My kids just went back last week, so last Wednesday.
[Monday] was officially their first full day of school.
I’m fortunate that my husband wakes up with the kids early.
Then usually, my husband and I are getting ready to start.
He’s making their lunch and I’m getting their backpacks together.
It’s always a team effort.
We always do it together.
I love that they get to see it all different ways.
That’s funny because that’s similar to my own dynamic with me and my husband.
He does the cooking and more of the housework.
One thing is I do all the cooking.
He does all the cleaning, but I am the cook of the household.
Ali Fedotowsky-Manno talks family taco night
I’d love to hear about taco night at your house.
I was told you call it “the feast”?
The feast, yes.
My daughter came up with that term.
That was not my term.
She loves seeing basically what the feast is.
Taco night in our house is all about having the feast.
They get to choose, “Do I want lettuce?
Do I want beans?
Do I want rice?”
It’s one of those things that I get so excited to tell parents about.
I have a bunch of kits always in my pantry, because it’s an easy thing to do.
It’s an easy dinner, too.
Sometimes you’re like, “What do I do for dinner?”
I send moms home with them.
I’m like, “Here you go.
You’ll be so happy to have these for your kids.”
They are so great.
Taco night is fun.
It’s fun for you.
It’s fun for the kids.
This is very nice."
They are the key to less mess at dinner time on taco night."
It’s a little tortilla pocket that the kids can put all of their goodies in themselves.
It’s sealed at the bottom, so that it contains the mess.
It’s so genius.
It’s so amazing.
you could use it for breakfast tacos, lunch, dinner.
I use it for PBJs, for my kids' sandwiches for school.
The teachers have even been like, “What is that?
The PBJ stays in rather than falling out all over the place,” and the teachers thank me.
It’s one of those genius products that I am so thankful for as a mom.
Ali Fedotowsky-Manno on life in a new city
You and your family moved to Nashville last year.
How have you settled in?
How has everyone in your house handled that transition?
It’s been great.
Moving to a new city is difficult.
It was way more difficult than I anticipated, and it doesn’t matter where you live.
We could have moved anywhere.
We love that we get some of the seasons.
Find yourself that community.
If you live in San Diego, that’s the best place for you to live.
It’s all about community, and we feel like we’ve found that.
I know a lot of other parents are feeling the same way.
I used to watch every season.
It was like … “My Bachelorette” time.
The Monday nights, that was me.
Kevin knew to take the kids.
In the past few years, I don’t know what has happened.
I’m going to watch [this week’s] episode.
They’re in their 20s, they’re growing.
I was like, “Ugh, I wouldn’t.”
I’ve been through the experience.
I know so much.
It’s really emotional for everyone.
Would I get so emotional about something in my dating life outside of the show?
No, but the show, everything’s heightened, so you’re getting emotional about things.
It’s hard for me to watch now because I love these girls so much.
From what I’ve seen, the girls are handling it beautifully.
You’re figuring out life, you’re doing all these things.
These poor girls are then putting it on TV for everyone to see and talk about."
They’re doing a great job, and I hope that they find love and all.
That’s very true.
It doesn’t matter.
I’m thinking that as my 37-year-old self.
She’s not 37."
She’s a lot younger than me.
That’s another thing.
because I’m viewing it through a totally different lens.
Rachel and Gabby’s final picks this season
Who do you think Rachel and Gabby will pick?
Who are your picks for them?
Zach is in a good position to get that final rose from her.
Gabby’s a little bit harder to read than Rachel.
I think Rachel’s going to pick Tino, though.
That’s my guess.
That’s a good guess.
They’re in the top two, top three."
You transitioned to TV after “The Bachelorette,” you have your blog.
What else is on the horizon?
That is what I do day in, day out.
Are the orders getting fulfilled?
[There’s] customer service … [are] everyone’s questions being [answered]?"
When I was in TV …
I really enjoyed TV at the beginning, but then I started not enjoying TV.
That is not me.
Some people love that, and that’s awesome.
You have to then put on a little dress and high heels.
It was so much, and I knew that wasn’t the long-term path for me career-wise.
We’ll see what happens.
This interview has been edited for clarity.
