Food

How Jennifer Garner gets her hands dirty (literally) to prioritize health with her kids

Jennifer Garner shares her top tips for spending quality time with her kids, cooking healthy meals, and finding time to exercise despite a busy schedule.

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Photo: Once Upon a Farm
Published May 1, 2018

Written by 

Abbey Stone

In the early aughts, Jennifer Garner’s portrayal of super-spy Sydney Bristow not only earned her a Golden Globe Award (and four Emmy nominations), but helped set a new standard for strong, smart, totally butt-kicking leading ladies on TV. Now, she’s teamed up with two other badass babes, Lena Dunham and Jenni Konner (the creators of Girls), to return to prime time for the first time in over 12 years as the star of HBO’s Camping.

But to make room for her new role, Garner’s needed to shift things around in an existing one: mom of three kids. How does she make time for family meal prep and bedtime stories while also keeping up with a demanding shooting schedule and helping run Once Upon a Farm, the healthy baby food company she co-founded? I asked her.

Keep reading for Jennifer’s top healthy parenting tips.

You’re heading back to TV! What kind of a schedule does this mean for you and your family—are you looking at a total overhaul of your daily routine?

The schedule for TV is pretty intense—I’m gone 14 hours most days and have lines to learn when I get home at night. This job is great, though, because it’s an ensemble cast and not all on my shoulders—which means I do get a random morning or day off almost every week. And because we start most days super early in the morning, even with the longer days, I make it home to read to at least one or two kids after work.

My kids are used to the strange rhythm of production —I’m either very much home and available, or I’m working a bunch and leaving notes everywhere for them to find during the day. I have great help at my house and it all works out.

When life gets *busy,* are there certain moments or rituals you make sure you do with your kids every day?

There are lots of little traditions the kids and I have together. Right now our blueberry bushes are going nuts, so we sneak down and pick blueberries together on the weekends. But my most valuable time with the kids is bedtime—I have different books going with each of my kids and they each get their own time [with me], even if it has to be condensed!

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I love that you like to garden and farm with your kids. How did this come about?

My mom grew up on a little farm in Oklahoma with cows, chickens, fresh veggies—you name it. Everything they ate, other than sugar and flour, they grew and raised. When I was a little girl, my mother always told me and my siblings fantastic, vivid tales of growing up on the farm during the summertime, when they would eat like kings, with fresh produce by the bunches and routine delicacies like homemade ice cream.

It’s that same enchanted love for homemade and fresh that defines how my family lives at home today. We have bee hives in our yard, my kids have their bee suits and like to get involved with it all—it’s so fun, it’s like a living science experiment. In our garden, we grow tons of fruits and vegetables and we’re so lucky to live where we live, because we can grow almost anything—we can’t stop planting new things!

Why is healthy eating so important for you and your family?

I was lucky to grow up eating garden-grown, fresh, homemade nutritious food with a mom who prepared our meals on a daily basis. I was well educated on how important of a role clean eating plays in our daily lives. It’s key for us to know exactly what we are putting into our bodies in order to feel good and alive with energy. This was my mom’s lifestyle, which she instilled in me and my sisters, and it’s what I want for my kids—and really, all kids, at the end of the day. That’s why I’m so passionate about Once Upon a Farm.

How did you get involved with Once Upon a Farm?

As a mom with my own three school-aged kids, it’s become something of a tradition to feed my family using that same farm-to-family approach. But the reality remains, I have three lunch boxes to pack each day. So I understand, firsthand, how much of a challenge making every meal “fresh” can be, especially when busy schedules demand parents to meal prep in advance.

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When I cofounded Once Upon a Farm, it was if all the stars aligned. My decade of work focused on early literacy and healthy food access as a Save the Children ambassador and my passion for nourishing my family with those same wholesome foods suddenly exploded into this incredible opportunity for me to do good by families everywhere by making organic, farm-fresh foods delicious and convenient.

Is there one healthy food your kids hate?

There are plenty of healthy foods my kids don’t like! I have typical picky eaters, for sure. I would say we’re in the camp of not mixing flavors and textures more than we are picky about specific foods. I was the pickiest kid ever when I was little, so I try to stay calm when they turn down something I know they would love—but I’m not always successful.

How do you fit in workouts between work and family life?

I work out early—really early, and I always work out on both Saturday and Sunday, to give me more guilt-free days when things get too hairy during the week. For the past four years I’ve been loving working out with Simone de la Rue, who started Body by Simone. I love the classes—full of energy and movement and fun women, and would recommend them—or Simone’s awesome app! —to anyone.

What’s your favorite wellness habit with the kids?

I love to hike with my kids on Sunday afternoons. And I have been known to bribe them to meditate.

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How do you unwind after a stressful day?

