Get Kids Excited About Eating Veggies
Convincing children to consume vegetables can be a daunting task, especially when it comes to salads. However, Tiffani Thiessen has a clever trick to help those resistant to greens: adding a salad on top of pizza!
“The first time it clicked for my son, Holt, was when I put salad on his pizza,” Thiessen, 52, shared with The Post. “He exclaimed, ‘Wait, you can do that?’ And I happily confirmed, ‘Of course, you can!’ He loved the idea, especially with a generous drizzle of ranch dressing. Since then, he’s been eating salads regularly, and that was a few years ago.”
Thiessen, a mother of two, is not just fond of salads out of necessity; her enthusiasm runs deep. She has partnered with the packaged salad brand Fresh Express due to her genuine love for fresh greens.
You might recall her iconic roles: the cheerful Kelly Kapowski in “Saved by the Bell” and the fierce Valerie Malone in “Beverly Hills, 90210.” Gone are her days of indulging in hot fudge sundaes and giant burgers; her Instagram is now filled with vibrant salad recipes. From Italian chopped salad with shrimp to Caesar supreme salad with herby meatballs and Mediterranean charred vegetable salad drizzled with tzatziki vinaigrette, her dishes showcase her culinary creativity.
Thiessen remains committed to her salad regimen even while filming the upcoming Disney+ series “Coven Academy” in Vancouver.
“When I’m busy with long shoots during the week, I definitely lean more towards salads!” she explained. “While I do take the time to treat myself on weekends with meals out with friends or castmates, during the week, it’s all about staying healthy.”
For Thiessen, the key to her diet is finding balance, following an 80/20 rule: 80% healthy salads and 20% indulgent meals like Chinese food, oysters, and wine.
She also emphasizes two more essentials for maintaining well-being: ample sleep and hydration.
Stay Hydrated
“Many people struggle to drink enough water; I used to be one of them,” Thiessen admitted. “I started adding lemon to make it more palatable and gradually trained myself to drink water regularly. Now, it feels natural, and I crave it.”
While she refrains from sharing her exact water intake — “a long-held secret!” — she mentions that she follows the guideline of drinking half her body weight in ounces. Nonetheless, she ensures she stops drinking water around 7 p.m., so she can sleep through the night.
Prioritizing Sleep
Sleep is a significant priority for Thiessen, who aims for at least seven hours nightly.
“Now that I’m 52, I’ve realized I really need my sleep,” she reflected. “My sweet spot is eight hours, although that isn’t always feasible.”
Filming in Vancouver has made achieving enough sleep particularly challenging due to late-night shoots. To combat this, she relies on a sound machine that she’s used ever since the birth of her daughter, Harper, 15 years ago.
“I even travel with it,” she added. “I love my husband, Brady, but he can be a bit snore-prone! At home, I use amazing moldable earplugs that allow me to sleep peacefully through the night.”
