Menu for a teenager: he althy recipes, balanced nutrition

2024 Author: Priscilla Miln | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-16 00:21

He althy nutrition is one of the main components of he alth. This becomes especially important during adolescence. After all, it is then that the second growth leap of the child occurs - the moment when his growth accelerates sharply. During this period, the body needs a maximum of nutrients and vitamins. And given how behavior changes during puberty, how hard it is to get a teenager to eat he althy food, the issue of he althy and tasty food is of paramount importance. Let's figure out how to make a complete menu for a teenager.

Key Nutrients

To ensure proper nutrition for teenagers, you need to adhere to a number of rules and principles. One of the basic rules is the correct ratio of the main nutrients, or nutrients: proteins, fats and carbohydrates. After all, about 40% of the human body consists of these substances, while the remaining 60% is water. The optimal ratio of these nutrients to ensure the normal growth and development of a teenager's body: 1 part protein, 3 parts fat and 5 parts carbohydrates.

Meaning of proteins

Since school, we have heard more than once that proteins are the main building material of the body. However, what does this phrase imply?

First of all, virtually every substance in our body is made up of protein. Hormones are proteins, blood coagulation factors, thanks to which we do not bleed at the slightest injury - also proteins, RNA and DNA, where hereditary information is contained - again a protein, hemoglobin, which transports oxygen to cells and tissues, also has a protein structure.

Secondly, proteins are made up of amino acids, eight of which are essential. That is why they are called "indispensable", since they can only be obtained from the outside, with food. By themselves, they cannot be synthesized in the body. And amino acids are not only the "bricks" of our body, but also the most important component of the exchange of water between cells and tissues. By creating pressure in the vessels, which is called oncotic, proteins prevent the flow of water from the blood into the cells, preventing their swelling and death.

So having protein in your diet is extremely important.

Value of carbohydrates

And if proteins are the building blocks of the body, then carbohydrates are the main source of energy. Being in products in the form of polysaccharides, in the gastrointestinal tract they break down to di- and monosaccharides (glucose, fructose, galactose).

The value of carbohydrates is really huge, because if they are not enough to enter the body to getfats begin to be used for energy, and then proteins. A reasonable restriction of simple carbohydrates (pastry products, sweets, etc.) can really be useful, because excess fat will go away for energy, which will lead to weight loss. But a complete rejection of carbohydrates, including complex carbohydrates found in vegetables and fruits, leads to anorexia, deterioration in general condition, a change in blood pH to a more acidic side (acidosis).

This can be really dangerous, especially for teenage girls who want to be "perfect" so much.

Value of fats

Many believe that the body does not need fat at all, and when compiling a menu for a teenager, it is better to do without them altogether. However, this is fundamentally wrong. Fat is also an important source of energy. In addition, hated by many cholesterol is part of the sex hormones, adrenal hormones.

Of course, excessive consumption of fat is bad for the body. It can lead to the development of atherosclerosis, obesity. And this is the background for the development of many cardiovascular (ischemic heart disease, hypertension) and endocrine diseases (diabetes mellitus).

The optimal solution is to give preference to vegetable fats rather than animal fats. They are found in corn and sunflower oil, fish oil. It is interesting that sunflower and other vegetable oils have benefits for the body only in their primary form (for example, in salads), while in fried or baked form they do not representno value.

What products should be removed from the menu

To create a truly balanced menu for a teenager, you need to select a list of dishes and products that are not recommended or even prohibited for consumption. Foods containing excessive amounts of animal fats, easily digestible carbohydrates, should be excluded from the diet.

Teen favorites such as sandwiches and burgers, french fries, chips and other snacks can be called "forbidden foods". After all, they contain a large amount of cholesterol, which is deposited on the walls of blood vessels, causing circulatory disorders in the internal organs.

It will also be hard for those with a sweet tooth. After all, flour and bakery products, chocolates should be limited as much as possible when compiling a menu for a teenager. Only one or two sweets per day or one bun are allowed. And for teenagers who are overweight, these products should be completely removed from the diet. It is better to replace them with fruits for a teenager. We already know the dangers of eating simple carbohydrates.

Among drinks when compiling a menu for a teenager, preference should be given to plain water. For a change, you can also quench your thirst with freshly squeezed juices. Factory juices and sodas are high in sugar.

Teen Diet Rules

Before moving on to examples of diets, it is worthwhile to analyze the general rules that must be followed when ensuring proper nutritionfor a teenager. In addition to the recommendations that have already been indicated in the previous sections of the article, it is also worth noting the following rules:

• Eat small meals, leaving a slight feeling of hunger when eating. After all, the feeling of satiety does not come immediately after eating, it must take time for impulses from the stomach receptors to reach the hunger center in the hypothalamus and tell him that the food has arrived. This "delay" often leads to situations where the teenager eats too much.
• The main meal should be in the morning. Many people are used to eating a small portion of breakfast or not having breakfast at all, but to eat up in the evening, having come from school. However, this is fundamentally wrong. Peak activity of digestion occurs in the morning, so food is best absorbed at this time.
• The last meal should be at least 2 hours before bedtime. Many people know about the rule "do not eat after 6", but it is not entirely logical. If a teenager goes to bed at 20:00, then, of course, this rule is true for him. However, does anyone know a teenager who goes to bed at 20:00? So, if he goes to bed at 24:00, it is perfectly acceptable to eat at 22:00. But again, it's worth remembering not to overeat.
• The best way to cook food: stew, boil or bake.

