Inside nutritionist Joy Bauer’s kitchen

>> for years, she's been dishing out healthy living tips right here on "today," but do the same tips apply at home? we visited their home to help.

>> the bauer philosophy is a philosophy that i tout to everybody else . anything goes as long as it's portion control . we go out of our way to eat healthy 90% of time and 10% of time is definitely wiggle room. mornings are crazy, especially when i have the show. i cannot start my day without a cup of black coffee . no matter how early in the morning it is, i have to make their lunches. and they all don't eat the same things. that would be too easy. ayden is the only one that doesn't mind me putting the little hearts. i multi-task. i can ipad my way through an entire hour workout, seriously. i think eating 100% healthy is overrated, and that's a crazy thing for me to say. here's my ice cream ! what i try to do is stock the house with as much healthful food as i can. i love condiments, spicy condiments. love yogurts, whether it's plain or flavored. tons of cheese. always the reduced fat. this drawer is always busting because this is my vegetable drawer. i always have fruit. i love to take one whole egg and whisk it with two to three egg whites , then you get a voluminous omelet and you drive down the fat and cholesterol. in the freezer, you'll always find a ton of nuts. now you'll see what's really behind closed doors . so this is my snack shelf. and this is definitely the most challenging. if you're strategic and you really read the ingredient list and the labels, you can find a lot of stuff that your kids love and you feel good about putting into their bodies. my kids are very, very different from each other. jesse is selective about what she eats. cole literally came out of my belly craving i think ifs like broccoli and omega 3 rich sardines. i mean, crazy. he's a nutrition's dream. ayden , who's 12, has this ferocious tweet tooth.

>> i like candy. a lot.

>> but fortunately, as she's getting older, i think she's taming it more so on her own.

>> we don't really have that much unhealthy food in this house. we grew to like healthy foods.

>> there's a few foods that you will never find in the bauer house. regular soda, hot dogs , white bread , and fried foods . now, ice cream , doughnuts, chocolate, they like that stuff.

>> yeah, we're her kids, we're not her clients, she always says.

>> i think it's really important to get kids involved in cooking, because it gives them an appreciation for good, wholesome food.

>> she's like a food magician.

>> so tonight i'm going to teach ayden how to make turkey tacos. right?

>> oh yeah.

>> i like to throw in any single vegetable i can.

>> when i first started dating ian, i made him get rid of the sugar cereal, the buffalo wings .

>> i still sneak it in every now and then.

>> occasionally. meanwhile, i get all the kudos in the house for these delicious meals, but really, he is an awesome cook.

>> just turkey chili, that's it.

>> but it's world famous amongst our family. everybody loves your turkey chili. turkey tacos. i think it's important for people to know that we're regular people like everybody else trying to do the best we can when it comes to health.

>> i feel like we raided her place. you're such a smart nutritionist. let's catch heifr in the act!

>> you have three beautiful children. one of them with us standing by, ayden . how do you teach them moderation? because you've still got ice cream and snacks in the house. there she is. ayden ! how do you teach them moderation?

>> i think ever since my kids were in grade school , they know that they have the opportunity for two fun foods, that's what i call them, each and every day. so they get something in their lunch bag, they pick whatever they want. it could be chips, popcorn, chocolate, could be a couple cookies, and they also get a desserty food after dinner. because we've always been appropriate with the portions, at this point it's second nature to them. like they know how much they're supposed to eat. i also think a big piece of this is that because they know that they have the opportunity for something the next day and the next day, it helps them resist the urge to overeat it. because of course, they're normal, like adults, like other kids. they want bigger portions. but they stop themselves.

>> i couldn't help as the camera was passing, looking at what's in there. what are the things at the bauer household, the foods that you can't live without?

>> certain fruits and vegetables. we have got tons of fresh and frozen. lean ground turkey, because i use it in all my recipes.

>> you don't use ground beef ?

>> no. we hardly ever cook with red meat . also things like nuts.

>> i saw you keep the almonds in the refrigerator, but a lot of people still debate, are nuts completely healthy for you especially if you're trying to lose weight?

>> nuts are super healthy for you. they are caloric, but one or two handfuls every single day totally fine. i like them in the freezer because they're crunchy, they're delicious and it also keeps them fresher for longer.

>> how do you motivate the kids outside the household? it's one thing inside, but they're teenagers, and the group wants to go to the fast-food place.

>> and full disclosure, my kids like things like doughnuts and bakery cupcakes and even french fries , but i make it occasional, and we just control the portions, and i think the most important thing for parents to know is control what you can control in the house, and then let them be independent when they're out and about. you know, everything is okay, you just want to keep it in moderation. also talk your kids' language. my younger kids are big sportsmen, so i talk about being faster on the field and stronger. jesse tells me that walking makes her fab, so we talk about radiant skin and hair.

>> when was the last time you had takeout?

>> a couple nights aeg. we ordered in chinese. steamed vegetables,