Good Diets for Teens At Home & At School

The dreaded word "diet" can be a challenging experience with teens. In a time of their lives where they are growing, improper dieting and consumption of nutrients can stunt growth and cause a lack of energy and concentration in sports and school. According to Mayo Clinic, teen obesity is becoming an epidemic in the United States and healthier lifestyles begins in the home. While you cannot control what a teenager eats all the time, you can still pack your teen a lunch for school, stock your pantry with nutritious snacks and prepare a healthy breakfast or dinner at home.

Breakfast Diets

• Breakfast is essential for maintaing a high metabolism level and provides nutrients and energy for the school day. Whole grain toast and whole grain cold cereals with milk are traditionally healthy breakfasts for teenagers before they head off to school. Choose cereals that are low in sugar, made of whole grain and are high in vitamins and other nutrients. Make sure your teenager gets out of bed in time for a sit-down breakfast each morning. If he is running late, give him an apple, banana or any other fresh fruit for a quick hunger fix. Any breakfast food such as toast, fruit and a glass of juice or milk can be bagged and taken to school.

Lunch Diets

• Regardless of whether your child has school or not, fresh fruits, fresh-cut vegetables and lean sandwich meats such as tuna, turkey or roast beef are good choices for dieting. School lunches can sometimes be unhealthy, so packing a lunch for your child can save him money and help him develop a taste for healthy foods.

Dinner Diets

• Dinner is an essential part of a diet because you have most control over what your teenager eats. Instead of forcing your teenager to eat, ask him what foods he would like to eat, encourage healthy selections and follow your teen with his diet. Fresh salads, whole wheat pasta, brown rice and sweet potatoes are healthy complimentary dishes. Serve your teen's choice of lean meats such as chicken breast, turkey or pork. Desserts at dinner could be a low-fat yogurt or a fruit salad.

Snacks

• You can control what is in your pantry when your teen rummages around for a snack after school or on the weekends. If your pantry is stocked with snacks such as tortilla chips, fruit, vegetables with dip, pretzels and kettle corn, your teenager will grab it. You can also purchase low-fat sugar cookies and chips. Do not deprive your teenager of sweets and candy; junk food is okay as long as it is eaten in moderation.