If we can get outside, even for a minute, the whole evening moves more easily.

For more expert and real-mom-approved parenting intel, dive into Mom Crush May.

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FoodNutrition

Why Are People Suddenly Eating Handfuls of Spinach Straight From the Fridge?

TL;DR: You don’t have to eat raw spinach out of the container like a raccoon to get the nutritional benefits.

Girl in leggings and green shirt holding colander of washed spinach with hands visible, top view.
Photo: Getty
Published Feb 21, 2025

Written by 

Emily Ziemski

TikTok is full of microtrends, especially when it comes to food. Eating a whole cucumber, making protein Diet Coke; remember the baked feta pasta? The list is endless and frankly, can be a bit silly. The latest: Creators shoving a whole handful of spinach into their mouths, citing a “max nutritional benefit boost” by doing so. 

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Searching for videos about eating a handful of spinach yields hundreds of people looking vaguely uncomfortable while trying to chew and swallow, well, a whole handful of raw, unseasoned spinach. Of course, I have questions. Is this the cinnamon challenge but with vegetables? Do you hate joy? And, the most important, is this *actually* the best way to get nutritional benefits from spinach?

What is this trend, exactly?

Cropping up in feeds in early February, the TikTok videos hinge on two key factors: The spinach has to be raw, and you have to eat it first thing in the morning. One handful seems to do the trick for most, and it appears that nothing else is consumed alongside the spinach. Just a whole bunch of raw spinach. That’s it. That’s the tweet. 

Surely, it would be easier to incorporate it into the smoothie you’re already planning to have, or the omelet you just made, but here we are. 

Why are people doing this?

According to these videos, besides kicking off your day with multiple vitamins, iron, and potassium, some claim it can also “curb carb and sugar cravings” while others assert that doing this every morning helps “train your tastebuds for the day.”

For me, this feels like it’s veering into the 90s and early aughts culture of “no pain no gain,” a mindset that had us doing things like scrubbing our faces with apricot shells every night, and only eating cabbage soup for every meal. 

Not to say those things aren’t great in moderation (gentle exfoliation is wonderful for the skin, and cabbage is a great, nutritionally dense vegetable), but banking your health on one, singular thing isn’t a great road to success. “I think that spinach is obviously a very nutritious food, but it doesn’t contain the full spectrum of vitamins and minerals that one needs daily,” says Christina Manian, RDN, a sustainable food systems professional. “In terms of claims that doing this first thing in the morning hacks your body’s cravings for the rest of the day, I’m not sure whether that’s true.”

So, what’s the actual science behind this trend?

Realistically, there’s just not a lot of science that backs up these claims of tastebud training and curbed hunger. Research done by the University of Buffalo on bitter foods showed that when feeding bitter foods (like leafy greens) to rats, a protein-based salivary compound that was activated when eating something bitter could be trained to increase over time. 

Basically, the press release stated that when that protein was activated, “the bitter tastes like water.” So, the rats could eat more of the bitter foods without minding the taste. It is important to note that studies done in mice and rats don’t translate well to human consequences, as our physiological differences, like hormonal makeup and immune systems, vary too much from these lab mice/rat studies to be able to draw any definite conclusions. In fact, human-based studies show that denying food cravings can actually lead to increased appetites, and even bingeing behaviors. 

However, it’s not all bad news. There is a lot of info that shows food sequencing—starting each meal by eating vegetables, then protein, then everything else—*does* indeed help with hunger cues, satiety, and better blood sugar control. “I often enjoy spinach in the morning (usually cooked with tofu or eggs and whole grain toast) but don’t feel called to eat it raw as the very first thing I put into my body,” says Manian. 

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Should you do this trend?

There’s truly no harm (except maybe a minor choking hazard?) in trying this trend. “Considering how most Americans aren't eating enough veggies, I'll count this as a win,” says Lauren Manaker, RDN, a women’s nutrition expert and consultant. “They are still getting fiber and plant compounds when they eat it by the handful.”

If you’re like me, and seeing a new internet trend makes you feel like the oldest, crankiest person on planet earth, take solace in knowing that dietitians believe adding spinach to any part of your daily meal plan is a total win. “Overall, eating raw spinach is an excellent practice, as is eating cooked spinach,” says Manian. “I think if [people] are doing this any time of the day, that’s fantastic, and if they feel inclined to eat spinach in the morning, then that's also wonderful.”

