A more colorful plate!
He never eats vegetables
In adolescence, it is difficult to ensure that the rules of balance are respected by our older children, the girls being mainly guided by the image of the models and the boys by the conviviality of the group. By arming yourself with patience, however, we can encourage them to compose healthy meals. A very common observation: your teenager never eats vegetables. However, these provide dietary fibers (essential for good transit), vitamins (B9, C, carotene) and mineral salts (calcium, magnesium, iron …) and this for a low intake of calories. 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 starches, potatoes and carrots, for example. Finally, think about vegetable or fruit juices. And offer to help you prepare the vegetables: by participating, he may eventually change his behavior.
He eats a lot of meat
If he sulks vegetables, however, he does not mind 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, it can represent a high fat intake that could lead to an imbalance in his diet. Limit your meat intake to 200g 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 is a priority during growth. Indeed, it is around 20 years that our bones reach their maximum density. Calcium should guarantee us strong bones in the long term. This is essential for preventing osteoporosis, which can result in spinal compression and spontaneous fractures after menopause. So that she absorbs more calcium, prepare gratins or desserts, in which you will add skimmed milk powder. And advise him to drink mineral water rich in calcium, like Contrex or Talians.
Soda, pizza and lunch at the self service
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 # 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, or 65 to 70 g of sugar or equivalent for a teenager. Such consumption can result in excess weight. Especially since the drinks come in addition to the snacking. See with your youngster how he can reduce his “doses”. Suggest, for example, to adopt “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 pizza a balanced meal?
It can be integrated into a balanced diet. The dough of the pizza replaces the bread usually consumed during the meal. The same is true for cheese. On the other hand, the tomato coulis and the few vegetables for the garnish cannot replace a vegetable served separately! To balance the whole thing, offer the pizza with a salad (green, tomato, etc.) and finish with a raw or cooked fruit. Stay 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 cafeteria
At lunch, advise him to consume a raw food (the one he likes) in the form of a fruit or a vegetable, and a dairy product (it can be a dessert). Let it crack on the starch, because there is little chance that it will be seduced by the vegetables. Ask if he ate meat, fish or eggs. If the answer is no, plan accordingly. If he can’t resist the soda, buy only “diet” drinks at home. Anticipate its excesses. Balance the day by putting vegetables in the spotlight at dinner. Complete with a crudity and a dairy product. At the table, serve only water. Last advice, give him a real snack (cereals, dairy product, drink), which promotes a good distribution of energy over the day.
She nibbles or is too fat
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 snack 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 notebook in which she will indicate her food intake, her impressions at these times (sadness, cheerfulness, boredom …) and her level of hunger (low, normal, high). Little by little, she will change her habits. Do not hesitate to suggest that he meet with a dietician or a 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 a young girl’s representation of her body. She would like it skinny. Now, a female body is made to have forms. Bring the subject up with her. See why she controls her food intake. Offer to meet with a dietitian or a nutritionist. Indeed, it is important to ensure that its diet is sufficient and provides its growing body with everything it needs.
