The One Food Guy Fieri Can’t Live Without

Guy Fieri might be best known for downing absurd combinations of meat, grease, and carbs on his television show Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives, and for the menus of his own restaurants, filled with “Donkey Sauce,” fried chicken, and portions big enough to feed a family of five, but he tells Today.com that the food he eats at home is actually not that different than what’s on anyone else’s table.

In fact, he says, “We get down with vegetarian and vegan dishes,” and that they incorporate a wide variety of foods from around the world. He’s especially fond of food from Asia, including spicy Indian curries and sushi. “That’s my jam. Anywhere. Anytime.” So it makes sense that his one food that he couldn’t live without is something commonly used across Asia: soy sauce.

It’s basically just the kind of umami-bomb of big flavors that is woven into the kinds of foods he eats on his show — but the runner-up might be even more surprising: Brussels sprouts. “In the Fieri household, healthy eating is all about balance and moderation.” Mostly that means less meat than you might imagine. “I’m not saying that I’m a vegetarian, but people would be surprised at the amount of plant-based foods that I eat.” But he still stans a good burger, he’s quick to point out.

Okay, but how does he get his sons on board with all these vegetables? He says his kids have mostly outgrown this problem, but in the past he put a new spin on the “let them help” advice: “Give them something fun!” Instead of having them chop an onion, let them flip a burger or stir the pot. But most of all, he goes by an even older adage — by not letting them snack before meals. Apparently, hunger is an even better sauce than Donkey.