How to Choose a Healthy Diet for Teenagers

Teenagers will eat some junk food, and that's OK. As a parent, your job is to provide healthy foods and not provide unhealthy ones. In general, teens get most of their food at home. By making sure that food is healthy, you can dictate your kid's diet. Does this Spark an idea?

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Fruits
Vegetables
Lean meat
Fish
Grains
Other complex carbohydrates
Yogurt

Instructions

- 1
  
  Keep healthy snacks around the house and eliminate junk food. Just by making it easier for your teenager to reach for yogurt than chips, you will increase the number of healthy food choices she makes.
- 2
  
  Make sure your teen starts with a good breakfast. Fruit and complex carbohydrates are a good way to start the day. For example, serve whole grain toast and an apple, or oatmeal with banana slices.
- 3
  
  Serve healthy, varied dinners every night. Include lean protein, vegetables and grains.
- 4
  
  Offer to pack a lunch for your teenager. Use whole grain bread for the sandwich, and include vegetables and fruit.
- 5
  
  Do not finance your teen's junk food habits. If she wants to eat junk food, she can use her own money. By providing healthy food for free and making unhealthy food a money drain, you will provide a financial impetus for your teen to eat well.
- 6
  
  Talk about healthy food choices. If your teenager has an open campus, discuss which restaurants have healthy foods available.
- 7
  
  Explain to your teenager that cutting down on fats can sometimes cut down on acne. For nearly all teens, this will be a compelling argument for healthy eating.

Tips & Warnings

For many teens, eating healthy foods is more important than not eating unhealthy food. The most crucial thing is having adequate nutrition to grow.
Make healthy food choices yourself. Although adolescence is a time of growing independence, teens are still influenced by the decisions their parents make.

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