As children grow into teenagers, they’ll require certain nutrients to assist their bodies in development. However, many are not getting the correct nutrients they need. They’re being fueled with fatty foods that don’t contain what they need to grow into healthy adults. As their parents, you can help your child get the correct vitamins and minerals.
They’ll need to eat more whole grains. They may like the white bread, but buying whole grain is a great way to get the nutrients they need. Avoid refined grains, like pasta, white rice, and corn flakes. The best whole grains you should purchase are wild rice, oats, and barley. Incorporate whole grains into your diet on a daily basis just by switching your products to the whole grain version. Whole grain substitutions are very common to find in the supermarket nowadays.
Teenage bodies are growing and they’re not getting enough calcium to accommodate them. Make sure they’re eating enough calcium rich foods like milk, cheese, and yogurt. There are a lot of easy ways to make sure they get their calcium. If they’re eating cereal, make sure they drink the milk and make milk their drink of choice at dinner time. You can also make smoothies which give them both calcium and fruit benefits.
As your kids get older, they get busier. Teenagers have more activities they need to get to and are more likely to grab a snack on the go rather than sitting down and having a healthy meal. Since this is inevitable, make sure you stock up on healthy snacks, like fruits, vegetables, yogurt, and rice cakes. If you stock your pantry with these healthy options, your kids will still be able to get the nutrients they need and won’t be compromising their health.
Not only should you pay attention to what they’re eating, but you should watch what they’re drinking. Juice cocktails and other sugary drinks are putting far too many calories into their bodies. Have them drink water or flavored what if they don’t like the taste. Instead of juice cocktails buy orange juice instead. Add some low calorie syrup into milk for some added sweetness to get the added calcium you need. You should pay just as much attention to avoid unnecessary calories making it into your teen’s system.
Kids will usually eat what’s put in front of them so parents need to take the initiative to make sure they’re eating the foods they need. Educating your teenagers on how to make healthy choices is a great start. Make your meals together and involve them in the grocery shopping. If you’re buying unhealthy food, they’re going to eat it.
If you’re putting only healthy options in front of them, they’re more likely to eat them. Avoid buying a lot of high calorie treats like chips and cookies. Don’t revoke treats altogether because you don’t want them to overindulge when you’re not around. By making sure they’re getting the nutrients they need, the occasional sweet won’t do any damage.
SOURCE: About.com
http://tweenparenting.about.com/od/healthfitness/tp/Tween-Nutrition.htm
