Whether you were introduced to Adrienne Bailon-Houghton through 3LW, The Cheetah Girls, or as a host of The Real, there’s no denying she’s one of the most skillfully versatile celebrities.
With a decades-long career in acting, singing, and business — her brand LA VOÛTE offers popular vegan leather handbags — she balances it all with motherhood. Bailon-Houghton teamed up with Nestlé’s NIDO and often shares videos of her and her son Ever using the instant milk during their mommy-and-me time. The partnership is no surprise to her supporters, who know she has a nostalgic connection to the brand.
“I’ve been trying to pitch to the NIDO family that we really need soft serve NIDO. It is my dream. Listen, the summer is coming up. I just got an ice cream maker. I might attempt to make it at home myself and try to perfect the recipe,” she said.
In this exclusive interview, she explains why the partnership is important and shares how she uses NIDO in comfort foods. I also got insight on her pantry must-haves, recipes, new film Chef’s Kiss, and her favorite behind-the-scenes Cheetah Girls moment.
This interview was edited for length and clarity.
Lashaunta Moore: You grew up drinking NIDO, and now it’s part of your son Ever’s childhood too. Aside from its nostalgia and popularity, what do you love most about teaming up with the instant milk brand?
Adrienne Bailon-Houghton: The fact that now I get to share that with my son is incredible. I absolutely love that we get to do things together. He’s very independent and excited about being able to do anything with me. I’m like, OK, I’m going to make myself a latte with the Fortificada, and you are going to make yourself one with the Kinder 1+. We have this whole thing of cheers-ing our mugs together, his little sippy cup, my coffee mug. Lately, we’ve started getting so sick at our house. I love that it gives immune support, and for me, it gives me so much more as well.
Any advice for moms who want to make the switch from refrigerated milk to NIDO?
One of the biggest advantages is that it’s portable. You can travel with it, and it doesn’t have to be refrigerated. That’s a huge plus, especially for a traveling mom like myself. We’re always on airplanes. We’re always on the go. I think also giving him something that’s a constant in his routine, no matter where we are in the world. Now that summer is coming, obviously, that’s not necessarily something you want to travel with. Refrigerated milk in your bag on a day trip isn’t necessarily the vibe. Highly recommend doing the switch.
For parents, NIDO Kinder 1+ or NIDO Fortificada, which I’ve seen used to make everything from chocolate chip banana bread to brownies, are pantry must-haves. What items do you always keep stocked in your pantry?
My son is obsessed with pancakes. So funny enough, we’ve even added that into the pancake mix. It makes a super creamy and fluffy pancake. Being 3 going on 4, he loves to participate. He’s actually quite the pancake maker. We love us some gluten-free pancake mix. I actually have Hashimoto’s, so I try to do an anti-inflammatory diet.
Do you have a go-to recipe or dish that your family is obsessed with?
For us, Avena is a staple in our house. Growing up, we also called it Cremita. It’s with the yellow Maize, more like a corn-based Cremita morning. It’s like our go-to, our favorite go-to. NIDO in there is amazing, and then you sprinkle some cinnamon on top. I actually think I do it more for me than for my son because it’s definitely my comfort food. So old school Puerto Rican Cremita. Look up the recipe. It is a must-have, actually made with, again, corn Maize.
In Chef’s Kiss, your character, Lauren, is a marketing executive who travels to Tuscany to revive a pasta sauce brand but clashes with a chef named Mason, and sparks fly. What about the script made you want to be part of the film?
I loved that I was going to be a leading lady, not going to lie. Especially at 43 and finding out that I was like, OK, I thought maybe I’d be somebody’s aunt in the film. But I love that Roku shows you can find love at any age. My co-star, who’s incredible, was the first Australian bachelor ever. I thought it was a sweet love story. I’m a fan of these kinds of things. With everything going on in the world, I like to watch things that don’t give me anxiety. It’s a feel-good movie, and I was excited to be a part of it.
I’m asking this last question for every Cheetah Girls fan. What’s your favorite behind-the-scenes moment from the first film?
[My] favorite moment was the scene where me and Galleria are walking in the street talking, and we stop and start dancing and singing in front of the record store. Fun fact: a lot of that was improv. Literally, me and Raven just going back and forth. The choreography, we barely knew it. We were just messing around and having fun. I love that some of the quotes people come up to us with are like, ‘I wear Prada or nada, mama, nada’. Like a lot of that was our real personalities, and we were just messing around.
So that’s definitely one of my favorite scenes from the movie. Behind the scenes, I think people didn’t realize that even the people stopping in the street and watching us, like some people were extras and some actually were just walking in the street, like, what is happening here? Why are these girls dancing in the middle of the street?
Check out the NIDO French Toast Latte recipe:
- What you need: 1 long shot Nespresso Starbucks Espresso Roast, 3 Tbsp NIDO Fortificada, ¾ cup hot water, ½ tsp vanilla, 1 Tbsp maple syrup, 1 Tbsp brown sugar, ¼ tsp cinnamon, pinch of salt.
- Prep: Whisk NIDO, hot water, and vanilla until creamy. In a separate dish, mix maple, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt into a syrup.
- Serve: Add the prepared syrup to your espresso shot, stir well, and pour the warm NIDO mixture over the top.
Header image: Courtesy of Nestlé NIDO
