Your teen may look like an adult, but she is still growing and needs key nutrients. The foods your teen eats should be the main source of these vitamins and minerals, but many children this age tend to choose burgers and fries over fruits and vegetables. Provide a variety of nutritious and tasty foods for snacks and meals to help your teen get exactly what she needs for her last few years of growing up.
Dairy Foods
Children between the ages of 9 and 18 need the most calcium because this is a critical time for building bone mass, according to Healthy Children. Your teen needs 1,300 mg of calcium per day until he turns 18, and dairy foods are one of the best ways to get this essential mineral. Getting enough calcium is also important for the health of your teen's teeth. Choose low-fat dairy foods to keep your teen's saturated fat intake in check. Skim milk, low-fat yogurt and reduced-fat cheese are all nutritious options. If your teen does not like the taste of dairy foods, offer him dark green leafy vegetables or fortified juice and cereal.
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables should play a critical role in your teen's diet because they are low in fat and calories and supply a wealth of nutrients, including vitamin A, vitamin C, fiber and potassium. KidsHealth recommends keeping several of your child's favorites in the refrigerator for easy snacking or to add as side dishes to her meals. Offer cut-up vegetables with fiber-rich hummus or fresh fruit with low-fat plain yogurt to add some additional nutrients. Allow your teen to choose his favorites so there are always tasty ones on hand.
Meat and Beans
Not only are meat and beans a nutritious source of energy-supplying protein, but they are also rich in iron. Teens need more iron than younger children, particularly females as they enter puberty. Teen boys need 11 mg per day and teen girls need 15 mg each day. Iron is a key nutrient in your teen's diet because it enables her to make hemoglobin, the part of her red blood cells that carry oxygen throughout her body. Adding beans, lean beef and pork, white meat chicken and turkey, as well as fish to your teen's diet will help her get the iron she needs for good health. Dark leafy greens and fortified cereals are additional sources of this important mineral.
Healthy Fats
The fats found in foods like burgers, french fries, pizza and ice cream, are unhealthy saturated fats that can contribute to weight gain, obesity and other diseases. Your teen needs some fat in his diet, but it needs to come from foods with unsaturated types. KidsHealth notes that healthy fats help your teen's body absorb nutrients, help protect your his cells and help keep his weight in the normal range. Replace saturated fat in your teen's diet with healthier options like olive oil, avocados, nuts and fatty fish like salmon for tasty ways to supply his body with healthy fats.
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