to exercising more; and to making
small, sustainable types of changes
in their lifestyle are the ones who are
going to have the most success.”
And that can develop into a
pretty healthy picture.
THE CARE AND
FEEDING OF
TEENAGERS
As kids morph into teens, their world becomes
focused on friends, activities, social pressures
and high-school-size homework. Ten extra
minutes in bed and pizza with pals may trump
breakfast and family dinners.
But they need healthy food—and plenty of
it—during these growth-spurt years. Luckily
for them, they have you to help them out.
Hurdles to healthy eating
The American Academy of Pediatrics cautions
against some typical teen traps and offers tips
to help kids maneuver around them.
Skipping meals. Many teens skip breakfast
altogether and settle for a soda and candy bar
for lunch. To encourage better choices, keep
healthy grab-and-go items on hand, such as:
•
Yogurt.
•
Fruit.
•
Ingredients for easy-to-fix
smoothies.
•
Peanut butter and whole-grain
bread.
•
Breakfast bars.
•
Nuts and raisins.
•
Hard-boiled eggs.
All-day snacking. Three well-balanced
meals and two hearty snacks a day can actually
help teens get the nutrients they need without
overeating. Keep the pantry stocked with low-
fat, low-salt, low-sugar choices, such as:
•
Graham crackers.
•
Baked potato chips.
•
Low-
salt or no-salt pretzels.
•
No-butter microwave
popcorn.
•
Applesauce.
•
Frozen yogurt.
Fast food. If you can’t break your teen’s
fast-food habit, support healthy choices by:
•
Suggesting alternatives. Point out the better
selections, such as grilled chicken sandwiches,
burgers without cheese or small orders of fries.
•
Encouraging balance. Pizza and burgers are
OK, but suggest adding a salad or fresh fruit.
Serve it, and they will come
At this busy time in their lives, teens will gobble
up a platter of veggies and low-fat dip—even
if they won’t take time to peel an orange
themselves.
And keep the focus on health, not weight.
Teens should never be put on a weight-loss
program without consulting a doctor first.
thy weight
D I S C O V E R
Need a doctor for your
child? Find one on our
website at
KootenaiHealth.org
.
KOO T E NA I
H E A L T H
. OR G
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