Leighton Meester opens up on struggles to afford basic necessities with Adam Brody

Leighton Meester opened up about sweet dinner time rituals and struggles to afford the basic necessities of life.

The 37-year-old revealed in an exclusive interview, “We relied on food stamps and welfare,” adding, “And especially towards the end of the month, but sometimes throughout the month, we either couldn't go grocery shopping or put food back on the shelves before checkout. We really had to do what we could to make ends meet."

The Gossip Girl actress continued that her children had not gone through the hardships she did.

She added, “And there's so much pleasure in food beyond the nutrition: It's enjoying the tastes and trading with somebody during lunch and knowing as a kid, and then also as a parent, that the lunchbox is going to be full or that there's going to be food on the table that we can all sit around and say we're grateful for."

The Oranges actress admitted to providing everything to Arlo her daughter while conversing in an interview, "And we obviously are really happy and grateful to give her everything that we never had growing up. But we also want her to understand that not everyone grows up like that."

Leighton is eager for her 8-year-old daughter to tag along to an upcoming volunteer opportunity with Feeding America, the hunger relief nonprofit she's worked with for more than six years, "I think it's just all about setting an example.”

Further, the Monte Carlo star told, "When we sit around the table, we always talk about what we're grateful for and what the best part of our day was and just give thanks to our food."