Adolescence is a time of growth and change. Teenagers need more calories and nutrients than any other age group to support their growing bodies. Yet most teens eat too many empty-calorie foods and come up short on many important nutrients. Here you will find information on your teen’s nutritional needs and practical suggestions for helping him eat a healthier diet.

Key Components of a Healthy Diet for Adolescents

Adequate Calories

Adolescents need a lot of calories to support the rapid growth that occurs during this time and to fuel their busy lives. The amount of calories that your teen needs varies depending on his age, sex, and activity level. Most adolescent girls need somewhere around 2,200 calories per day, while most adolescent boys need 2,500-3,000 calories per day. In between school work, sports, and other activities, teens are often so busy they don’t have time to eat balanced meals that provide the calories and nutrients they need. Still, it’s also easy to eat too many calories, especially when poor food choices are made, which overtime can lead to overweight and obesity . Help make sure your teen gets the amount of calories they need by:

  • Providing them with a variety of nutrient-rich foods from all the different food groups
  • Limiting foods that are high in added sugar or fat, but provide little else (eg, candy bars, chips, cakes, cookies, donuts, and regular soda)
  • Serving reasonable portion sizes and then letting your teen have more if they she is still hungry (serving too much food at one time encourages overeating)

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for your teen. About 45%-65% of his calories should come from carbohydrates. Encourage your teen to choose healthful carbohydrate-rich foods, such as whole grains, fruit, vegetables, and milk, and limit foods that are high in refined flour or added sugar, such as white bread, non-whole grain crackers, cookies, juice, and soda.

Protein

Your teen needs protein for growth and repair, and to build muscle. About 15%-25% of your teen’s calories should come from protein. Good sources of protein include poultry, lean meat, seafood, eggs, nuts, soy, legumes, and low-fat and nonfat dairy products.

Fat

Adolescents need between 25%-35% of their calories as fat. Dietary fat provides essential fatty acids that are necessary for proper growth; it also helps transport the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K and maintain healthy skin. Your teen’s fat intake should come mostly from healthful fats, such as those found in vegetable oils (eg, canola and olive oil), nuts, avocadoes, olives, and fatty fish (eg, salmon, sardines, and tuna).

Vitamins & Minerals

Eating a variety of foods from each of the food groups will help ensure that your teen gets all the vitamins and minerals that she needs. However, research shows that many adolescents, particularly girls, do not get all the vitamins and minerals they need. If you feel your teen’s diet is not as “balanced” as it could be, ask her pediatrician about multivitamin supplementation. One way to help ensure that they get all their vitamins and minerals is to serve fortified breakfast cereal.

While all vitamins and minerals are important, here are a few that adolescents often fall short on:

  • Calcium is essential for building strong bones and teeth. Good sources include milk, cheese, yogurt, tofu, calcium-fortified orange juice, calcium-fortified cereal, and canned salmon.
  • Folate is important for proper growth during adolescence. Good sources include orange juice, fortified breakfast cereals, bread, milk, dried beans, and lentils.
  • Iron is necessary for transporting red blood cells; not getting enough from the diet can result in iron-deficiency anemia. Good sources of iron include meat, chicken, fish, and fortified breakfast cereal.
  • Zinc helps promote proper growth and sexual maturation during adolescence. Good sources include chicken, meat, shellfish, whole grains, and fortified breakfast cereal.
  • Vitamin A is necessary for proper vision, growth, and immune system functioning. Good sources include carrots, fortified breakfast cereal, milk, and cheese.
  • Vitamin D is necessary for the body to use the calcium that is consumed. Good sources of vitamin D include fortified milk, salmon, and egg yolks. Exposure to sunlight will allow your body to make vitamin D, but should be limited due to the dangers of too much sun exposure.
  • Vitamin E is an important antioxidant that helps protect the body from damage. Good sources include nuts, seeds, whole grains, spinach, and fortified breakfast cereal.
  • Magnesium is needed to help regulate the heartbeat, build strong bones, and keep blood pressure within a normal range. Good sources include whole grains, green vegetables, and legumes.

