- Teenagers need extra nutrition because they are still growing.
- How physically active your child is determines how much they should be eating.
- As a parent, you should offer your kinds a wide range of fruit and vegetables.
They’re always hungry and their ability to snack is legendary. But, even with their never-ending quest for treats and snacks, you still have to ensure that they are making healthy eating choices.
Teenagers experience big physical changes in puberty, so they need extra nutrition to fuel these changes. Therefore, you need to ensure they have healthy food on hand.
Your child’s level of physical activity and developmental stage determine how much healthy food they need. Their bigger appetite is their body’s way of telling them to eat more.
Healthy food has the necessary nutrients needed for growth and development during puberty.
Make healthy food choices from the five food groups:
· Vegetables
· Fruit
· Grains
· Reduced-fat dairy or dairy-free alternatives
· Protein
These food groups provide the different nutrients your teen’s body requires to grow and work properly.
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Fruit and veggies provide energy, vitamins, antioxidants, fibre and water. These nutrients help protect your child against diseases later in life, such as heart disease, stroke and some cancers. So, encourage your child, from a young age, to choose fruit and vegetables at every meal, and for snacks.
Offer a wide variety of fruit and veggies – mix it up with different colours, textures and tastes. You can serve the vegetables fresh or cooked.
Enforcing healthy eating can be tough, especially in the beginning but keep at it. If you’re struggling, try to create a healthy eating environment by:
- Getting your children involved in the family’s food shopping and meal planning.
- Encouraging kids to take responsibility for planning and preparing one healthy family meal a week.
- Limiting unhealthy food options in your home by not buying them or cutting back dramatically.
Placing a full fruit bowl where it is easy to access and chopped ready-to-eat veggies in the fridge. Stocking up on wholegrain crackers with healthy dips.
