Fridge Voyeur is a virtual visit into the chill zone of the Spoon Crew — our team, our friends, and some of your favorite wellness gurus. We may eat a lot of plants, but you better believe there’s a whole lot of variety, and a little bit of naughty, going on behind closed doors. We know you want a peek ;).

This week, we’re peeking into the fridge of nutritionist and barre instructor, Lilani Estacio.

Splendid Spoon: Hey Lilani! Tell us a bit about yourself.
Lilani Estacio: Hey Spoon Crew! I’m a Pasadena, CA native, and grew up in a very busy household as the youngest of five children. I have a B.S. in nutritional science from Cal Poly, and work in food marketing & communications, and corporate nutrition. In my spare time I teach barre classes and community nutrition education classes in Seattle, WA. In any other spare time you’ll find me dancing, hiking (humble brag: I summited Mount Rainier), running (mostly to keep up with my almost 50-year-old sister), or in savasana.

SS: What are the 5 staples you can’t live without?
LE: Garlic, olive oil, crushed red chili pepper flakes, arugula, and last but not least, Champagne. If you have the right attitude, there’s always something to celebrate!

SS: What’s the weirdest thing in your fridge?
LE: Probably the second jar of kimchi that I unnecessarily purchased, forgetting I already had one. Actually, there’s something weirder: a small bottle of digestive bitters that was gifted to me at a nutrition conference…it’s rather potent.

SS: What’s your fave sweet and what’s your fave savory?
LE: I’m definitely a savory person. I love the flavors of cumin and tarragon. French fries are my absolute weakness. My fave sweet is a small chocolate shake from In-N-Out (preferably with French fries dipped in it).

SS: If you were one thing in your fridge, what would it be?
LE: Either the bottle of tamari sauce that has its own little nook on the condiment shelf, or that giant spaghetti squash that has its own drawer. Both look extremely comfortable.

SS: What food do you turn to when you want something comforting or nostalgic? Although we eat to keep our bodies strong and healthy, food also connects us to our past, to friends, and to different times in our lives.
LE: When I want something comforting and nostalgic I turn to Sinigang. It’s a traditional Filipino dish with a tamarind-based broth. It’s fully adaptable: you can choose what you put in it, no matter whether you’re vegan, vegetarian, pescatarian, flexitarian, gluten-free, dairy-free, or omnivore. Everytime I make it, it sends me back in time: I can hear the many footsteps of my siblings running around, my mom’s laughter, and my dad’s keys landing on the entryway table right before dinner. I also love how tangy the tamarind broth is, and the warm embrace the soup gives you from within.

Be sure to follow Lilani’s dancing adventures on her Instagra, @lilaniestacio!