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Food

The Making of an Internet-Famous Fruit: How Sumo Citrus Has Captured Hearts, Tastebuds, and a Devoted Following

photo of growers transporting many sumo citrus for review
Photo: Sumo Citrus® & W+G Creative
Published Feb 20, 2025

In Partnership With 

Sumo Citrus

Written by 

Maeve McCormick

Confession time: I love citrus—zesty limes squeezed on my tacos, fresh-squeezed orange juice on slow Sunday mornings, and the invigorating scent of grapefruit candles when I need to unwind. But when it comes to eating whole citrus fruits? Historically, not my thing. The mess of peeling, the sticky fingers, the rogue juice dribbling down my wrists—for me, most citrus has never been worth the (literal) squeeze.

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Then, one day, my roommate came home from the store with an oversized citrus I didn’t recognize. She told me I had to try a piece, while effortlessly peeling it in one smooth motion—no mess, no struggle. I skeptically accepted a slice, wondering what the big deal was. 

To my surprise, the experience was completely sticky-fingers-free. And the taste? Unlike any citrus I’d had before—enormously sweet, impossibly juicy, and balanced with just a hint of tang. That was my first bite of Sumo Citrus®—and now, I understand why The Office actress Jenna Fischer planted a Sumo Citrus tree in her yard, John Mayer peeled it on TikTok, and it has its very own merch (kind of eyeing that beanie, TBH).

So, what’s earned Sumo Citrus this devoted following? Sumo is taking the sweetness on the road for you to experience it yourself with the Tastemonial Tour—and it’s making a special stop at House of Good during our Ultimate Citrus Experience pop-up from February 21 to 23. Stop by for the hype if you're in Los Angeles, and read on to find out how this one-of-a-kind fruit became a seasonal fruit fixation.

sumo citrus with purple sticker

Find Sumo Citrus Near You

Sumo Citrus wasn’t just plucked from a tree one day and marketed as the next big thing—it’s the result of decades of careful cultivation, according to Sunnia Gull, AC Food’s vice president of marketing. First developed in Japan in the 1970s, it was naturally bred to combine the best traits of different citrus varieties—including the sweetness of mandarins, the juiciness of navel oranges, and the easy-to-peel skin of a satsuma.

Despite its popularity, growing Sumo Citrus is no easy feat. It takes years of expertise to perfect, and California’s Central Valley is the only place in the United States where it’s grown. Even then, farmers face unpredictable weather challenges, which means every piece of fruit that makes it to the store is a result of careful tending and patience.

The first thing you notice about Sumo Citrus is its size—it’s the largest variety of mandarins. The second? Its signature Top Knot®, a bump on top of the fruit that serves as an easier way to peel it. The skin practically lifts off, revealing plump, seedless segments that don’t leave your hands coated in juice and stubborn pith. 

Every Sumo Citrus is guaranteed to be incredibly sweet, thanks to each being measured on the “brix meter,” to ensure it meets sky-high sweetness standards before hitting shelves, Gull says. For those who prefer their fruit without surprise sour bites, it’s a game-changer.

Beyond its chef’s-kiss flavor and finally-I-don’t-need-a-wet-wipe convenience, Sumo Citrus packs a *serious* nutritional punch. Each fruit contains 163 percent of your daily vitamin C, along with fiber, potassium, and a flavonoid called hesperidin, which has antioxidant benefits. Whether you’re looking for immunity support, a gut-friendly snack, or a natural energy source, it fits the bill. Bonus: It’s the kind of snack I can toss in my bag and eat in two minutes flat—way better than the sad granola bar that’s been in my purse for the past three months.

And while Sumo Citrus is made to eat straight out of the peel, fans have gotten creative with how they use it. The fruit’s sweetness and juiciness make it an ideal addition to everything from bright citrus salads to zesty cocktails and refreshing desserts. Its bold flavor also complements savory dishes—think citrus-glazed salmon or a tangy dressing for roasted vegetables.

All of that creativity may be a result of the fact that Sumo Citrus is here for a good time, but not a long time. Unlike standard grocery store oranges that are available year-round, Sumo Citrus has a limited growing season, running only from January to April. This short window has created an almost cult-like following, with fans stocking up as soon as they see the signature purple sticker in stores. 

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I get it—now that I’ve experienced Sumo, I fully understand the impulse to grab them while they last. The anticipation is almost part of the appeal: Like cherry blossom season or holiday peppermint mochas, Sumo’s fleeting availability makes it even more special. And when the season ends? People (me) are already counting down the days until its return. Conclusion: Do yourself a favor and grab a few before they disappear for the year. Because once you’ve had a taste of this juicy citrus, there’s no going back.

Psst: Want a taste ASAP? The Sumo Tastemonial Tour is rolling into Belmont Park in San Diego from February 28 to March 1, Boreal Ski Resort in Tahoe from March 7 to 8, Craig Ranch Regional Park in Las Vegas from March 10 to 11, and La Encantada in Tuscon from March 14 to 15—or stop by House of Good in Venice Beach for the Ultimate Citrus Experience from February 21 to 23.

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