A more colorful plate!
He never eats vegetables
In adolescence, it is difficult for our older children to respect the rules of balance, the girls being essentially guided by the image of the models and the boys by the conviviality of the group. By being patient, however, we can encourage them to compose healthy meals. A very common observation: your teenager never eats vegetables. However, these provide dietary fiber (essential for good transit), vitamins (B9, C, carotene) and mineral salts (calcium, magnesium, iron, etc.) for a low calorie intake. By removing them, your child is depriving himself of important nutritional benefits, which can however be compensated by fruit. If he is also a small consumer of fruit, a real problem of food balance can arise. See with him if he would agree to eat soups. Gourmet, they can be more appealing than a plate of green vegetables. Another solution: combine vegetables and starchy foods, potatoes and carrots, for example. Finally, consider vegetable or fruit juices. And offer him to help you prepare the vegetables: by participating, he can possibly change his behavior.
He eats a lot of meat
If he shuns vegetables, he does not balk at a piece of meat. A source of good quality animal protein, essential during growth, meat is also rich in fat. If your son eats a lot of it, it can represent a significant fat intake that may lead to a dietary imbalance. Limit meat consumption to 200 g per day, divided between lunch and dinner.
She doesn’t like dairy products
By not consuming dairy products, your daughter is not absorbing the calcium she needs and which represents a priority during growth. Indeed, it is around the age of 20 that our bones reach their maximum density. Calcium must guarantee us strong bones in the long term. It is essential to prevent osteoporosis which can result in vertebral compression and spontaneous fractures after menopause. So that she absorbs more calcium, prepare her gratins or desserts, in which you will add skimmed milk powder. And advise him to drink mineral water rich in calcium, such as Contrex or Talians.
Soda, pizza and self-service lunch
Drinks that are too sweet
Sodas provide significant amounts of sugar. Thus, 1.5 liters of soda contains 180 g of sugar (the equivalent of 36 pieces No. 4), or 720 Cal. However, as part of a balanced diet, sugar and its derivatives should not represent more than 10% of daily energy intake, ie 65 to 70 g of sugar or equivalent for an adolescent. Such consumption can result in excess weight. Especially since the drinks come in addition to the snack. See with your child how he can reduce his “doses”. For example, suggest adopting “light” drinks, in which the sugar (sucrose) has been replaced by intense sweeteners, and which therefore do not provide calories or in negligible quantities.
Is a pizza a balanced meal?
It can be integrated into a balanced diet. The pizza dough replaces the bread generally consumed during the meal. The same is true for cheese. On the other hand, the tomato coulis and the few vegetables of the garnish cannot replace a vegetable served on the side! To balance the whole, offer the pizza with a salad (green, tomato, etc.) and finish with a raw or cooked fruit. Be vigilant about the quantity: limit its consumption to 200-250 g of pizza, depending on the energy intake per 100 g.
He eats at the self
At lunch, advise him to eat raw vegetables (the one he likes) in the form of a fruit or a vegetable, and a dairy product (this can be a dessert). Let him crack on the starch, because there is little chance that he will be seduced by the vegetables. Ask him if he ate meat, fish or eggs. If not, plan accordingly. If he can’t resist the soda, buy only “light” drinks at home. Anticipate its excesses. Balance the day by featuring vegetables at dinner. Complete with raw vegetables and a dairy product. At the table, serve only water. Last advice, make him take a real snack (cereals, dairy product, drink), which promotes a good distribution of energy over the day.
She nibbles or is too big
She eats little at the table and nibbles
Because it disrupts the hunger-satiety cycle, snacking is a problem. Hunger reflects the body’s need for fuel. A varied and balanced meal promotes good satiety, which allows you to last until the next meal. In the case of your daughter, the hunger will reappear very quickly. To compensate, she will eat a little. The satiety of this nibbling is of poor quality and hunger manifests itself again quickly… The vicious circle is set up. Help her become aware of this mechanism. See how to gradually focus your food consumption on meals, without forgetting the snack. Suggest that she keep a diary in which she will indicate her food intake, her impressions at these times (sadness, joy, boredom, etc.) and her level of hunger (low, normal, high). Little by little, she will change her habits. Don’t hesitate to suggest that they meet with a dietitian or nutritionist.
She is too fat and eats very little
Unfortunately, the solution is not on the plate. The image of the female body conveyed by advertising greatly influences the representation that a young girl has of her body. She would like it filiform. However, a female body is made to have forms. Discuss the subject with her. See why she controls her food intake. Offer to meet with a dietician or nutritionist. Indeed, it is important to ensure that his diet is sufficient and provides his growing body with everything it needs.
