A great diet for a teen fits in with the teen's lifestyle and meets specific nutrient needs. A teenager may need a diet to gain or lose weight. Teenage athletes who train hard need diets that support their strenuous schedules and promote top performances. Teenagers who are away at college often have busy and irregular schedules. Healthy meals and snacks for these teenagers may need to include portable and easy to prepare options.
Calorie Balance
A great diet for a teenager requires the proper balance between calories that food provides and calories that she uses for physical activity, basal metabolism and growth. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, maintaining weight means being in caloric equilibrium. A teenager who needs to lose weight can achieve a caloric deficit by reducing her calories by about 500 to 1,000 calories per day. A diet for weight loss can include lower calorie foods and smaller portions. Exercise will increase the number of calories that she uses and can also contribute to a calorie deficit.
Variety
A great diet for teens should meet their nutrient recommendations for overall health and proper growth and development. Balanced diets that include foods from all of the food groups increase the likelihood of providing necessary nutrients. For example, to help build strong bones, teenagers need plenty of calcium, which is in dairy and fortified products. Iron is an especially important nutrient for teenage girls to avoid anemia, and it is in red meats, green vegetables and fortified cereals.
Independence
The teenage years are a bridge between childhood and adulthood, and this is a time of physical and mental maturation. Many teenagers seek independence while continuing to rely on their parents for support. A great diet for teens recognizes this delicate balance by allowing teens to develop their food preparation skills in a safe atmosphere. The diet can include ready-to-eat foods like cold cereal and yogurt, as well as foods requiring minimal preparation, such as canned chili and salads. Parents can contribute to their teens' abilities by cooking meals together. Teaching self sufficiency while educating teens is part of a great diet plan.
Snacks
Most teenagers eat a significant amount of food away from home. Whether at school, between classes, or at a friends' house, teens may be hungry and need some energy to get through the next activity. A great diet for a teen provides for occasions when he is hungry but has not planned ahead. The diet should include plenty of convenient healthy snacks that contribute to daily nutrient requirements. The TeenHealth website gives examples of healthy and ready-to-eat snacks such as wheat pretzels, fruit and raw carrots.
Lunch
A great diet for a teen includes healthy lunches. The diet should fit her lifestyle and allow her to select the best possible foods. For example, daily decisions that she makes at a school or university cafeteria can impact overall health. TeenHealth suggests choosing light instead of full fat dressing, turkey instead of salami or having a hamburger instead of cheeseburger. She can also improve the nutrient content by adding healthy sides such as a salad or fruit. A healthy lunch can help in weight management and decrease feelings of fatigue in the afternoon.
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