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1. Eat Whatever For Breakfast
Just as long as you eat breakfast. Teens are less likely to eat breakfast than adults are, and studies show that doing so can improve the short-term memory and mood of adolescent students.
"Breakfast doesn't have to be cereal or eggs (traditional foods)," says Stang. "Students can eat whatever they have quick access to, such as leftover vegetable pizza, whole grain toast with peanut butter, a sandwich or even a whole grain granola-type bar. If students have this with a glass of milk, they get a pretty good dose of calcium, protein, fiber and other nutrients."
Coffee is okay, says Stang, but coffee drinks -- those sweet confections with whipped cream and syrup on top -- should be consumed in moderation, since they can pack hundreds of empty calories.
2. Keep Snacks In Your Locker
Often, there's not enough time for a healthy lunch during the school day, so teens can keep healthful snacks that don't need to be refrigerated in their lockers as a way to stay full and hold strong against the allure of the vending machine.
"If students don't have time for lunch at school, they can keep items such as low-fat, whole grain granola bars, dried fruit, trail mix, whole grain crackers with peanut butter or cheese, or nuts in their locker to eat between meals," says Stang.
3. Sandwiches For Dinner
Many teens don't have dinner with their families and are left to fend for themselves in the kitchen, meaning they need quick, easy and healthful meals. That's where sandwiches come in. "Sandwiches are usually a good choice if they use whole grain bread and vegetables (easy on the mayo)," explains Stang.
4. Raid The Fridge For Bite Sized Fruits And Veggies (And Parents: Put It There!)
"Parents should keep fruit and cut vegetables or salad mix in an obvious place in the home or refrigerator to encourage teens to use these foods," Stang says.
Heather I. Mangieri, MS, RDN, CSSD, LDN agrees. "When it comes to teens, it is often the parents that I have to talk to as well," she says. "The younger population is less motivated by their health, unfortunately."
In other words, teens will eat the healthy food if it is easily available to them, but might not have the motivation (and time and resources) to put calories there in the first place.
5. Don't Worry About Changes In Appetite
During adolescence, teens' appetites can vary greatly. This depends on growth spurts and hormonal changes, among other reasons (the start of soccer season, for example).
"Physical development doesn’t happen on steady trajectory and their hunger patterns will tend to mirror the uneven growth spurts," according to a curriculum put together by the Center for Adolescent Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
6. Don't Overdo It
Still, calorie needs for teens are not dramatically different than for children -- regardless of growth spurts. Overeating is still a big concern for teens.
"Logically, caloric needs are higher in adolescents than in children," according to the Johns Hopkins working paper. "However, they may not be as high as you think."
source:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/05/diet-tips-for-teens-advice-nutrition_n_2993840.html
Just as long as you eat breakfast. Teens are less likely to eat breakfast than adults are, and studies show that doing so can improve the short-term memory and mood of adolescent students.
"Breakfast doesn't have to be cereal or eggs (traditional foods)," says Stang. "Students can eat whatever they have quick access to, such as leftover vegetable pizza, whole grain toast with peanut butter, a sandwich or even a whole grain granola-type bar. If students have this with a glass of milk, they get a pretty good dose of calcium, protein, fiber and other nutrients."
Coffee is okay, says Stang, but coffee drinks -- those sweet confections with whipped cream and syrup on top -- should be consumed in moderation, since they can pack hundreds of empty calories.
2. Keep Snacks In Your Locker
Often, there's not enough time for a healthy lunch during the school day, so teens can keep healthful snacks that don't need to be refrigerated in their lockers as a way to stay full and hold strong against the allure of the vending machine.
"If students don't have time for lunch at school, they can keep items such as low-fat, whole grain granola bars, dried fruit, trail mix, whole grain crackers with peanut butter or cheese, or nuts in their locker to eat between meals," says Stang.
3. Sandwiches For Dinner
Many teens don't have dinner with their families and are left to fend for themselves in the kitchen, meaning they need quick, easy and healthful meals. That's where sandwiches come in. "Sandwiches are usually a good choice if they use whole grain bread and vegetables (easy on the mayo)," explains Stang.
4. Raid The Fridge For Bite Sized Fruits And Veggies (And Parents: Put It There!)
"Parents should keep fruit and cut vegetables or salad mix in an obvious place in the home or refrigerator to encourage teens to use these foods," Stang says.
Heather I. Mangieri, MS, RDN, CSSD, LDN agrees. "When it comes to teens, it is often the parents that I have to talk to as well," she says. "The younger population is less motivated by their health, unfortunately."
In other words, teens will eat the healthy food if it is easily available to them, but might not have the motivation (and time and resources) to put calories there in the first place.
5. Don't Worry About Changes In Appetite
During adolescence, teens' appetites can vary greatly. This depends on growth spurts and hormonal changes, among other reasons (the start of soccer season, for example).
"Physical development doesn’t happen on steady trajectory and their hunger patterns will tend to mirror the uneven growth spurts," according to a curriculum put together by the Center for Adolescent Health at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
6. Don't Overdo It
Still, calorie needs for teens are not dramatically different than for children -- regardless of growth spurts. Overeating is still a big concern for teens.
"Logically, caloric needs are higher in adolescents than in children," according to the Johns Hopkins working paper. "However, they may not be as high as you think."
source:http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/05/diet-tips-for-teens-advice-nutrition_n_2993840.html
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