Food for Teenagers

Eating the right foods is important and may be easier than you think. This booklet will help you find out how you can look and feel great by choosing healthy food and drinks.

Why should we eat a good balance?• To get enough nutrients, vitamins and minerals• For a healthy body weight• For good concentration at school – to help our brain stay sharp• For energy and feeling good.

What is a well-balanced diet?A balanced diet will provide a variety of different foods from the 5 food groups.The eatwell plate helps us to see what the balance of our diet should look like. We do not have to achieve this balance at every meal but we should aim to achieve it over a day or so.•Foods from the two biggest groups should be eaten most often (Green and Yellow sections)• Foods in the next two biggest groups should be eaten in moderation (Pink and Blue sections)• Foods from the smallest group should be eaten least often (Purple section).

The eatwell plateUse the eatwell plate to help you get the balance right. It shows how

much of what you eat should come from each food group.

Fruit andvegetables

Bread,rice, potatoes, pasta

and other starchy foods

Milk anddairy foods

Foods and drinkshigh in fat and/or sugar

Meat, fish,eggs, beans

and other non dairysources of protein

Department of Health in association with the Welsh Assembly Government, the Scottish Government and the Food Standards Agency in Northern Ireland.

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No. of portions

Mon

Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun

Breakfast Mid morning

Lunch

Mid afternoon

Dinner

Supper

Total

Fruit and vegetables Did you know that we should be eating at least 5 portions of fruit and vegetables every day? Fruit and vegetables are good sources of many vitamins, minerals and fibre. Eat a variety of types and colours to make sure you are getting a wide range of vitamins and minerals.

What is a portion?An apple or banana, a handful of grapes, 1 slice of pineapple, 2 kiwis ormandarins, 1 small glass of fruit juice*, 1 heaped tablespoon of dried fruit, 1 dessert bowl of salad or 3 heaped tablespoons of cooked vegetables.

No. of portions

Mon

Tues Wed Thurs Fri Sat Sun

Breakfast Mid morning

Lunch

Mid afternoon

Dinner

Supper

Total

Try recording how many portions of fruit and vegetables you eat at each meal and snack in one week. See how well you do – remember to aim for 5 or more portions a day.

*A small glass of fruit juice only counts as 1 portion, even if you drink more than this.

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Bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods Bread, rice, potatoes, pasta and other starchy foods should be included at each meal. They are important for energy throughout the day. Choose wholegrain varieties as these have more fibre which helps to prevent constipation and helps keep you feeling full for longer. If you are very active and sporty you may need to eat more of these for energy.

Milk and dairy foods Choose low fat dairy foods every day. Excellent sources are milk, cheese and yogurt. These contain calcium which is essential for strong bones. Many teenagers do not get enough calcium. Having enough calcium can reduce your risk of osteoporosis (brittle bone disease) when you are older.

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Meat, fish, eggs, beans and other non-dairy sources of protein Protein is needed for growth and development. Meat, chicken, eggs and fish are a good source of protein as well as vitamins and minerals such as iron. Did you know most young people don’t eat enough iron? Iron is important for our blood and to prevent anaemia especially in young women.

If you are a vegetarian or prefer not to eat meat, try other protein sources especially those rich in iron. Include nuts and pulses eg. chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans or baked beans. Quorn™ or soya can make a good substitute for meat.

Foods and drinks high in fatand/or sugar This group contains a lot of calories, often with little nutritional value although we do need small amounts of fat in our diet.

Too many of these foods can lead to weight gain so have them only occasionally. Between meals, snacks and drinks should be low in sugar or sugar-free to reduce the risk of tooth decay.

And what about drinks? Milk and water are the ideal choices between meals. It is important to drink 6-8 glasses of water throughout the day to prevent dehydration and help improve concentration, more if you are exercising or in hot weather.

TIP: It can be a good idea to keep a bottle of water on your desk or in your bag and drink it throughout the day.

Sleep Getting enough sleep is very important for teenagers because while you are sleeping a hormone is released that is essential for your growth.

Remember: Make sure you get enough sleep!

Keep a healthy weight The best way to maintain a healthy weight is to eat a balanced diet and take regular exercise. Skipping meals and faddy diets do not work for weight control.

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Get active Teenagers should be active for at least 60 minutes each day. If this seems like a lot, start off gradually and build it up.

Activity can help• Give you more self-confidence • Improve your mood • Control your weight • Build strong bones and muscles – bones like weight bearing exercise to keep them strong eg. jogging, aerobics, football.

These get the thumbs up for bone health • Calcium• Vitamin D • Activity.

Which of these are bad for bones?a) Smokingb) Too much alcoholc) Being underweight.

ANSWER: ALL OF THEM

Did you know? Teenagers who spend more than 2 hours a day in front of a TV or computer screen (outside of school or college hours) are more likely to be overweight than those who are more active. Get motivated to

start exercising regularly. You’ll notice the benefits right away and you’ll start to look and feel better. You will find that it actually givesyou more energy. Start by becoming more active in your everyday life.

Ideal Activities: • Cycling• Walking• Running/Jogging • Swimming• Dancing• Kick-boxing• Hockey• Soccer/Rugby/Gaelic games• Helping with household chores • Helping with the gardening.

Try exercising with a friend or family member as this can be more fun. Involving someone else is also a great way to stay motivated.

What is moderate physical activity?

ANSWER: An activity which makes you:

• Breathe a little faster than normal• Feel warmer• Have a slightly faster heartbeat.

Breakfast You may have heard that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day!’’ Remember when your alarm clock goes off in the morning your body has been without food for many hours and needs to refuel.

Eating the right breakfast means you are more likely to be a healthy weight.

