Josh Peck's Favorite Soup Is So Old-Fashioned and We're Loving It

Plus, his least favorite food may shock you.

Reviewed by Dietitian Emily Lachtrupp, M.S., RD

Whether you know him from starring in shows like Drake & Josh and How I Met Your Father or from his most recent role in Oppenheimer, we’re sure that beloved actor Josh Peck has made several appearances on your television screen.

What you may not know about the star is that he has recently earned the title of Jimmy Dean’s Chief Hosting Officer, and he’s teaming up with the brand to give away $1,000 to 10 winners in their holiday hosting sweepstakes—you can enter now through December 6 for a chance to win.

With his new presence in the food space, we took the opportunity to talk to Peck about this current partnership and giveaway—as well as asking him questions about his favorite soups, holiday dishes, food hot takes and more. Here’s what he had to say in this exclusive interview.

Related: Millie Bobby Brown Just Told Us Her Least Favorite Foods, and We’re Shocked

EatingWell: What are your favorite dishes that need to be on your holiday table?

Peck: I like a super-delicious, savory mac and cheese. Also, I like green bean casserole. Go classic, maybe do an elevated fried onion on top with fresh fried onions, not breaded. If you want to make it a little bit lighter, I think there's plenty of options. I also only eat green bean casserole twice a year—I feel like they should offer that on more menus.

EatingWell: What’s your favorite soup for comfort food season?

Peck: OK, get ready, because I’m going to go on a tangent. So in my humble opinion, mushroom barley is the king soup, right? A good mushroom barley. But then I also love an old school soup that you can find in a deli called chicken in a pot, which is just a mix of chicken, rice noodles and veggies. It's everything you would imagine from a chicken noodle soup. And recently, I had a split pea soup that knocked my socks off.

Related: Cream of Mushroom & Barley Soup

EatingWell: Let’s talk about your partnership with Jimmy Dean! As the brand’s official Chief Hosting Officer, what do you want our readers to know about the new holiday program?

Peck: Being on the C-suite level now at Jimmy Dean, I said, “Listen, we gotta make it easier for these hosts this holiday season.” And Jimmy Dean said, “Funny, that's the exact idea we had as well.” The holiday season is stressful, but it's wonderful, so whatever we can do to alleviate that stress for hosts is all the better. Jimmy Dean and I have partnered together to give tips, recipes and hacks to alleviate some of that stress during the holiday season. There is a contest where 10 people can win and get sponsored by Jimmy Dean for their holiday party. They'll get $1,000 that can go towards a DJ, finding someone to help hand out food or a cleaning crew, and then they’ll get this sick Jimmy Dean gift box full of sausage-scented candles. I mean, it's quite the moment!

EatingWell: Do you have any tips for new hosts or those that may be overwhelmed by hosting a large crowd this season?

Peck: What I would say is try to be OK with the fact that it probably won't go perfectly and that's OK. Embrace the missteps and prepare yourself against the hangry-type party goer. I know my family is guilty of it: if the party invite says 5, they want to eat by 5:07. There's no socializing, it’s just, “Where's the food?” So you can do a great hors d'oeuvre, you can do a Jimmy Dean stuffed mushroom or whatever it is you're into. I would also say just accept the fact that at its heart, holidays are about being around the people you love. And so if you accomplish that, maybe you did everything right.

Related: Chef Eric Adjepong Just Shared His #1 Tip for Holiday Hosting—Plus 3 Easy Cocktail Recipes He Loves

EatingWell: Food hot take? Your least favorite food?

Peck: I don't mean to upset the tomato lobby, but I'm just not a big raw tomato guy. I like tomato by-products like ketchup and tomato sauce, but raw tomatoes are not my cup of tea.

EatingWell: What’s a change that you have made in your eating pattern or lifestyle over the years that has helped you feel your best?

Peck: What stands out for me is moderation and balance. We should allow ourselves the freedom to eat some of our favorite foods. For me, it’s balancing that with staying active during the holidays. … Sometimes it’s just knowing that this is a particular time of year and it's a time to enjoy myself and that I’m also doing everything I can to stay active to balance that out.

EatingWell: What does “eating well” mean to you?

Peck: It might sound too simplistic, but it's about enjoying your food and being nourished and satiated. I find that even sometimes when people are eating something that they love, they associate feelings of guilt. And I think it's about really enjoying what we eat in the moment, taking the time to appreciate what we're having, and trying to do that with other people. I find that a meal is best when shared with someone you really like.

Related: Practicing Gratitude Is Linked to Happiness and Better Health, According to Experts

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

Read the original article on Eating Well.