kids do.
Danielle Busby makes this healthy summer salad for lunch
The word salad may bring to mind limp lettuce, old croutons, and just overall bad taste. However, Danielle Busby has a recipe for a healthy summer salad she eats that will make you forget any bad feelings you might associate with the meal. In a video for TLC's YouTube channel, Busby showed viewers how to make her cucumber watermelon salad, which pairs perfectly with a late summer lunch (or a lunch anytime of the year, for that matter).
For those interested, the salad is made of one chopped watermelon, one chopped cucumber, a handful of feta cheese, a couple teaspoons of honey, "a little squeeze of lime," and the optional mint leaf or two if you're fancy. And ta-da! You have yourself a Danielle Busby-approved salad option for lunch. "This is one of our favorite summer recipes," she said in the video. She instructed, "Dump this all into a bowl, toss it around, and it's super yummy."
This go-to meal was inspired by Danielle Busby's grandmother
Every mom seems to have one or two meals that's been passed down to them from their mothers and their mothers before them. In Danielle Busby's case, her Mexican cornbread casserole, which can be made for lunch or dinner, was not exactly handed down to her from her grandmother, but was greatly inspired by her. "This is a meal that reminds me of my [grandmother]. She used to make this when there was nothing else to cook," she wrote on It's a Buzz World. "I call it 'what's in the pantry casserole.'" She noted that it is "super simple and a family favorite."
We can totally see why she calls it the "what's in the pantry casserole" just by looking at the list of ingredients. This go-to meal of hers is made with ground beef (or turkey), onions, Rotel tomatoes, cream-style corn, whole kettle corn, beans, cornbread mix, shredded cheese, and sour cream. This is definitely a comfort food kind of dish — yum!
Danielle Busby sometimes makes this healthy version of quesadillas
Danielle Busby showed how to make a nutritious cauliflower quesadilla that's pleasing for both parents and kids alike on TLC's YouTube channel. She pointed out that this particular recipe is a way to hide nutritious vegetables, and, while she doesn't explicitly say what meal these are meant for, we can safely assume that this is something she and the family eat as a snack or for lunch. Although, we'd probably eat this any time of day!
In the video, Busby showed viewers just how simple the recipe is. Take a head of cauliflower, chop it up, and steam it until it starts to fall apart. Then, add a little salt and start to mash up the steamed cauliflower. Add a little milk, then keep mashing. Put the mixture between two tortillas, throw it in the microwave for a few minutes, and boom — a cauliflower quesadilla! In the video, she tried to feed the quints the quesadilla, and not everyone took to it — so she ate up! "I'm gonna eat it," she finally said, "and I'm gonna make Adam eat it."
Danielle Busby loves this meatloaf recipe
Not everyone has had a positive experience with meatloaf, but it is a staple in big families because of how easy it is to make and because of how much you can get just from making one batch. "Growing up, I was never a meatloaf fan," Danielle Busby wrote on It's a Buzz World. "However, as I got older I began to love it!"
Busby titled the recipe "Momma's Meatloaf." It's a simple meal to make, but it usually involves a lot of ingredients, as Busby outlines on her blog. For her meatloaf, the OutDaughtered star throws together lean ground beef, white onions, bread crumbs, milk, eggs, Worcestershire sauce, red pepper flakes, and other seasonings, shapes it into a loaf, and bakes it in the oven. And don't forget the secret sauce that she drizzles on top made out of ketchup, mustard, brown sugar, and Worcestershire sauce.
This is the healthy dinner Danielle Busby makes when short on time
Just because something's healthy doesn't mean it needs to take hours to make! Danielle Busby has proved this theory true with her chicken and vegetable bake recipe that she talked about in a TLC YouTube video. It's a ridiculously simple recipe, and it doesn't require too many ingredients, which is great if you're trying to copy some of Busby's meal ideas and incorporate them into your own meal plan.
Busby starts with five chicken breasts (although you can have whatever number you want) and a bowl of chopped zucchini. She said in the video that you have the option to pre-toss the veggies in the olive oil, minced garlic, salt, and pepper if you'd like, but it's not a requirement. Otherwise, you can just toss it all on together as she does in the video, bake with a sheet of tin foil over it, and voilà! You're eating just like Busby and her family.
