Shannon Beador's New Business Venture Has Been a "Huge Confidence Builder" During Her Divorce

Shannon Beador's next chapter includes a completely new business venture. The Real Housewives of Orange County mom is launching her very own prepared food line called Real for Real Cuisine on QVC on April 18. 

Shannon wants to help you completely rethink your approach to healthy eating with Real for Real Cuisine. The line features meals that are 450 calories or less, each served in 10-ounce portions, that are delivered right to your door. The meals can be prepared using an oven or a microwave and can be kept frozen for a shelf life of up to 12 months. 

The idea for Real for Real Cuisine, which you may have seen Shannon teasing on social media over the past few weeks, was born out of her desire to open up a restaurant, which fans saw last season of RHOC. "Last season, I was talking about opening a restaurant, which is still on the back burner, but the divorce happened, so everything is kind of on hold with that. And that concept was to create affordable but flavorful low-calorie meals in the restaurant. So that's what we've done for Real for Real Cuisine," Shannon recently told The Daily Dish over the phone. "I think that you can make smarter choices without sacrificing the flavor and depriving yourself. You guys have seen me [when] my weight's been high and when my weight's been lower, and then it goes high again. I've realized that at my age I need to make a lifestyle change. I don't have to sit there and starve myself for three weeks so that I lose the weight. What I need to do is make a lot of smart decisions so that I can have a cocktail or two on the weekend or order whatever meal I want at a restaurant. So it's just creating a healthy balance. You don't have to be 100 percent healthy all the time. You need to live your life."

Photo: Wendell D’Ambrosia 

Real for Real Cuisine will launch with three different meals: Holland sole filet over tender soba noodles and broccoli in a light teriyaki sauce; cream cheese and herb-stuffed salmon over zucchini and squash rice blend; and zesty garlic shrimp linguini with zucchini ribbons. RHOC fans will also instantly recognize the meaning behind Real for Real Cuisine's logo, which features nine lemons, a nod to Shannon's signature feng shui technique of putting nine lemons in a bowl. "It was fun to come up with the logo because you want to use something that actually has meaning, and it absolutely has meaning," she said. "Good energy." 

All of the recipes in the line are ones that Shannon cooks for her three daughters, Sophie, 16, Stella, 13, and Adeline, 13. "I do cook every night. We don't get fast food," Shannon explained. "Now that I'm a single mom that's really busy, I'm constantly saying if only there was like a quick, healthy dinner that I could put together, then I end up making everything from scratch. So it's nice to have this option now." 

Luckily, Shannon has already gotten the seal of approval from her toughest food critics. "What's amazing too with three picky eaters at home, we did like a final tasting last night at home with the kids, and they liked and ate every single one of the dishes," she said. "For me, that's a huge win to have my three daughters enjoy each of the meals."

It's Shannon's status as the matriarch of her family that has also motivated her to launch this company in the wake of her filing to divorce husband David Beador after 17 years of marriage at the end of last year. "It couldn't have come at a more perfect time for me because I'm on my own now and I need to think about a future for myself and the girls," Shannon shared. "To be honest with you, in a time like this, I feel so blessed and grateful. And that's when you know that God has a plan. Like, all the stars are in alignment for me. The fact that this QVC opportunity came to me literally less than two months after I separated from David, it literally was perfect timing. I've been so blessed that it has come together so quickly because literally I met QVC in the last quarter of 2017, and here we are six months later launching the first three meals. So it's moved along extremely rapidly, and I'm extremely grateful for that." 

Of course, launching a product on QVC means that you have to present it in front of viewers from all over the country, something that Shannon has never done before. "I usually don't get nervous about these sort of things, but I'm gonna be on for 10 minutes. I've got 10 minutes to let everyone know about the three items," she said. "It's gonna be exciting." 

Shannon won't be the first Housewife on QVC. Others have come before her, including Lisa Rinna, who has found great success with her clothing line the Lisa Rinna Collection. Though Shannon said she hasn't gotten any advice from Lisa on making her QVC debut, she has received a lot of support. "I have to say Lisa Rinna has been so supportive. Just last week, she said, 'Welcome to the QVC family,' so she's been very supportive, and I really appreciate that," Shannon gushed. "She is like a QVC idol. She's done incredibly well, and I'm proud of her for that."

But it sounds like Shannon hasn't needed a lot of advice in the process of launching Real for Real Cuisine. "It's been a completely positive experience," Shannon said, adding that the only challenge really has been the time she has to be away from her daughters to work on the launch. "It has gone so smoothly to this point, so I'm very lucky." 

Even before Real for Real Cuisine officially launches, there's so much that Shannon has already gained from this experience. "I have to say there are so many positive things, but I think probably one of them is that it's brought a newfound confidence to me because when you're leaving a 17-year marriage, there's some sadness and feelings of failure and insecurities of, 'I'm 54 years old and starting off on my own.' So to know that I'm gonna be able to stand on my own two feet and put something out there into the world that's mine, it's just a huge confidence builder," Shannon said. "It makes me realize if I set my mind to something and have a passion for it, it can actually happen."

Photo: Wendell D’Ambrosia

Check out more Shannon, below.