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Healthy Diet Tips for Girls Aged 11 to 16

Everyone should eat healthful foods, but this can present a challenge to young girls because of school and parental choices. A healthful diet for teen girls should consist of a variety of fruits and vegetables, lean protein and whole grains. When you focus your diet on eating healthful foods, you may not even have to count calories. However, diets for young girls should have enough calories to support a growing body, so be sure to eat enough food without going overboard.

  1. Healthy Breakfast

    • A healthy breakfast will get you off to a great start. Unfortunately, in the rush to get ready for school, many teens and pre-teens skip this all-important meal. Ask your parents to purchase healthful breakfast options that you can take on the go. For example, you can easily take a smoothie along with you if you put it in a travel mug. You could also eat a sandwich with whole-wheat bread and eggs. Eating breakfast gets your metabolism ready for the rest of the day and prevents you from overeating at other meals.

    Packing Lunch

    • Face it---school lunches are usually far from healthful. If there aren't any good choices in the cafeteria, it's time to bring your own lunch to school. Don't limit yourself to sandwiches. You can purchase lunch containers that keep foods warm or cold, so you can easily pack a well-balanced meal. Try taking leftovers from dinner, a large salad or a wrap sandwich stuffed with veggies. To save time in the morning, pack your lunch the night before. When others see you bringing healthful and delicious lunches, you may inspire them to do the same.

    After-school Snacks

    • Snacks are an important part of a healthy diet for girls. Whether you're coming home or staying at school for extracurricular activities, you need a healthful snack to get you through the afternoon slump. At this time of day, many tend to reach for the bag of chips or cookies, but this isn't the best choice. Instead, look for snacks that combine carbs and protein, such as an apple with peanut butter or crackers with cheese. These will fill you up and tide you over until dinner time.

    Family Dinners

    • If possible, it's best to eat dinner as a family. While this is sometimes a challenge because you have to rush off to a class or club meeting, it's important to set aside some nights for a family dinner. Home-cooked meals typically have fewer calories and are more nutritious than fast food. If your parents don't want to cook something special, you could try offering to cook the meal yourself.

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