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Nutrition Experts Explain How They Get Their Kids to Eat Healthy

By Sean Jensen , 09/08/17, 4:30PM PDT

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Unfortunately, for many other U.S. families, consuming unhealthy foods is the norm.


National fitness expert Ali Holman, upper left, and her family splurged on junk food during a recent trip to the Minnesota State Fair.

Ali Holman’s family, among the 144,504 people (a record for a Monday) at the Minnesota State Fair on Aug. 28, indulged in curds and corn as well as bacon and corn dogs on sticks. Holman also shared pictures of herself, husband and two daughters noshing on the treats to her 300,000-plus followers on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

That she’s posting such pics as a national fitness expert isn’t lost on her.

“I have a lot of people who follow me and see the highlight reel of my life from social media and think I have a perfect relationship, nice new house, eat perfect, have no problems,” Holman says. “But to me, it’s important they see me as a regular person, with ups and downs, and someone who is enjoying my life.”

In the past, she’s highlighted healthy foods at the State Fair.

“But I told WCCO I’m not doing that anymore,” Holman says. “No one wants to know that!”

So Ali indulged in fries and cotton candy. Her husband Mark and daughter Ava enjoyed cheese curds, the State Fair’s signature corn on the cob and Big Fat Bacon. And daughter Demi had a Pronto Pup and cheese curds.

They all split a bag of caramel corn.

Clearly State Fair fare is an exception for Ali’s family.

Unfortunately, for many other U.S. families, consuming unhealthy foods is the norm.

“Obesity in kids is increasing many fold,” says Dr. Daniel Ganjian, a pediatrician and pediatric obesity specialist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif. The reason is, healthier foods are more expensive, require more effort to make than going to get fast food, and junk food is more ubiquitous.

“Parents have to make an effort to have their kids eat healthy and have good health food options,” Ganjian said.

So how do Ganjian and Holman actually get their kids to maintain healthy eating habits?

Here are four tips from the two of them on how they practice what they preach at home with their own children.


Dr. Daniel Ganjian, a pediatrician and pediatric obesity specialist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, Calif., promotes healthy eating habits with his family.

1. Make Healthy Eating a Priority

Holman has seen many parents battle with their children over healthy food choices, then ultimately surrender.

“A lot of times, parents throw their hands up in the air and say, ‘This isn’t a fight worth having,’ ” Holman says.

But the byproduct of parents who do not persist are more adults who have developed poor habits.

“I meet people with masters and doctorates, who drive expensive automobiles,” she says, “but they struggle with body image and food. You can’t buy it.”

Ganjian says families should “de-junk food” the house, removing the unhealthy things altogether. Instead, stock the refrigerator with fruit and vegetables that can be dipped into healthy options such as hummus and guacamole.

For drinks, provide water, nonfat milk or juices blended at home, with natural fruit.

Holman explains to her daughters that she’s not discouraging sugary snacks and foods to be mean.

“I do try to encourage them to try to understand why I want them to eat healthy,” she says.

And by all means: Do not give up!

Prepare vegetables in different ways, by sautéing, baking or grilling them. Try new recipes and combinations.

Holman says she gets kebob sticks from the dollar store and sticks a sandwich in bite-size pieces on them. She also dips frozen fruits like blueberries and grapes in Greek yogurt and freezes them for about 30 to 40 minutes.

“Make it fun,” she says, “and they can even make some things themselves.”

Holman once made stuffed peppers with turkey quinoa. Her girls didn’t want to eat them, but they begrudgingly took bites.

“Ava said, ‘This is pretty good,’ ” Holman recalls. “Then she said to Demi, ‘Did I say that out loud?’ ”

2. Model Healthy Habits

A parent can’t tell their kids to eat fruits and vegetables if they never do. And it sets a poor example to drink soda and eat candies and desserts while denying the same sweets to the youngsters.

“If they see you eat it, they will eat it,” Ganjian says. “I eat healthy and that’s what (my kids) see and want.”

Ganjian also suggests putting something on your child’s plate that you know they like along with something new.

“Have them take a bite and leave it on their plate,” he says. “We try to get kids to develop a palate for healthy food at a younger age.”

Since she’s constantly leading workouts, Holman communicates to her daughters that she views her body in terms of a car.

“If you stop at the gas station and put a lot of sugar in your gas tank, how far would it get you?” she asks. “Not very far.”

3. Don’t Skip Breakfast

Both Holman and Ganjian insist that breakfast is a must.

Holman once again utilizes a car analogy as she bolsters the importance of the first meal.

“It’s like planning to drive all around the city,” she says, “then putting the fuel right before you put it in the garage.”

Ganjian says teenagers often skip breakfast, desiring to sleep more or emphasizing that they’re simply not hungry.

“But it’s so important,” Ganjian says. “It improves learning and behavior.”

4. Foundation of moderation

Holman recalls being at a Target recently and having someone who had seen her on television stopping her.

“ ‘I can’t believe you have mac and cheese in your cart!’ ” Holman says she was told.

But Holman’s daughter Demi loves mac and cheese and would eat it nonstop. But Holman allows Demi to pick two days each week she can eat mac and cheese.

Holman says she subscribes to a 70-30 rule: 70 percent of the food [her family eats] should be healthy.

Ganjian isn’t as generous with his boys; he only gives them a treat once a week.

“I give them a piece of candy, lollipop or scoop of ice cream,” he says. “That’s fine for their health, and it gets them a treat and gets them excited. But they get that treat at the end of the week.”

Lastly, Holman says people must remember one key.

“Come to peace that you get one body,” Holman says, “but that doesn’t mean you have to be perfect.”

About Sean Jensen

Sean Jensen was born in South Korea, but he was raised in California, Massachusetts and Virginia, mostly on or near military bases. Given his unique background, he's always been drawn to storytelling, a skill he developed at Northwestern University and crafted for the last 16 years, almost exclusively covering the NFL. Sean lives in a Minneapolis suburb with his wife, two children and dog. Read more

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