Susan Sarandon’s daughter, Eva Amurri, revealed that her mother was incredibly strict about the food she was allowed to eat growing up.
“My mom was a tried and true ‘almond mom,'” the 39-year-old said.
“She actually used to walk down to the Village to the only organic grocery store that existed in New York City in the early ’80s and would get everything there.”
Highlights
- Susan Sarandon was a strict "almond mom," her daughter, Eva Amurri, revealed.
- The term refers to mothers projecting their own body image fears onto their children.
- Eva said her kids have a healthier relationship with food than she did.
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The term Almond Mom was coined after a clip surfaced of Real Housewives of Beverly Hills alum Yolanda Hadid speaking to her then-teenage daughter, supermodel Gigi Hadid, in 2014.
“Have a couple of almonds, and chew them really well,” Yolanda responded. (She has since acknowledged the controversial comment in an interview with People, saying she was recovering from a long surgery and “half asleep” when her daughter called).
The term has become synonymous with mothers who project their own body image insecurities onto their daughters and view food not as a source of nutrition, but as a means through which people could potentially become overweight.
The Thelma & Louise star raised Eva on a strict diet and thought Cheerios were "junk food"
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"The almond mom phenomenon is rooted in fat phobia and internalized bias,” pediatrician Dr. Karla Lester told TODAY Parents. “She projects her own fears onto her children and in doing so, teaches them that she doesn’t accept them unless they’re at a weight that may be unattainable.”
Susan Sarandon may inspire a new term, Almond Grandma, as her daughter revealed that the star sends her grandchildren “disgusting cereal” they don’t find too inviting.
Eva shares three children with her ex-husband, former MLS player Kyle Martino: Marlowe Mae, 10, Major James, 8, and Mateo Antoni, 4.
“I had to stop being nice about it,” Eva admitted.
The term "almond mom" describes mothers who project their own body image fears onto their children
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Eva is now married to chef Ian Hock. Her kids have a healthier relationship with food than she did; since junk food isn’t forbidden at home, they aren't desperate to eat unhealthy treats.
"My 4-year-old will eat, like, half of an ice cream, and he'll be like, 'I think I'm done,' you know?" she says. "He won’t eat past what he wants, I think because I'm just so nonchalant about it."
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During the interview, Eva also highlighted the positive traits of her mother that she’s proud to pass on to her children.
"My mom was always so good at making holidays and experiences special. That's kind of her superpower.
"I think that really invigorated her a lot. And I can relate to that completely. I love being the house where everything happens, and I love giving my kids these magical memories that surround the holidays."
In addition to Eva, whom she welcomed with Italian filmmaker Franco Amurri, the Thelma & Louise star has two sons, Jack and Miles, from her relationship with actor Tim Robbins.