Teenagers

Your nutritional needs vary at this time, depending on your gender, age, height, weight, how fast you are growing and how active you are. This is a time of rapid growth both physically and mentally. You will also be going through many hormonal and emotional changes. Your lifestyle might be changing as well - a different school, different family circumstances, leaving home, starting work or tertiary education. This kind of upheaval can mean you don’t eat regular meals.

Important nutrients for teenagers

 
Calcium:  Your body is building its skeleton while you’re a teenager. To ensure that you have a strong skeleton for life you need to eat foods rich in calcium.   Choose dairy products, including low fat milk, yoghurt, cheese and ice-cream 2-3 times every day. If you don’t eat dairy foods, other good sources of calcium are calcium-fortified soy milk, canned fish (eg. salmon or sardines), certain nuts (eg. almonds, hazelnuts), dried beans & peas (eg. chickpeas, kidney beans), lentils and wholegrain breads & cereals (eg wholegrain bread, brown rice, porridge). If you have fizzy drinks, try replacing one or two each day with water or milk (which has calcium and other valuable nutrients). Try smoothies (made in a blender with trim milk, yoghurt and fruit) for breakfast or a snack – they tick the boxes for calcium, fruit, and taste.
 
Iron:   Teenage girls need to include iron rich foods in their diet. . You need more iron from food to replace what’s lost during your periods. If not, low levels of iron in the blood can leave you looking pale and feeling tired and lethargic. Red meat, chicken, fish and seafood are the best sources of iron. The redder the meat, the higher the iron.   Eggs, nuts, seeds, dried beans,(eg baked beans, chickpeas) and lentils also contain iron.   Eating two serves from this food group every day, plus choosing wholegrain breads and breakfast cereals, will help you get enough iron.  
 

Vegetarian teenagers

 
Thinking of becoming a vegetarian, or you have not been eating meat for a while? Variety is the key to a healthy vegetarian diet. Eat a wide range of fruit and vegetables, high fibre bread and cereal foods, diary or calcium-enriched soy foods and eggs, dried beans, lentils, nuts and seeds each day.
 
The most important nutrients to look out for with a vegetarian diet are calcium, iron and vitamin B12. Eat foods containing vitamin C (kiwifruit, capsicum, orange juice) with your meals so your body can best absorb the iron in foods. If you are eating eggs and dairy products, you will most likely be meeting your calcium and vitamin B12 needs. Vegans need to consider eating fortified cereals, soy and rice milks to consume enough vitamin B12, and should talk to a doctor or dietitian about vitamin B12 supplements. For more information see our vegetarian webpage.
 

Nutritious snacks

As you are growing, you may also need snacks for an energy boost or to combat hunger between meals. Choose ones which are going to give you what you need. Fruit, a handful of nuts, a pottle of yoghurt or an extra sandwich are all good options. If you go for chocolate or chips, choose the smaller or ‘snack’-sized options and make the most of it, savouring the taste! After school, work or during the evening after tea, a bowl of cereal with low-fat milk, toast or a fruit smoothie can make great snacks. 
 

Plenty of fluids every day

Drink water throughout the day to quench your thirst and make it easier to concentrate. Squeeze a dash of lemon juice or add a splash of fruit juice to water for a bit of extra flavour. Soft ‘fizzy’ drinks and energy drinks are full of sugar (and kilojoules/calories) and are best kept for special occasions, not everyday.
 

Being active and playing sport

 
Physical activity helps the heart, lungs and muscles work the best they can. You need to do at least 60 minutes moderate to vigorous activity each day. That means anything from a brisk walk to where you ‘huff and puff’ – running, swimming, netball, soccer. Be active in as many ways as possible - sport, dancing, playing, running, cycling, whatever you enjoy - and spend less than two hours a day in front of the television, computer or playing game consoles. You could get involved in a sports team and try walking or biking when heading to and from the shops, school or work.
 

Meal ideas for teenagers

 
Try to have fruit at least twice a day and vegetables three times. That might sound a lot, but they can easily fit into every meal. Then there’s the skeleton-building, teeth-strengthening calcium and iron-replacers, topped off with enough energy to run fast and think quickly. Here are some meal ideas which contain all those important nutrients, and much more
 
Breakfast
·         Add your favourite fresh, canned or dried fruit to your breakfast cereal, and top with yoghurt
·         If you’re running late, a fruit smoothie and piece of toast is a quick option. To make a smoothie, simply blend together a glass of milk, 1-2 tablespoons of yoghurt and a handful of fruit  
·         Cooked breakfasts are a great way to start the day if you have the time. Poached or scrambled eggs, grilled bacon and tomato and a couple of pieces of wholegrain toast will keep you buzzing until lunchtime
 
Lunch
·         Sandwiches, wraps or rolls are all good energy-giving options for the lunchbox. Choose a calcium-rich filling such as cheese or sardines one day and iron-rich cold meat the next. And always remember a vegetable too – tomato, cucumber, beetroot – whichever you most enjoy.
·         Fruit makes a great “on the run” snack, so always have some in your school bag or at work.
 
Evening meal
·         Your evening meal can contain all the nutrients you need. Potatoes, pasta and rice will give you more energy, so fill up on these. This is the time to have another protein and iron provider, such as meat, chicken, fish, seafood, eggs or beans and lentils.  You can combine them too. A meat and bean casserole makes a great winter warmer. Add vegetables too or have on the side.
 
Takeaways suggestions
·   Many takeaway foods, such as pies, chips, pastries and pizzas, are high in fat. But there are some healthy ones too. Choose plain burgers rather than the double whopper, try sushi, salads or sandwiches. Leaving out the extra cheese and mayonnaise makes these options even better.  Choose regular rather than jumbo, or, if there’s a special on a bigger meal, share it with a friend or skip the side of fries and soft drink. 
 
 Visit the eMark website for an individual meal plan, tailored to your age and how active you are.

Do it yourself – learn to cook tips

 
‘DIY’ in the kitchen by learning to cook helps you eat better, save money, and makes you popular with your family or flatmates. Packing your own lunchbox is a good start and you may have been doing it for years, so what about doing your own in the evening too? Check out these websites for some easy recipe ideas:
www.sanitarium.co.nz - for vegetarian recipes
 
Or look for these cook books, they will be available in your local library.
Edmonds Cookbook
Edmonds Beginners Cookbook
Active Kids Cookbook – Jeni Pearce
Fit Food for Winners – Nestle & Millennium Institute of Sport and Health
Cooking Up a Storm – Sam Stern
 

More questions?

If you want to talk to someone about what you are eating – speak to a school counsellor or nurse, your doctor or a registered dietitian/nutritionist.