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The care and feeding of a teenager are no easy tasks.
National surveys reveal that teens' diets, overall, tend to be
high in total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium and sugar. In
addition, teens often consume less than the recommended amounts of
dietary fiber, folate, vitamins A, E, B6, iron, calcium, zinc and
magnesium.
The increased independence of teens, their social life with
peers and busy schedules often lead them to eat more meals away
from home, consume more fast foods, make poor snack choices and
skip meals.
These behaviors may be one reason for the increase in obesity
and overweight that has occurred in the teenage population over the
past several years.
On the flip side of this problem, teens often are preoccupied
with their appearance and weight. Because of this, many turn to
unsafe dieting practices that may contribute to nutritional
deficiencies, physical and psychological problems and increased
risk of eating disorders. Some teens go so far as to adopt
unhealthy weight control behaviors, including crash diets, fasting,
use of diuretics, laxatives and diet pills, binge eating and self-induced vomiting.
Yet other teens are involved in competitive sports with their
high energy requirements. This brings the question. . .What should
teens eat?
Here are some practical suggestions for foods that most teens
like and that are nutritious and easy to prepare.
For breakfast. . .
Studies have shown that people who eat breakfast perform
better at school and work. Breakfast, however, takes planning -- 7
a.m., when the teenager is rushing out the door, is NOT the time to
think about it. Make a list of fast items that make good breakfast
foods and take that list with you the next time you shop. Here are
some breakfast possibilities that should appeal to your teen:
- Add sliced bananas, oranges or chopped fruit to hot or cold
cereal, and top with lowfat or skim milk.
- Stir breakfast cereal into lowfat yogurt.
- Top whole grain waffles, pancakes or French toast with
berries and vanilla yogurt or applesauce.
- Spread a bagel or whole-wheat toast with peanut butter and
sliced bananas.
- Fill a toasted English muffin with a poached egg and a slice
of Canadian bacon.
For lunch. . .
- Fill a sandwich with lean ham, turkey, roast beef and
mozzarella cheese. Don't forget the tomatoes, lettuce, sprouts and
onions.
- Mix tuna or chicken salad with a combination of low-calories
mayonnaise and plain yogurt. Spread on whole grain or whole-wheat
bread or a pita pocket.
- Eat a can of turkey chili with beans or vegetarian chili
with a French roll.
- Microwave a baked potato and top with fresh or frozen
vegetables and mozzarella cheese.
- Order a pizza topped with mushrooms, onions, peppers and
other vegetables. OR, prepare a frozen cheese pizza (check the fat
grams and pick one that is lowest), then add vegetable toppings.
- Finish lunch with a piece of fruit and a glass of lowfat or
skim milk.
For dinner. . .
- Sit down with the whole family and ask what they would like
to eat for dinner. Write down several favorites and serve these.
- Ask your teen to cook one day a week. Offer to help, but let
the meal choice be up to the teen.
- Whether dinner is frozen pizza, a homemade casserole or
barbecued chicken, be sure to include some fresh or frozen
vegetables and/or a salad.
- Be generous with the rice, pasta, potatoes, bread and
tortillas. These items all are low in fat. It's what we put on them
that makes them high in fat and calories. (Be careful with butter
and sauces.)
- Meat, chicken and fish are not the only foods with protein.
Legumes, such as refried beans, lentil soup or vegetarian baked
beans, contain protein, too.
- For dessert, choose ice milk, lowfat yogurt or fruit.
For snacks. . .
Snacks are an important part of any diet. Without snacks, we
have a tendency to become very hungry and make poor meal choices.
If you choose carefully, snacks can be a bonus, rather than a
disaster. Snacks can help provide hard-to-get nutrients.
- Plan ahead for snacks away from home. If you wait until
hunger strikes, filling your stomach will be more important than
making healthful choices.
- Use snacks to fill in the foods missing from your meals.
Fresh fruit, fruit and vegetables juices, ice milk or pudding, or
a glass of skim or lowfat milk, all are good choices.
- Winter warmers include instant noodle soups (watch the fat
grams) or soups with a clear base, such as vegetable minestrone,
chicken or split pea.
- Summer coolers include ice milk or lowfat frozen yogurt,
pudding pops, juice bars, homemade shakes with milk, yogurt and
your favorite fruit.
- Munchies and crunchies include plain popcorn, pretzels,
vegetables and dip (mix your favorite dip mix with plain yogurt or
no-fat sour cream), baked corn chips with salsa or bean dip, rye
crackers with peanut butter, fruit dipped in pudding.
- Sweet treats include lowfat muffins, graham crackers
(chocolate are great) animal crackers, vanilla wafers, gingersnaps
and fig bars. Beware of all the new lowfat and no-fat goodies on
the market; if you do purchase these, eat only one serving at a
time. Do not eat the WHOLE BOX -- they still contain calories.
- Mini meals include melted mozzarella cheese on an English
muffin with tomato slices, sprinkled with Italian herbs; a
microwaved baked potato topped with chili beans, or a tortilla
filled with no-fat refried beans and salsa.
- Basic bites include a glass of milk, a carton of lowfat
yogurt, a piece of fruit or a plain bagel.
Fast foods. . .
We all enjoy fast food. It's quick, easy and tasty. Here are
some good fast food choices.
- A burger or broiled chicken sandwich, instead of a fried
fish or fried chicken sandwich, or chicken nuggets.
- Add lettuce and tomato to your burger, but hold the bacon,
mayonnaise and "special sauce."
- Order a baked potatoes, but choose lower fat toppings.
- Eat a slice of vegetable pizza.
- For a lower fat choice, remove the skin from fried chicken.
- Check out the salad bar. Choose crisp, crunchy vegetables
instead of creamy salads such as potato or macaroni. Choose lowfat
salad dressings.
- Drink lowfat or skim milk or juice instead of soft drinks or
shakes.
For more information about good nutrition for teenagers,
contact Lori Wolf, Colorado State University Extension
in Boulder County, Colorado at (303) 776-4865 or e-mail:
boulder@coop.ext.colostate.edu
or contact your local
Colorado State University Extension office.
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