Whether you know her from Sister, Sister fame, or have only just been introduced to her through Netflix’s Family Reunion or the Cooking Channel’s Tia Mowry at Home, Tia Mowry has been thriving under the Hollywood spotlight since the early ’90s. And things don’t appear to be slowing down for her anytime soon. The mother of two continues to take on new projects and indulge in her love for cooking, starting in her own family’s kitchen.
Growing up on television from a young age had an understandably big impact on Tia’s body image. And, after a few growing pains, she learned a lot of important lessons about what it really means to eat healthy and love your body at the same time. These are the very same lessons that she aims to bring into her own home when preparing meals with her family every day, especially when it comes to her two children. Just as she learned to embrace her flaws and love herself, she “constantly encourages [her] kids in that same way,” and the best place to start is with a delicious, healthy meal.
So Yummy got the chance to e-mail Tia Mowry about her journey from being a young actor with her twin sister to becoming a working mother and learning to prioritize her health and happiness all at the same time.
So Yummy (SY): How did being on TV at a young age affect your body image and diet?
Tia Mowry (TM): I wasn’t insecure about my body until I started going through growing pains on television. On set, everything was available: candy, donuts, anything I could put my hands on. And suddenly, when I ate those things, I started to gain weight and feel insecure, so I turned to diet pills.
It’s hard because you see your body changing on TV and you don’t want to talk about it — you just handle it internally and then I saw those diet pills online… They made my heart beat so fast, I had chest pains. It wasn’t until college when my Freshman Seminar professor, Dr. Banks, opened my eyes to what I was really doing to myself. From then on, I made a promise to myself to never take diet pills again, and just started making healthier choices.
SY: Did you ever have an “aha” moment when it came to your diet growing up?
TM: When I was diagnosed with endometriosis in my mid-twenties. That was when I understood how food and diet could either exacerbate an underlying condition or help suppress it.
SY: How has becoming a mother impacted what you feed yourself?
TM: When you’re a mom, you have to learn how to take care of yourself — take care of the goose so the goose can lay the egg, right? I have to be healthy and have energy and be present for my children. Taking care of myself helps me be a better mom, a better wife, a better friend, the list goes on and on.
SY: What do you feed your kids?
TM: I like to play around with fun recipes that are delicious and have the nutrients my little ones need. In the morning, I like to make my favorite parfait with honey, blueberries, bananas, and yogurt. I love putting an extra drizzle of honey on top for added flavor — Cree especially loves this dish!
If we’re in a rush to get out the door, I like a grab-and-go snack like my pre-made, no-bake energy bites. I love to make these ahead of time with simple ingredients like rolled oats, almond butter, dried fruits, honey, and orange marmalade. We’re also big on getting together for family dinner. We like to take this time to re-group as a family, regardless of how hectic our day was. My kids love their veggies — two of our favorite dishes are sweet potato wedges with cinnamon or asparagus with bacon, feta, and honey.
SY: Has your time in the spotlight impacted how you teach your kids about diet and body image?
TM: Yes, while being in the spotlight, I grew up with insecurities as a young person. But as I’ve gotten older, I’ve learned how to embrace my flaws and love all of me. And I constantly encourage my kids in that same way. I’m always telling my daughter she’s beautiful. I’m always telling my son, “Be yourself, there’s only one you, you’re awesome.”
SY: If you could go back in time and give yourself one piece of advice, what would it be?
TM: Stop worrying so much. Everything falls into place.
SY: Between balancing your life and the lives of your children, how do you handle the stress of the day-to-day?
TM: I try to meditate. I sweat it out (indoor cycling is my fave). I try to get proper rest — I’m not afraid to take naps (when I can)! Even if it’s just 20 minutes, those are actually the best naps.
SY: What led you to develop a passion for food and cooking? Was it a sudden realization, or slow?
TM: It was a slow realization. It started when I was kid cooking in the kitchen with my mom, being her sous chef. And then once I got married, I got more serious about it and started watching all the cooking shows and cooking from my favorite cookbooks, and it just sort of evolved from there.
SY: What advice would you give to young people today, when it comes to their health and dietary decisions?
TM: The advice that I would give them is to understand that there is a correlation to eating good and feeling good. Growing up, you don’t think that you have the power and control to make yourself feel better. Whether that’s by taking your vitamins, getting proper exercise, paying attention to your mental health — you have the power! You can control that.
[fm_youtube url="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dqEGxpwZ1g"]SY: If you had to eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
TM: With the holidays coming up, my mind has been focused on all the delicious things I want to whip up for my family. We LOVE my signature cornbread with honey, topped with honey butter and ancho chiles! Talk about a dish that has it all — it’s sweet, spicy, and utterly delicious.
SY: What do you hope to have achieved five years from now?
TM: Five years from now, I’d like to continue to be in a place of happiness, gratitude, and great health. I want to continue to do what I love to do: be creative as an actress and producer, as well as explore and grow in the culinary space (I love everything about food).
For more, you can follow Tia on Instagram and Twitter. You can also find her very own cookbook, Whole New You, on Amazon.
