Junk food, packaged snacks, soda, pizzas, chips, burgers, and kebabs – it’s undeniable that these are the favorite foods of almost every teenager. Soups, home-cooked meals, fruits, and vegetables gradually take a back seat. But is there a way to get our teen to eat healthily? We discuss this topic with Dr. Eleni Papadopoulou, pediatrician and pediatric gastroenterologist at “Sofiamed.”
To get children in this still fragile age to eat healthily, we as parents must eat this way ourselves and lead by example, not just with words. Habits formed from early childhood help too, but we should not rely solely on them; we must continue advising and guiding children during their teenage years. This age is delicate, and so should be our approach to the teens. We must avoid comments that could hurt the teen, especially in front of others. At this age, children are emotional, quick to flare up, and sensitive, which can also lead to digestive issues. Therefore, we need to give them a chance and listen to them to understand if there is a problem and what it is, so we can help as parents. For starters, here’s what we can do in a few steps:
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Make sure there are always fresh fruits and vegetables at home. Of course, they should be chosen according to the child’s preferences.
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Always provide home-cooked meals and combine them with salads.
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It’s preferable for the whole family to eat together at the table.
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Everyone has favorite foods. Try to find out what your child’s favorites are and offer them more often.
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If the child refuses certain food groups – most often lentils, beans, and other legumes – try offering them in different forms, like cream soups, combined with salad, spaghetti, or other pasta dishes, which are often children’s favorite foods.
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Allow children to participate in choosing the menu, cooking, and serving the food.
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Try to offer breakfast every morning, preferably including complex carbohydrates and fresh fruit for immediate and long-lasting energy, so the child less often needs to buy packaged foods or fast snacks.
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Remember that at this age, children spend most of their day outside. Investigate what food options are available around the school. Very often, if there is a kiosk near the school, it mainly offers packaged snacks, sweets, and soft drinks rich in saturated fats, sugar, and salt, with low fiber and nutritional value.
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If there is no place near the school where the child can get healthy and wholesome food, it’s good to send them with something compact and high-energy from home—like nuts, homemade quick snacks, etc.
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Remember that teenagers’ eating habits are formed by the habits created in early childhood, and parents have the task to maintain healthy practices over the years and to set a good example themselves.