Kids and teens are going through major changes in regards to their body, and they need proper nutrition to maintain this growth. There are different approaches to dieting for kids, but it really just comes down to providing a well-balanced meal full of nutritionally dense calories kids need to maintain a healthy lifestyle. By maintaining a healthy body weight and learning how to eat healthy at a young age, kids and teens can reduce their risk of developing obesity-related diseases when they reach adulthood.
MyPyramid Diet Plan
Recommended by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the MyPyramid Diet Plan was designed to make it easier for kids and teens to eat healthier foods. Within minutes, the online MyPyramid tool can create a customized diet plan for kids of all ages, based on their gender, age, height, weight and daily physical activity level. It's free to use. The basic dietary guidelines of the MyPyramid plan include eating a diet consisting of whole grains, veggies, fruits, low-fat or nonfat dairy products and a limited amount of lean meats. This well-balanced diet plan will provide the essential vitamins and nutrients necessary for kids and teens to grow and develop properly.
All-Natural Diets Low in Sugar
A common concern for many parents, or at least it should be, is the amount of sugar their child is consuming. Soda is one of the biggest culprits. For example, a 12-ounce can of Welch's Grape or Orange Slice soda contains over 4 tablespoons of sugar and nearly 200 calories per can, according to Wichita. These empty calories contain little or no nutritional value for growing children. Sugary treats---donuts, many cereals, snack cakes and candy---contain similarly high amounts of sugar. Instead of sugary snacks and drinks, kids and teens should focus on fruits and vegetables, which are full of the nutritionally dense calories kids need for energy and proper development. Drinking water instead of soda is another effective way to reduce a child's daily caloric intake by as much as 250 to 500 calories per day.
Vegetarian
Vegetarianism is a popular choice for parents looking to get their kids eating healthier. Kids and teens can get the necessary vitamins and nutrients from a vegetarian diet as long as it is done correctly. Kids have different nutritional needs than adults, so it's important that they eat a varied, well-rounded vegetarian diet full of what their body needs. Kids and teens on a vegetarian diet need to pay special attention to the amount of protein, calcium, iron and vitamin B12 they are getting each day, according to VRG. These are the nutrients commonly found in meats and other animal products. To get enough of these nutrients in a child's diet, they should consume milk, beans, nuts, tofu, calcium-fortified orange juice, citrus fruits, cheese, leafy vegetables, kale, soy milk and cereals fortified with vitamin B12.
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