Blue Bloods has won the hearts of many fans throughout its ten season run. It regularly presents riveting cases that the Reagans, a family of law enforcers, must solve. From Detective Danny Reagan (Donnie Wahlberg) and his brother Sergeant Jamie Reagan (Will Estes), who work in the New York City Police Department, to their sister Assistant District Attorney Erin Reagan, the Regan family constantly cooperates to keep New York City safe. Commissioner Frank Reagan (Tom Selleck) leads this quest as the NYPD commissioner.
However, what keeps fans coming back isn’t the law enforcement storylines, but the family’s personal relationships. Jamie’s romance with officer Eddie Janko (Vanessa Ray), Erin’s adventures in raising her daughter, the attitudinal Nicky Reagan-Boyle (Sami Gayle,) and Danny’s journey in coping with the loss of his wife are just a few examples of this story’s dramatic elements. And throughout every obstacle, the Reagan family always comes together for dinners on Sunday night.
These meals often serve as the happy endings to episodes and the catalysts for other important developments. Fans have often wondered what the actors are actually eating during the meal scenes, though — and now the answer has been revealed.
Dinner’s ready: behind the scene of the Sunday night dinners on Blue Bloods
First, the food on the table is real. Larry Bonko of The Virginian-Pilot reports that everything the actors eat during the Sunday night dinner scenes is catered from Brooklyn’s The BeeHive Oven Biscuit Cafe.
In an interview with Mark McPherson of CBS 58, Tom Selleck described what it’s like to film these lengthy scenes with real food. “‘We embrace family dinner,'” said Selleck, via McPherson. “‘The only problem is it takes six-to-eight hours and you have to just keep eating the same old food.'”
Blue Bloods’ property manager, Jim Lillis, offers more insight into this production. “All the actors eat to varying degrees,” said Lillis. “Some are good at faking it. They are very good at making it look like they’re really enjoying a hearty dinner.” The report by The Virginian-Pilot also reveals that while the actors don’t have a say in their menu, they take into account their noted preferences. The BeeHive Oven Biscuit Cafe, for their part, has some mouth-watering offerings, from chicken pot pie to macaroni and cheese, and Lillis also described how the Sunday dinner scenes feature appropriate comfort food, which The BeeHive is known for: Any number of the main courses on the Reagans’ table, including pot roast and roast chicken, is always served with a dinner roll to add even more authenticity to the meal.
One thing that isn’t real, on the other hand? The wine they’re sipping on. Evidently, it’s actually just grape juice.