Fiber

Most adolescents do not eat enough fiber. Diets high in fiber tend to be lower in total calories, fat, and cholesterol than diets that are low in fiber. What’s more, research shows that a high fiber intake may help prevent heart disease and certain kinds of cancer . Fiber can also help prevent constipation and increase satiety following a meal. To be sure your teen is getting enough fiber, teach him to choose whole grains over refined grains, and encourage him to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Physical Activity

While it may not be a nutrient, physical activity is a key component of any healthful diet. Encourage your teen to be physically active every day and, if necessary, set limits on the amount of time she can watch TV or use the computer for non-school work. All physical activity counts—whether it’s being involved with school sports, taking dance lessons, shooting hoops in the driveway, or walking to school—there are countless ways to get moving.

Eating Guide for Adolescents

This eating guide is based on the US Department of Agriculture's (USDA) MyPyramid. It lists the main food groups, examples of the recommended daily amount for different ages, as well as suggestions about which foods to choose in each group. The recommended daily amount varies based on age, weight, sex, and activity level. Use the daily amounts below as a starting guide, and then go to the http://www.mypyramid.com website for more individualized recommendations.

Food Group Daily Amount *Key Suggestions

Grains

(1 ounce = 1 slice bread; ¼ bagel; ½ cup cooked pasta or rice; 5 whole-wheat crackers)

  • 12–18-years-old, female: 6 ounces
  • 12 years old, male: 7 ounces
  • 15 years old, male: 9 ounces
  • 18 years old, male: 10 ounces

At least ½ of grains should be whole grains.

Whole grains include: whole wheat products, oatmeal, brown rice, barley, bulgur, popcorn.

Vegetables

(1 cup = 1 cup raw or cooked vegetables; 2 cups raw leafy vegetables)

  • 12–18-years-old, female: 2.5 cups
  • 12 years old, male: 3 cups
  • 15 years old, male: 3.5 cups
  • 18 years old, male: 3.5 cups

Encourage your teen to try a variety of different vegetables.

Provide more of the following types of vegetables: dark green (eg, broccoli, spinach, bok choy, romaine lettuce); orange (eg, carrots, sweet potatoes, butternut squash); dry beans and peas (eg, chickpeas, black beans, lentils, split peas, kidney beans, tofu).

Fruits

(1 cup = 1 cup fresh fruit; 1 cup fruit juice; ½ cup dried fruit)

  • 12–18-years-old, female: 2 cups
  • 12 years old, male: 2 cups
  • 15 years old, male: 2 cups
  • 18 years old, male: 2.5 cups

Offer your teen a variety of fruit; try cutting it up for them to make it easier to eat.

Juice should be 100% fruit.

Milk

(1 cup = 8 ounces milk or yogurt; 1 ½ ounces natural cheese)

  • 12–18-years-old, female: 3 cups
  • 12 years old, male: 3 cups
  • 15 years old, male: 3 cups
  • 18 years old male: 3 cups

Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy products such as milk, yogurt, kefir, and cheese.

Milk alternatives include calcium-rich or -fortified foods and beverages, such as soy milk and fortified orange juice.

Meats and Beans

(1 ounce = 1 ounce meat, fish, or poultry; ¼ cup cooked, dry beans; 1 egg; 1 tablespoon peanut butter; ½ ounce nuts)

  • 12–18-years-old, female: 5.5 ounces
  • 12 years old, male: 6 ounces
  • 15 years old, male: 6.5 ounces
  • 18 years old, male: 7 ounces

Choose lean meats and poultry.

Offer more fish and vegetarian sources of protein, such as beans, peas, nuts, and seeds.

Oils

  • 12–18-years-old, female: 6 teaspoons
  • 12 years old, male: 6 teaspoons
  • 15 years old, male: 8 teaspoons
  • 18 years old, male: 8 teaspoons

Choose healthful oils such as those found in canola and olive oil, fish, and nuts.

