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 plate
Use 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 and
vegetables
Bread,rice,
potatoes, pasta
and other starchy foods
Meat, fish,
eggs, beans
and other non dairy
sources of protein
Milk and
dairy foods
Foods and drinks
high in fat and/or sugar
Department of Health in association with the Welsh Assembly Government, the Scottish Government and the Food Standards Agency in Northern Ireland.
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 or
mandarins, 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
Breakfast
Mid
morning
Lunch
Mid
afternoon
Dinner
Supper
Total
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Mon
Tues
Wed
Thurs
Fri
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.
Sat
Sun
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.
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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.
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 fat
and/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.
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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.
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.
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 gives
you more energy. Start by
becoming more active in your
everyday life.
Activity can help
Ideal Activities:
• 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)Smoking
b) Too much alcohol
c) 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
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•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 day
b)Only when I get up on time, which isn’t very often
c)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.
Lunch
You 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.
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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 snacking
Snacking 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
Try
Fizzy drinks - Cola, lemonade, energy drink
“Did you know a can of cola has 12 cubes of sugar?”
Plain water or semi-skimmed milk
Crisps
Plain breadsticks, bowl of plain popcorn
or slice of toast
Chopped peppers, cucumber or carrot
sticks with salsa or hummus
Bag of salted nuts or dry roasted nuts
Choose plain unsalted nuts such as
brazil, pistachio or cashew nuts
Croissant, doughnut or cookie
Slice of toast, bread muffin or bagel
with a little low fat spread
Chocolate bar
Remember chocolate has a lot of fat and sugar!
Piece of fruit - banana, apple, orange
Ice cream
Low fat yogurt
Jellies, sweets
Piece of fruit - grapes, strawberries or
plums
“Did you know a roll of jelly sweets has 13 cubes of
sugar?”
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.
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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
HIGH
Over 17.5g
Over 5g
Over 22.5g
Over 1.5g
MEDIUM
Between 3g-17.5g
Between 1.5g-5g
Between 5g-22.5g
Between 0.3g-1.5g
LOW
3g or less
1.5g or less
5g or less
0.3g or less
Compiled by the Community Nutrition and Dietetic Service
Belfast Health and Social Care Trust
Produced by
Communication Resources & Information Services
Dorothy Gardiner Building
Knockbracken Healthcare Park
Saintfield Road, Belfast, BT8 8BH
T 028 9504 6627
BT14-990
Updated June ‘14