Dax Shepard and Kristen Bell’s Unusual Family Food Rules Explained

Most families debate fairly ordinary things at the dinner table, whether dessert comes before or after vegetables, how much soda is too much. One Hollywood couple’s household rule sparked a conversation that went well beyond anything that ordinary.

Their daughters have a specific drink order that tends to raise eyebrows at restaurants, and the reasoning behind it is more personal than most people expect. Keep reading to see the story behind it.

Their Daughters Have A Very Specific Go To Drink

Kristen Bell has said her daughters sometimes ask for non alcoholic beer when the family goes out to eat, a request that has occasionally left her a little embarrassed in front of servers. She has been clear that the drinks contain no actual alcohol at all.

That detail alone has been enough to spark plenty of public opinions about whether the habit is appropriate for kids. Bell has stood firmly behind the choice regardless of the reaction it gets from strangers.

The Habit Traces Back To A Sentimental Ritual

The habit did not start as a food rule at all, it began as a bonding ritual. Bell has explained that her husband, Dax Shepard, who has spoken openly about being in recovery from addiction, used to sip non alcoholic beer while carrying their daughters on evening walks as babies.

That early association stuck with the girls as they got older, tied more to a feeling of connection with their dad than to the drink itself. For their family, it became something closer to a shared tradition than an actual beverage choice.

Kristen Bell Has Defended The Choice Publicly

When the habit became public and drew criticism, Bell did not back down. She has said people are free to judge the choice if they want to, but that it remains entirely their family’s decision to make.

She has also pointed out that her daughters are educated about substances and addiction, given their father’s own history. That context, she has argued, gets lost whenever the story resurfaces online.

It Fits A Broader Parenting Philosophy

This is not the only unconventional choice the couple has made as parents either. Shepard has said he actively encourages his daughters to talk back and advocate for themselves, even when it comes across as disrespectful to other adults.

That same underlying philosophy, prioritizing their daughters’ voice and autonomy over outside approval, seems to run through both the drink choice and their broader approach to raising kids. Whether or not it fits conventional parenting advice, it is clearly a consistent value across their entire household.

So the next time a kid orders something unusual at a restaurant, it might be worth remembering there is often a story behind it that strangers never get to hear. For this family, a drink order was never really about the drink at all.