Here's What Denise Richards Really Eats In A Day

Denise Richards understands the struggle is real when it comes to getting the whole family to eat together. Like any parent, the Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star is balancing her own busy schedule with the busy schedules of her husband Aaron and daughters Sam, Lola, and Eloise (via TODAY). According to Bravo, Richards posted on her Instagram about her plan to gather everyone for dinner. Eating meals together is beneficial for the whole family, after all, reports Parents, teaching kids good eating habits and social skills and fostering connection. 

This relatable content gave a peek into how Richards eats at home. For the Instagram-documented dinner, the appetizer was chicken noodle soup. The main course was slow-roasted chicken with mashed potatoes (vegan and non-vegan), sauteed green beans in a balsamic reduction, and a salad with heirloom tomato, avocado, and cucumber. For dessert, the family was treated to homemade brownies courtesy of youngest daughter and clearly budding kitchen prodigy Eloise, topped with Häagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream. 

It seems Richards values balance in her meals and must have a love of chicken—a recent development in the star's eating habits. Only this past summer, Richards revealed to Women's Health she had recently quit her years-long vegetarian diet. Another change she made? Cutting gluten almost entirely, the result of RHOBH fans pointing out to her that her thyroid seemed enlarged, Richards wrote in another Instagram post (via Showbiz CheatSheet).

"I had no idea how much our diet really can affect our body and for me how toxic gluten really is," she explained.

Now, Richards likes to pack in the protein, explaining that the switch from vegetarianism happened after she tried some meat with a meal and liked the healthy kind of full she felt (via Women's Health). Other habits include a daily cup of coffee each morning, with no skimping: Richards prefers half-and-half. She told Women's Health she eats "lunch or dinner food" for breakfast, and if she goes the eggs route, it's something like a mozzarella, tomato, and basil omelet.

The star prefers grazing over three square meals, and snacks on veggies with sea salt, fresh fruit, cheese, nuts, or chips, and her own homemade guacamole. Depending on her work schedule, if she has time for an actual lunch, it's a big salad with a protein like chicken or grilled salmon. Richards's go-to dinner equation fits right in with her Instagrammed family meal: roast chicken and lots of vegetables plus a salad. She also loves a good steak or halibut but said during her interview that she was having difficulty "finding a gluten-free [pasta] that tastes like real pasta and not gross."

Richards's eating habits are proof that there's always learning and adjusting to be done as our bodies change and we figure out what best suits us. Plus, there's always room for balancing a healthy approach with the things we truly love to eat.