Julianne Hough Just Told Us Her Favorite High-Protein Meals That Are Packed with Anti-Inflammatory Ingredients

Dancer, actor and Dancing with the Stars co-host Julianne Hough takes pride in her fitness-heavy lifestyle. She prioritizes nutrient-packed foods in her eating pattern and makes a point to do proper workout recovery to ensure her body feels her best.

So through her partnership with Blender Bites, she helped create a new flavor that prioritizes healthy ingredients: the Superberry Sport 1-Step Smoothie, which boasts 6 grams of protein per serving and no added sugar. Packed with an array of fruits and vegetables, turmeric and hydrating ingredients like water and coconut milk, all you need to do is just add liquid to one of these inflammation-fighting smoothie pucks, shake it up and enjoy.

Through this launch, we were given the opportunity to chat with Hough about how she incorporates anti-inflammatory and protein-packed ingredients in her meals. Plus, more on the new product, her go-to methods for workout recovery and her nighttime routine below.

EatingWell: Are there any anti-inflammatory ingredients you love adding into your meals, or foods in general that help you feel your best?

Hough: I’m definitely a person that loves good fats, so sometimes I’ll do avocado and a little olive oil and salt. That’s a good snack for anti-inflammatory needs. Sometimes I’ll do a piece of fruit mid morning as a snack. If I’ve woken up pretty early, I’ll do some sort of salad with protein in the afternoon and then really just protein and veggies at night. Those are my go-tos, I’m not a big grazer. I’ll just have my meal.

EatingWell: Is protein something you focus on? Do you have any favorite high-protein lunches or dinners? 

Hough: Protein for me is honestly key. I work out, I dance, I’m active, so that’s definitely a need for me for my recovery. But for anybody, it’s what we need in our daily diet. Other things that I like to eat that are high in protein are salmon or chicken, well-sourced. And I’ll pair that with some Japanese sweet potatoes, asparagus or sometimes I’ll do cauliflower. I really enjoy a healthy meal that is either locally sourced or farm-to-table. It just feels like I’m feeding my body so well and feeling so fueled. 

EatingWell: Could you talk about Blender Bites and the new Superberry Sport 1-Step Smoothie?

Hough: Anything I do, it has to be aligned with my lifestyle. Blender Bites totally align with everything I do on the daily, whether it’s drinking my morning shake or post-workout [smoothie]. They’re easy on-the-go, it’s literally just one simple step. And the fact that it’s a female-founded brand was a huge point to why I wanted to partner. 

After working with them for a year and testing all of the flavors, I wanted to add some protein in one of the shakes. It’s really hard to do that because the consistency can get kind of grainy and weird. But we perfected the formulation, and it’s so amazing. It’s still gluten-, dairy-, soy- and nut-free, and it’s made with Orgain’s plant-based protein. It is so delicious and called Superberry Sport because it enhances the recovery of muscles. That’s our new formulation and our new blend and it is so exciting. I can’t wait for people to try it. It came out this summer in BJ’s Wholesale club nationwide and will be in other retail distribution stores later this summer.

EatingWell: What’s something about post-workout recovery that you think is overlooked, and what do you personally do?

Hough: I think recovery in general is overlooked. I really love saunas and ice baths. I feel like that is huge and has helped me so much in being able to dance as long as I have. I’m almost 36 and if I would have been doing cold plunges and ice baths and saunas earlier on in my life, I think my body would have been even better. Since I’ve started, I feel more healthy and vibrant now than I even did in my mid-twenties when I wasn’t doing it. I love a lymphatic boot, it’ll squeeze the legs and sometimes I’ll just put those boots on at night. And when putting on lotion, I’ll do my own little lymphatic massage. I know the points to press behind the knee and in the inner thigh. I’ll do that and that helps with inflammation.

EatingWell: Do you have a nighttime routine or any rituals that help you settle down and get ready for sleep?

Hough: I’m an early dinner person because I like to do intermittent fasting, and so I’ll finish dinner around seven. Sometimes I’ll watch a TV show just to unwind and relax, but most of the time I’ll go take my dog on a walk, especially now that the sun stays up longer. I’ll take her on a sunset walk and be a little active. Then I’ll come back and I’ll try to put my phone down for an hour before I even start getting ready for bed. It’s hard, but I try. Sometimes I’ll journal and brain dump for the day, or I’ll read, do a little meditation before I go to bed. I don’t have a TV in my bedroom, and I put my phone in my bathroom when I go to bed.

Editor’s Note: This interview has been edited for clarity and length.