James Van Der Beek wants you to share yourgreen bean casserolefor a good cause this Thanksgiving.
EatingWell: What inspired your partnership with Libby’s Vegetables?
And they’re rewarding people for sharing their green bean casseroles, too.
Photo: Libby’s Vegetables
It was something that really impacted me.
Who taught you how to cook?
Van Der Beek:I didn’t cook at all before I met my wife, Kimberly.
So I was like, I better figure this out.
Marissa cooks with the kids sometimes during the day and they love it.
EatingWell: Are you dealing with picky eaters?
You do a fair amount of traveling, so they must experience a lot of different types of foods.
Van Der Beek:They do.
It’s funny, we do it buffet-style with this many kids.
About three kids ago, we stopped plating for each of the kids.
It’s how we survive.
Some of them are pickier than others.
But really, we’re big on just having to try things.
Just try, you don’t have to eat all of it, but just try it.
EatingWell: When you’re traveling, what does a family meal look like?
How do you confirm you and your family are eating healthfully?
Van Der Beek:With the RV, obviously it’s tricky.
It’s a lot of fun.
Canned vegetables also can be a real savior, if you know what to do with them.
And then every once in a while, a little treat.
EatingWell: Aside from green bean casserole, what will your Thanksgiving look like this year?
Van Der Beek:We always kind of end up with a lot of people.
We end up with some combination of friends and family.
We’ve got a beautiful comfy table outside.
So weather permitting, we’ll do it there.
There’s usually a campfire, some guitars get pulled out afterwardit’s a real community gathering.
At our house, we’re still trying to get the hang of that.
EatingWell: What’s a dish that you never get tired of?
Van Der Beek:I have a real weakness for a good burger.
If you tell me it’s bison, then that’s it, now I feel good about it.
There’s a burger chain here called Hopdoddy which is really good.
They have some really creative, amazing burgers, and they serve regenerative bison.
Van Der Beek:I’m pretty utilitarian when it comes to speed.
Also, I do have some frozen venison which I can defrost really quickly.
EatingWell: You recently moved from California to Texas.
They’re basically like two different countries; how has that changed the way you and your family eat?
It has really made me plan out meals.
We’ve actually started a garden, which yielded a little bit.
Literally today we had some zucchini, tomatoes and basil, almost a meal from the garden.
There’s been a connection to nature and the cycles of nature.
In LA, I don’t think it ever occurred to me that grapefruit might not be in season.
But here, I recognize those things.