Danielle Busby usually has these snacks on hand
In 2017, Danielle Busby took TLC on a tour of her huge kitchen to show viewers how she handles cooking for so many people, as shared on the network's YouTube channel. She said they have two huge refrigerators — one in the kitchen and one in the laundry room for any extra necessities they need. In the one in the kitchen, Busby showed all of the snacks they have on hand, which includes a lot of loose fruits, veggies, and cheese. It's good to know that, even in a pinch, Busby has a handful of healthy options to choose from when she needs a quick pick-me-up.
Speaking of a pick-me-up, we could't help but notice that, in between the juice boxes, fruits, cheese, and other assorted kid-related snacks in the refrigerator, there was also a huge bottle of wine leaning in a door of the fridge. Busby brushed it off by letting viewers know that dealing with this many kids means she gets to have her own treats, too! "No mom of six can't live without wine," she quipped in the video. Even if you're keeping it pretty healthy, a glass of wine here and there can't hurt!
What the kids eat, Danielle Busby eats
Busy moms know that carving out time for yourself is difficult with one kid, let alone six like Danielle Busby. So it's pretty easy to figure out that whatever the kids are eating, you can expect the Busby parents to be eating, too. Danielle Busby's recipes are family-sized, so you know the whole family is getting in on whatever gets made, which includes fudge pops, mac and cheese, and chicken nuggets.
The OutDaughtered star has always made a point to be super honest about her experience as a mother as well, as documented on It's a Buzz World. In one post, she expressed her feelings about being a mother and cooking for all her children. "Cooking for a family of eight, is no joke. I feel like I cook for a cafeteria at least three times a day," she wrote. She added, "I don't necessarily enjoy [cooking] as much any more because I feel like I never get out of the kitchen." Luckily, those quick meals she's learned can get everyone fed and happy — herself included.
Danielle Busby and her family are fans of breakfast for dinner
If you've gone through some of Danielle Busby's recipes on It's a Buzz World, then you know that the whole family loves having breakfast for dinner. From the breakfast casserole to the chicken quinoa skillet, to the banana fritters and more, you can tell that the Busbys take their love for breakfast seriously. "We LOVE breakfast for dinner here in the Busby house," she wrote on It's a Buzz World.
To add a little breakfast-for-dinner action in your own meal plan, if you're not exactly sold on pancakes and bacon at 6 p.m., then the chicken quinoa skillet is a great way to transition. The skillet, according to Busby's blog post, is kind of like having a breakfast hash except you replace the eggs and potatoes with quinoa. And apparently the recipe is a hit, even with kids, as Busby pointed out. "This dinner was a huge surprise hit with the family...I mean, the quints ate it!!! (#momwin)," Busby wrote. "This was the [kids'] first time actually eating quinoa and they were not sure about it at first, but it was a total hit because it was SO YUMMY!"
Danielle Busby is a fan of Red Baron pizza for dinner
In an Instagram ad for Red Baron pizza, Danielle Busby revealed that she adores having Red Baron pizza for dinner. In an Instagram post and in a blog post on It's a Buzz World, the OutDaughtered star said she laughed when she had seen the most recent episode of their TLC show because they ate Red Baron pizza that day of shooting, and it was what she was going to have for dinner that same night!
But it's not just a Busby family favorite or a paid partnership on Instagram. Busby noted that Red Baron is a family tradition for her. "Red Baron Pizza is 100% our go-to pizza, mainly because my Grandpa 'Pops' swore by Red Baron. It was the only frozen pizza he would buy," she wrote on her blog. She noted, "There are some nights I just don't feel like cooking or deciding which kid is going to be happy with that dinner ... So pizza night always saves the dinner decision!"
Danielle Busby eats a lot of Mexican-inspired meals
If you're trying to emulate Danielle Busby's diet, then you're going to need to add a few more Mexican-inspired recipes to your cooking repertoire. One look at some of her favorite easy meals to make for her family, many of which look like they're intended to be dinners, and you can tell that her go-to style of food is Mexican! The Busbys are based in Texas, as noted by Good Housekeeping, so this connection makes a lot of sense.
Her Mexican-themed casseroles include her enchilada casserole (which she makes in a slow-cooker) and her easy Mexican chicken casserole (which requires a few different kinds of soups). Busby also really seems to like taco-adjacent foods, such as her taco soup (which is a "Busby house favorite," according to It's a Buzz World), a taco bowl (all of the fun stuff, less of the mess), and chicken tacos. Okay, that's it — we're going to the Busby house for dinner tonight!