You need consistent nutrient-dense meals and snacks to fuel your growing bodies. Many popular snacks are high in refined grains, added sugars, & other ingredients that should be limited in teenagers’ diets. You should eat breakfast, drink water & limit highly processed food, sugary drinks, & eating out. Healthy eating habits and physical activity can help lower the risk of obesity.
Here are some healthy eating tips:
Increase intake of whole grains, vegetables, & fruits.
Enjoy regular physical activity.
Eat 3 meals every day & enjoy snacks between meals.
Include protein-containing foods in meals & snacks.
Enjoy a variety of foods.
Choose healthy snacks such as vegetables & fruits, or baked snacks instead of fried.
Drink water instead of soft drinks (e.x soda), sugary juices, or sports drinks.
For a quick snack, try recharging with a pear, apple, or banana; a small bag of baby carrots; or hummus with sliced veggies instead of chips, chocolate, or other high sugar/calorie snack.
Try to limit foods like cookies, candy, frozen desserts, chips, and fries, which often have a lot of sugar, unhealthy fat, and salt.
Limit foods high in sugar, sodium or saturated fat.
Eat fast food and processed foods less often.
Eat when you're hungry & stop when you're full.
Pay attention to portion sizes.
An amazing resource to get educated on how to take charge of your health: https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/weight-management/take-charge-health-guide-teenagers
Great website for delicious meals & snacks:
Don't forget to check out our resource tab for information and resources on nutrition. There is resources on food pantries hours and locations, meals on the go locations, and more for you in your community.