If you eat breakfast it can help to improve concentration at school or college and prevent you from snacking on crisps or chocolate later.

How often do you eat breakfast?a) Every dayb) Only when I get up on time, which isn’t very oftenc) Never.

ANSWER: You should aim to eat a good breakfast each morning.

Healthy quick breakfast ideas• Porridge with raisins• Wholegrain, non-sugary cereal with semi-skimmed milk eg. Weetabix or Shredded Wheat – try chopping a banana on your cereal as one of your 5 a day! • Wholemeal/granary or wheaten bread with a little low fat spread, jam or honey • Poached or boiled egg with wholemeal toast.

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LunchYou may be at school, college or in a part-time job, so you will need to fuel up during the day. A well balanced lunch should fill you up and keep you going - if you are hungry between meals try some of the healthy snack ideas listed in the smarter snacking section.

Packed lunches don’t have to be boring. Try some of these tasty ideas and add lots of colour.

Sandwich ideas – Add variety with different types of bread eg. pitta bread, wraps, rolls, wheaten bread or sliced pan:

• Turkey and cranberry sauce• Roast beef and mustard• Chicken, crispy lettuce and tomato• Tuna and sweetcorn• Salmon and cucumber• Cheese and pickle• Egg and onion.

For a change, what about rice or pasta salad?

• Wholegrain rice with chopped chicken breast, peas, sweetcorn and peppers• Cooked pasta with tuna and sweetcorn or chicken and peppers• Hot homemade vegetable soup in a flask with a wholegrain or granary roll.

For a well balanced lunch, why not add a yogurt and some fruit or vegetable sticks.

Healthy dinner ideas

• Spaghetti bolognese with wholemeal spaghetti and side salad• Chicken stir fry with noodles• Chilli con carne with wholegrain rice and corn on the cob (red meat is a great source of iron)• Vegetable curry with lentils and rice - for non meat eaters the lentils are great sources of protein and iron.

Try to eat 2 portions of fish per week - one of which should be oily, such as salmon, mackerel or sardines.

Smarter snackingSnacking between meals if you feel hungry doesn’t have to be unhealthy. Try to avoid lots of high fat and sugary snacks.

Try to think ahead and bring a healthy snack if you are going out - this will stop you buying less healthy snacks like crisps and chocolate!

The table will help you to make simple swaps.

Instead of Fizzy drinks - Cola, lemonade, energy drink “Did you know a can of cola has 12 cubes of sugar?”

Bag of salted nuts or dry roasted nuts

Croissant, doughnut or cookie

Chocolate bar Remember chocolate has a lot of fat and sugar!

Ice cream

Jellies, sweets

“Did you know a roll of jelly sweets has 13 cubes of sugar?”

Plain water or semi-skimmed milk

Plain breadsticks, bowl of plain popcorn or slice of toast

Chopped peppers, cucumber or carrot sticks with salsa or hummus

Choose plain unsalted nuts such as brazil, pistachio or cashew nuts

Slice of toast, bread muffin or bagel with a little low fat spread

Piece of fruit - banana, apple, orange

Low fat yogurt

Piece of fruit - grapes, strawberries or plums

Try

Crisps

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Smart ideas for eating out Eating out is a nice treat once in a while. Try to choose healthier options when possible.

Fast food/Burger bars• Choose small or regular sized portions.• Choose water or a diet drink if you must have a fizzy drink *• Choose grilled burgers • Ask for salad on your burger or add a fruit bag to help meet your 5 a day target.

Chinese• Choose boiled rice or noodles instead of fried rice or chips • Avoid batter or deep fried dishes - steamed or stir fried dishes are healthier choices• Try to choose a dish with lots of vegetables.

Pizza/Italian• Choose a thin base pizza rather than deep pan versions• Share a pizza or choose a pizza for one• Avoid the temptation to ask for extra cheese• Go easy on the garlic bread• Try vegetable toppings and lean meat toppings such as chicken, ham or prawns.

Cinema• Choose water or diet drinks*• Share a small tub of unbuttered or unsalted popcorn• Have your dinner before you go so you are less likely to fill up on sweets, crisps and ice cream.

*Remember, pure fruit juice and fizzy drinks (even the diet drinks) will cause erosion of tooth enamel if they are taken too often.

Ever wonder what’s in your food?

Finding out how to recognise and cut back on foods and drinks high in fat and/or sugar is one way to help you make healthier choices.

There is a traffic light system which helps us to make wiser choices and allow us to see at a glance if a food is high or low in sugar, fat, saturated fat, or salt. Red means High = the food or drink is high in fat and/or sugar and/or salt. Have occasionally only

Amber means Medium = the food or drink has a medium amount of fat and/or sugar and/or salt. This is an ok choice

Green means Low = the food or drink is low in fat and/or sugar and/or salt. This is a healthy choice

TIP: As a rule of thumb pick products with more greens and ambers and fewer reds.

USE THE TRAFFIC LIGHTS TO MAKE HEALTHIER CHOICES

PER 100G FAT CONTENT SATURATED FAT SUGAR CONTENT SALT CONTENT

Over 17.5g

Between 3g-17.5g

3g or less

Over 5g

Between 1.5g-5g

1.5g or less

Over 22.5g

Between 5g-22.5g

5g or less

Over 1.5g

Between 0.3g-1.5g

0.3g or less

HIGH

MEDIUM

LOW

BT14-990 Updated June ‘14

Compiled by the Community Nutrition and Dietetic ServiceBelfast Health and Social Care Trust

Produced byCommunication Resources & Information Services

Dorothy Gardiner BuildingKnockbracken Healthcare Park

Saintfield Road, Belfast, BT8 8BHT 028 9504 6627