Kristin Cavallari is trying to be the best role model for her children when it comes to body positivity.
“Having a daughter, I’m hyperaware of it now,” Cavallari, 37, exclusively told Us Weekly on Monday, August 12, of the topic while promoting her partnership with KIND Snacks. “I think first it starts with me and just setting a good example.”
The Uncommon James founder explained that when she has a “good relationship around food [it] trickles down to all of my kids.” (Cavallari shares daughter Saylor, 8, and sons Camden, 12, and Jaxon, 10, with ex-husband Jay Cutler.)
When it comes to her daughter’s body image, Cavallari noted that “not making it a thing” is one of her goals.
“She’s got two older brothers. They’re not nice to her. They will say some mean things to her, and so it’s [about] not making it a big deal,” Cavallari shared. “I’ll be like, ‘Saylor, [don’t] listen to your brothers. They’re just being jerks.’ That kind of stuff.”
Luckily, Saylor is “still young enough” to not be bogged down with intrusive thoughts about her body, according to Cavallari. “I think when she starts being bombarded with these images of women on social media and stuff, I think that’s when it’ll become more real,” she continued. “But she’s still pretty young.”
Ultimately, Cavallari is mindful of the role she plays. “I do think it starts with the mom, specifically with the way you are with food,” she added.
Cavallari is aware of how much women are scrutinized for their bodies after being thrust into the limelight with the success of MTV’s Laguna Beach. Following her 2020 divorce from Cutler, 41, Cavallari began prioritizing her health and her happiness.
Last year, she launched her “Let’s Be Honest With Kristin Cavallari” podcast, which she told Us was her way of letting her walls down and being real with herself and others.
“Since I first started on TV at 17, my image has been controlled to a degree,” Cavallari said in September 2023. “So this is the first thing I’ve done where I’m like, ‘This is the real me for the first time in my entire career. I’m in a really good place in my life, and I feel like I can finally open that door and let people in.’”
At the time, Cavallari pointed to meditation as one of the ways she was working on her self-care, telling Us, “If my cup is full, I can be patient and loving and supportive. I didn’t understand that until the last four years, and I’m a better mom now.”
Now, Cavallari is dating Mark Estes and has recalibrated her diet and gut health, all of which makes her a better example for her children.
“This is so cheesy and people will hate me for it, but I think [I] really [found] happiness,” she told Us on Monday. “For the last four years, I worked through all my crap. I really got rid of any toxicity that was in my life. That’s [the] big picture.”
Cavallari explained that during the last year she did gut, hormones and food sensitivity tests, which have contributed to her healthy lifestyle.
“My gut was out of balance. I think when you can get everything in line, your body just functions better,” she added. “I think that plays a large role. I am focusing more on protein. Just making some adjustments in my life I think have been really impactful.”
In addition to finding her own health balance, Cavallari is focused on giving her kids a leg up this school year with the help of KIND Snacks.
“I think my kids are at good ages now where I’m putting a little bit more responsibility on them. I no longer am plugging in their laptops for them at night for school or making sure their homework folders are in their backpacks,” Cavallari told Us of her kids’ routines. “Another thing is they’re now responsible for grabbing their own snacks for school, and so that’s why I’m so excited about this partnership with KIND Bars.”
The mom of three revealed she’s “always been a fan” of the KIND brand — as have her kids. “They have these new kid bars and they’re the soft baked chewy bars. They’re school-friendly,” she continued. “Schools now, there’s so many allergies. It’s hard to know what you can and can’t bring. These give you peace of mind. It’s just one less thing I have to worry about, which is awesome.”
Earlier this month, Cavallari teamed up with KIND for the launch of its new KIND Kids line. She worked alongside Tori Spelling to film a commercial about the new snack bars, which are available to purchase in store and online. Learn more about KIND Snacks here.
With reporting by Christina Garibaldi
