Although your teen is nearing adulthood, his health is still your responsibility. Although you probably can't watch your teen eat every meal, teach him how to make his own healthy eating decisions. This way, he'll carry his healthy eating habits with him into adulthood. Talk to your teen's doctor before making any changes in his diet, especially if he has health conditions or injuries.
Adequate Nutrition
Teenage girls need between 1,800 to 2,400 calories per day, while teenage boys need between 2,000 and 3,200 calories per day, depending on how active they are. Encourage your child to get between 45 and 65 percent of her calories from carbohydrates -- mostly whole-grain carbohydrates, like brown rice, whole-grain bread and whole-wheat pasta. Instruct your child to eat approximately 10 to 30 percent of her calories from lean protein, like tofu, chicken and fish, and 25 to 35 percent of her calories from fat. Teach your child that saturated fat, found in baked good and red meat, is less nutritious than polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fat, found in nuts and olive oil.
Healthy and Unhealthy Weight Loss
If your child is concerned about his weight, encourage him to make healthy food choices instead of skipping meals. Diets that promise fast weight loss by eating the same foods over and over again are considered fad diets. Fad diets may help your teen lose weight initially, but as soon as the diet is over, he'll gain the weight back again. Instead, encourage your teen to eat a variety of lean protein, whole grains and fresh fruits and vegetables for every meal -- including breakfast.
Sample Meal Plans
It's imperative that your teen eats three meals a day, and a snack or two in between to keep her full and satisfied. For breakfast, make plain oatmeal with raisins and berries. Serve an avocado, low-fat cheese and sliced turkey sandwich on whole-grain bread with sprouts, lettuce and tomato for lunch. For dinner, stick with fish cooked with herbs and olive oil, brown rice and steamed vegetables, like broccoli and green beans. Encourage your child to take seconds of any fruit and vegetable dishes, but not on main dishes, like chicken and fish. If your teen typically eats more than one plate of food, encourage her to start the meal with a salad drizzled with olive oil to fill her up before the main course.
Choosing Healthy Drinks
When your teen is at school, he may be tempted to reach for chips or candy from the vending machine. These foods pack a lot of calories but little nutrition, so it's best to avoid them. Urge your teen to drink soda, sports drinks and sugary fruit drinks only occasionally -- although they're not technically a food, they're high in sugar and empty calories, and could make your teen gain unnecessary weight. Instead, encourage your teen to drink water, seltzer, low-fat milk or 100 percent fruit juice.
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