Drew Barrymore On Struggles With Feeding Her ‘Flexitarian Diet’ Family

When it comes to what to feed her kids for dinner, Drew Barrymore is just like the next parent — struggling.

As flexitarians (a diet that is predominately plant-based with some occasional meat and other animal products) it can be a challenge for Drew to please daughters, Olive, 9, and Frankie, 7, with food that is filling, healthy and delicious.

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“The worst feeling is when they’re so excited and into something, and you’re like, ‘A new thing to bring to the table!’ Then the next day, they hate it, and they never want to touch it again,” Barrymore, who is the new “Chief Mom Officer” of ChiQin and vegetarian and vegan-friendly food brand Quorn, shared with PEOPLE.

“That’s a typical parent experience. I relate to any parent who just wants to keep their kids’ mood and chemistry up by getting food for them.”

Drew says when kids go “through difficult phases” it’s always hard as “you will do anything to feed your kids because getting to feed them is a luxury and a privilege.”

“I try to get them to eat some fish, always driving the fruits and vegetables home. I think they would eat ice cream, 24/7, if they could,” she says.

“I think you’ll grab anything to help keep the mood in check, it’s a lot,” Barrymore adds. “So, I’ve ridden the crest of several different ways where my kids would only eat one thing for a while. “

And the go-to item was, yup, you guessed it: chicken nuggets.

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“I could never find them something that was an alternative that they loved and ate,” Barrymore, who was raised vegetarian and has not eaten chicken for 13 years, shared with the outlet “So, I was always on the McNugget and the tender train.”

“I am looking for an alternative because who doesn’t want that delicious, basic protein, but I’m sort of all over the place, and I think a lot of people are. So, why don’t we meet them where they’re at, instead of telling them what they’re supposed to do.”

Enter Quorn’s ChiQin. And Barrymore isn’t just promoting the brand for compensation’s sake.

“And this is something that means a lot to me. It speaks very much to who I am. This is a very deep partnership. It is not just CMO. I’m coming into the brand to build with this company and collab with meaningful partners. I mean, this is what keeps me going.”

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