Chase Stokes Just Told Us the Date-Night Dinner He Loves Making for Kelsea Ballerini, and We're Swooning
Plus the high-protein snacks he enjoys on set.
Stokes: Dominik Bindl / Getty Images
Whether you know him from Outer Banks or Uglies, Chase Stokes has been nothing short of a breakout star. On and off screen, he’s known for his charm and athleticism, so his most recent partnership in the health world is incredibly fitting.
Stokes recently launched Brooks Running’s newest sneaker, the Glycerin Max, which is available for preorder now. Before he led a running class for the brand in NYC, I sat down with the actor and asked him more about his wellness routines, plus the meals he loves cooking for country music star girlfriend Kelsea Ballerini, the trending recipes he’s been trying, snacks he eats on set and more.
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EatingWell: What are your favorite pre- or post-workout meals or drinks to help keep you fueled and satisfied?
Stokes: I used to do the whole pre-workout, post-workout shake, and it never really set with my body. Now I’ll have a cup of coffee before I go into the gym, 16 ounces of water and half a banana. And that seems to give me the fuel that I need to get my workout going. Post-workout, I try to get a decent amount of protein in. Nothing in particular lately, but I’ve been finding fun recipes on TikTok.
EatingWell: What trending recipe have you tried recently?
Stokes: There's a restaurant in LA called Jon and Vinny’s, and I've been trying to replicate their spicy fusilli pasta. I'm not there yet, but we're working on it.
EatingWell: Do you have a favorite meal that you have shared with Kelsea? What comes to mind?
Stokes: We consistently do a skirt steak with chimichurri at the house. I think that was one of the first meals I actually cooked for her. Almost two years later, that's still a meal that we keep in the kitchen pretty consistently. In the morning, we’ll have ground turkey breast and a pesto scrambled egg. And we'll do that usually with cottage cheese and some fruit. Those are the two that I would say are consistent.
EatingWell: Favorite snacks? Any foods you always have on hand while on set?
Stokes: I'm a big chicken salad fan. I will eat it straight out of the bowl when I make it. Chicken salad is something I always keep on me. For breakfast in the mornings, cottage cheese with a little bit of honey and some fruit has been something that I always have because it's just an easy snack. I’ll get a tub of cottage cheese and I'll put it in my trailer or keep it at the house. Those are the two snack-wise that I have leaned towards lately.
EatingWell: What does your ideal chicken salad look like?
Stokes: Ooh, a little bit of celery, a lot of chicken, and then my mom actually puts sliced grapes in it to sweeten it up. That combo and a good amount of pepper is the secret weapon to a good chicken salad.
Related: Bethenny Frankel's Perfect Chicken Salad Is as Simple as It Gets
EatingWell: Why partner with Brooks for their newest shoe launch?
Stokes: I think I've always been really into fitness from a young age, and running has just been a component of my life that I've always found solace in. It's a way to separate yourself from the world and obviously get away from technology. It was just a really cool opportunity to work with a brand that I had actually been wearing before even engaging in any kind of partnership. I had also injured my knee at work, and so I was rehabbing that and one of the things I've missed more than anything was getting out and going on a good run. So the timing of it all has been very serendipitous because I just got back into running. It worked out really well.
Stokes: Brooks Running/Getty Kevin Mazur
EatingWell: Do you have any other gear that you swear by as a runner, or just workout gear in general?
Stokes: I spend the majority of the year in humidity and heat, so for me, it's little clothing, it's usually just a good pair of running shorts, a good pair of shoes. It’s also important to make sure that you have a really good shoe that fits your foot properly, to make sure that you're operating at the highest level.
EatingWell: What does "eating well" mean to you?
Stokes: Eating well means feeling great. Anytime that I get into some bad habits, it's the worst. I think when I eat well, I always feel 1000 times better.
Read the original article on Eating Well.
