Kristen Bell is not very good at hiding her feelings. If her infamous sloth video taught us anything, it's that. So it doesn't come as much of a surprise that when she discovered a new favorite pasta — Banza's chickpea-based noodles — she didn't keep it to herself. She wrote the company a heartfelt note about their product.
BUY NOW: Banza Chickpea Pasta Variety Pack, $22 for 6 boxes; amazon.com
Bell's a staunch vegetarian, and Banza is packed with protein, a nutrient that non-meat eaters often lack. When Delish caught up with the actress at a charity event last fall, Bell even mentioned that she and husband Dax Shepard eat some sort of Banza dish for dinner most nights. She sent a letter to the brand with the intention of simply sharing that. "I just wanted to say, 'Great job, I love your pasta. It's delicious,'" Bell shared on an Instagram video.
Banza couldn't just take the thank you without acknowledging it. They sent Bell a completely customized box. Where the company's logo and the noodle variety usually is, it read Kristen Bell Our Favorite Actress. And instead of listing the traditional nutrition values and ingredients, the box listed Bell's qualities: charm, humor, range. Banza calls her out for being a trained soprano, funny AF (their exact words), a hockey fanatic, an animal lover, a voice of equality, and for having geek power.
Bell doesn't have a sloth-level breakdown in her video, but she's clearly touched, calling the special box her favorite gift ever. She's far from the only mega-fan, though: Banza has worked its way into most mainstream markets, as gluten-free noodles have soared in popularity. The company's up to 11 standard shapes — angel hair, spaghetti, linguine, rigatoni, cavatappi, rotini, penne, ziti, wheels, elbows, and shells — each packed with 25 grams of protein per serving, compared to about three in traditional pasta. Banza makes a variety of boxed mac and cheese, too. According to them, it has two times the protein, eight times the fiber, and fewer net carbs than what you'll normally find on grocery shelves.
BUY NOW: Banza Chickpea Pasta Mac & Cheese Variety Pack, $22 for 6 boxes; amazon.com
You can find Banza in a grocery store near you using their site's store locator, or shop the full line on Amazon.
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