Fats and Sweets

  • 12–18-years-old, female: 265 calories
  • 12 years old, male: 290 calories
  • 15 years old, male: 410 calories
  • 18 years old, male: 425 calories

Limit foods high in added sugar or solid fats (eg, soda, candy, cookies, muffins, chips, French fries, and fried foods).

Look for products that contain no saturated or trans fats.

*The daily amounts shown here are for adolescents who are of average weight and height for their age and engage in 30-60 minutes of physical activity every day.

Healthful Eating Ideas

Breakfast

Encourage your teen to start the day off with breakfast. Studies show that kids learn better when fueled with breakfast, yet most teens skip this important meal. The ideal breakfast should include a variety of foods from the different food groups. While your son or daughter may not have time for an old-fashioned sit-down breakfast, here are some healthful breakfast ideas that can be eaten on-the-run:

  • Drinkable yogurt and whole-wheat toast
  • Fruit smoothie and granola bar
  • Whole grain cereal with milk or yogurt
  • Egg and cheese breakfast sandwich

And for those who prefer non-breakfast foods, leftovers and sandwiches also make great breakfasts.

Snacks

Because of their high energy needs, most teens should try to eat 2-3 snacks a day: a mid-morning snack, an afternoon snack, and perhaps an evening snack. While you may not have much control over the snacks your child consumes away from home, whenever possible, pack a healthful snack that she can eat between classes or before sports practice. And keep a variety of healthful snack options on hand for preparing and eating at home, too. Some healthful snack ideas include:

  • Fresh fruit slices
  • Drinkable yogurt
  • Low-fat granola bars
  • Whole grain crackers and sliced cheese
  • String cheese
  • Grilled cheese on whole-wheat bread
  • Peanut butter and jelly sandwich
  • Sliced, raw vegetables with low-fat dip
  • Whole grain pretzels
  • Trail mix
  • Hummus and pita bread
  • Bagel pizza
  • Frozen whole-grain waffles
  • Air-popped popcorn

Lunch

Encourage your teen to purchase healthful lunches. If you are lucky enough to pack a brown-bag lunch for your son or daughter, get their input on what they like to eat and then do your best to ensure a balanced, healthful meal. Even if your child doesn’t eat the healthiest meal at lunch, eating something is better than nothing.

Dinner

While your busy and conflicting schedules may make it difficult to sit down and eat dinner together as a family, try to make it happen at least a few times every week. Research shows that children who eat dinner with their families tend to have higher quality diets than those who do not. A healthful dinner includes whole grains, vegetables, lean protein, and low-fat dairy, and sometimes dessert.

Suggestions on Improving Your Teen’s Diet

  • Encourage your teen to eat at least two snacks per day, one in the midmorning, and one after school. If your teen is involved with sports or after school activities, pack something that he can eat beforehand.
  • Most teens consume too much unhealthy fat, added sugar, and salt. Encourage your teen to eat healthfully most of the time by stocking your refrigerator and pantry with items such as fresh fruit, sliced vegetables, whole grain pretzels, whole-wheat crackers, low-fat granola bars, fresh whole-grain bread, frozen yogurt, low-fat milk or soy milk, seltzer water, and flavored water. Get out of the habit of purchasing less healthy snack foods, such as chips, cookies, juice (unless 100% fruit juice), and soda.
  • Cook at home whenever possible. Home-cooked meals tend to be healthier and lower in calories, fat, and salt than restaurant food.
  • Get your teen involved with meal planning, shopping, and cooking. The more involved he is, the more likely he will take an interest in trying the foods that you prepare.
  • Eat together as often as possible. While it may be unrealistic to sit down as a family at dinner every night, make sure it happens at least a few nights during the week.
  • Talk to your child about healthful eating and why it’s important. Stress the immediate, rather than the long-term benefits (eg, it will help you excel in school, run faster, throw the ball farther, have better skin, etc.).
  • Dieting and eating disorders are becoming increasingly common among teenagers. If your child is practicing unhealthy eating behaviors, such as going on different diets, routinely skipping meals, using laxatives, throwing up after meals, talk to them and express your concern. You may also want to enlist the help and support of your child’s doctor or school counselor.