Teenagers have a mind of their own, and they usually assume that they are correct and the whole world is mistaken, especially when it comes to what they eat! Teenager eating healthily is unheard of, but not impossible. There’s always a possibility that your teenager can start a new trend!
Teenagers, no matter how stubborn they might be, still look up to their parents for silent assistance and guidance. They will never directly ask for them, but they will silently study your body language to know if what you’re saying is done in love or spite. Sometimes even though words are spoken out of love, anger can always destroy or confuse that good intent. So even though your teenager is stubborn and will not submit, deal with him/her with patience and great love. Educate yourself with your new goal so that you would be able to properly guide.
As children learn how to read and write, so they also need to know the importance of healthy eating. Nagging them will only make things worse. So instead of using words, use actions.
Here are some tips that can help your teenagers know that you mean business when it comes to eating healthily:
1. Do not assume that when you say “no chips”, your teenager will submit when the cupboard is filled with them.
2. Try to replace traditionally sweetened snacks with naturally sweetened snacks like fruits.
3. Plan your menu for the week so that there will not be excused.
4. Use alternative way of cooking like roasting in the oven or steaming and boiling instead of frying.
5. Lessen or remove artificial sweetened juices and tea.
6. Try using herbs such as basil, oregano or parsley and spices like lemon pepper, chilli powder or garlic powder to flavour your food instead of butter, margarine, or gravy.
7. Instead of serving cakes and ice cream, look for alternatives that is still interesting to eat but healthy.
8. Trim off fats and skin from meat before cooking.
9. Start using chopsticks when eating because this slows you down. And people who digest their food properly
are known to absorb the nutrients better.
10. Stock up on whole grain food like bread and buns.
11. Encourage your teenager to never skip meals.
12. And lastly, educate your children.
These are just some tips on how to encourage your teenager to eat healthy food. But remember, unless your teenager understands your goal and embarrasses it, they can easily “break” away from it when they are with friends. Therefore proper guidance and patience is necessary to ensure that your teenager will not feel trapped or forced.