Encourage the
Good Stuff
TWEENS & TEENS
— by Myrna Beth Haskell
This all sounds reasonable, but how
do parents actually get their teens to buy
into all of this healthy eating when a bag
of sour cream and onion chips is handy?
Furthermore, if both parents are working
outside the home and teens have evening
activities, it’s hard to abide by healthy
eating schedules and choices.
Heart-
Healthy
Eating
for Teens
I
t was the fall of 1978 when my
fourteen-year-old friend and I
decided to join America’s new-
found fitness craze. We devised a plan
during sixth period lunch. We would
bike clear across town without stop-
ping. Here was the problem: fast food
restaurants galore along the way. My
memory tells me we stopped at Mc-
Donald’s, Dunkin Donuts, and a hotdog
joint before landing in the Caldor park-
ing lot. After twelve miles, a large or-
der of fries, two Bavarian cream donuts
and an over-stuffed chili dog, we gave
each other a high five to celebrate our
accomplishment. I get indigestion just
thinking about it!
For decades, teens have been de-
vouring fast food and salty snacks as
part of their daily diets. Let’s be hon-
est. How many fourteen-year-olds do
you know who opt for carrot sticks over
a handful of salty fries? Is it hopeless,
or can parents suggest healthy options
that their teens will actually enjoy?
General Guidelines for
Healthy Eating
Howard M. Shapiro, M.D., a Man-
hattan-based weight loss specialist and
New York Times best-selling author
of the Picture Perfect Weight Loss se-
ries, urges teens to avoid certain foods.
“Limit foods high in cholesterol, saturat-
ed fat and trans-fat, such as fatty meats,
48 WNY Family January 2019
egg yolks, and foods prepared with hy-
drogenated oils and shortenings.”
Shapiro suggests that teens in-
clude some “good fat” in their diets:
olives, avocado, nuts, seeds, and olive
or canola oil. Healthy eating also in-
cludes plenty of fruits and vegetables,
and soy foods help to reduce the risk of
heart disease. Shapiro says, “Include a
couple of servings a day of any of the
following: tofu, soy milk, soy cheese,
or soy yogurt.” Soy protein powder can
be added to shakes or smoothies as well
— an added health benefit for these
popular teen drinks. Teens might also
try veggie or turkey burgers (instead of
beef) and veggie sausages (instead of
pork).
Healthy eating habits also have to
do with eating schedules. Lauren Graf,
RD, CDN, a nutritionist for the Depart-
ment of Pediatric Nephrology and the
Pediatric Heart Healthy Program at
the Montefiore Medical Center in New
York City, advises, “Teenagers should
eat multiple, small meals throughout
the day. They should also eat a good
breakfast because it will help them do
better on exams.” Graf also warns about
eating heavy meals too close to bed-
time, a problem for many teens who are
involved in activities and return home
late. Eating heavy meals late at night
can lead to disrupted sleep and an in-
ability to “work off” the calories.
Graf instructs parents to limit the
amount of processed foods on hand. She
suggests, “Stock up on frozen fruits.
These won’t go bad, and teens can use
them as toppings on frozen yogurt,
for instance.” She continues, “Parents
should be committed to having a healthy
lifestyle themselves and should model
healthy eating. Believe it or not, this will
eventually click with your teenagers.”
Quick Tips:
• If strapped for time, prepare
healthy casseroles on weekends,
then freeze for later in the week.
• Pack a snack. Don’t drive
through and take out.
• Opt for fresh or frozen foods
over packaged and canned.
Snacks for Active Teens
The food has to look and taste good
or your teen won’t eat it. Since many
teens are constantly on the run, healthy
snacks play an important role, and easy
preparation is a must.
Healthy snack alternatives suggest-
ed by Dr. Shapiro:
• Soy chips with guacamole or
hummus — instead of potato chips and
sour cream dip
• Whole grain crackers and pea-
nut butter — instead of a bagel with
cream cheese
• Roasted pumpkin seeds — in-
stead of a bag of milk chocolate pretzels.
Graf says teens will be pleased to
hear, “Dark chocolate is actually good
for the heart. It provides antioxidants
and doesn’t have the levels of sugar and
fat found in milk or white chocolate.”