The oldest myth about he althy eating

Soup is not a mandatory dish in a he althy diet for a teenager! Perhaps this phrase will surprise many. After all, we all remember how mom worried every day, but did we eat today?soup. Yes, this is a really good dish. Boiled meat, vegetables, liquid. However, with the same success, you can eat a salad and drink it with a glass of not cold water. Moreover, soups are also different. In those rich, fatty soups that our grandmothers love to cook so much, there is nothing useful at all. Therefore, if your child likes soup, and he eats it with pleasure - to he alth, if not, you should not force him.

Sample dishes for the menu

Simple and delicious food can also be he althy! Mom does not need to spend a lot of money buying food in eco-shops and spend the whole day cooking. Here are some examples of dishes that take only a couple of hours to prepare and can feed the whole family:

• curd casserole with pumpkin and dried apricots;
• baked fish with vegetables;
• pumpkin porridge with rice;
• boiled sausage.

Curd casserole with pumpkin and dried apricots

Who doesn't love a cottage cheese casserole? Many housewives know her recipe from their mothers and grandmothers. However, let's diversify this he althy recipe a bit by adding pumpkin and dried fruits to it. Dried apricots will be best combined with pumpkin. Casserole is perfect for a light and he althy dinner.

What we need for cooking:

• pumpkin - 200 g;
• cottage cheese - 300 g;
• eggs - 2 pcs;
• dried apricots - 50 g;
• sour cream - 2 tablespoons;
• water - 0.5 cups (100 ml),
• sugar - to taste, 2-3 tbsp. l. (if the child is not a big sweet tooth, you can limit yourself to 1 tablespoon).

Stagescooking:

• Cut pumpkin pulp into cubes, simmer in a heavy-bottomed saucepan until soft.
• Mix cottage cheese with sour cream and carefully crush until smooth. Add dried apricots (previously finely chopped), eggs and sugar to the mixture. Shuffle.
• When the pumpkin is cooked, it is necessary to mash it to a puree-like consistency. After cooling, add to the curd mixture.
• Spread the pumpkin-curd mixture evenly in a buttered baking dish. Put in the oven at 180 degrees. Duration of baking - 30 minutes (until a golden crust appears on the dish).

Baked fish with vegetables

Unfortunately, teenagers are often hard to get to eat fish. However, it is indeed a necessary product in the diet, which is the main source of phosphorus. Below is a recipe for a delicious fish dish for a teenager.

What we need for cooking:

• sea fish (ideally mackerel or pink salmon);
• hard cheese - 100 g (s alty farm cheeses are considered the most useful, as they do not contain vegetable fats);
• carrot - 1 pc.;
• onion - 1 pc.;
• lemon - a few slices.

Cooking steps:

• Clean the fish well from the bones, cut off the head. Rub the cleaned carcass with s alt.
• Chop onions, grate carrots and cheese, mix and add s alt to taste.
• Cut the fish lengthwise from one edge, but not completely, butso that the second edge remains untouched. Stuff the fish with vegetable and cheese filling. Also put lemon slices inside, they will saturate the filling and fish so that it does not dry out in the oven.
• Wrap the dish in foil and bake in a preheated oven at 220 degrees for 40 minutes.

Cooked sausage

What teenager doesn't love sausage sandwiches? It is quite difficult to wean children from it, because manufacturers add a lot of addictive flavor enhancers to the sausage. An excellent substitute for purchased sausage can be homemade boiled sausage, a he althy recipe for which is outlined below.

What we need for cooking:

• chicken or turkey fillet - 0.5 kg;
• chicken egg white - 3 pcs.;
• sour cream - 250 ml;
• s alt and pepper to taste.

Cooking steps:

Crush the fillets with a blender to a paste consistency. Add egg whites and sour cream to the chicken paste, s alt and pepper. Stir.

Minced meat must be divided into four equal parts, each put separately on cling film. Roll them into sausage shapes so that the film wraps them in at least three layers. The ends of the film must be tied with threads on both sides. These manipulations are necessary so that the mixture does not spread over the pan during further cooking.

Boil water in a saucepan. When the water boils, send the sausages there for 40 minutes. Transfer the sausages to a plate and let cool. Homemade boiled sausage is ready to eat!

Salads for teenagers

Few children and teenagers like salads, and vegetables in general. Luckily, salad is the kind of dish that gives free rein to imagination and improvisation.

If your child loves chicken, you can make Caesar. If beef or pork - you can cook a warm meat salad. Or you can move away from any recipes. For example, an ordinary vegetable salad can be diluted with a bright berry sauce, which will surely appeal to a teenager. Vegetables with applesauce and mustard sauce also go well. Improvise, come up with new tastes, then your child will definitely discover salads from a new side.

Ration for the day

Well, we already know which nutrients should be contained in the products, and which dishes should be categorically removed from the menu. We also have some simple recipes for he althy meals for teenagers. It's a matter of small. It's time to create a sample daily menu for a teenager.

The ideal ratio between meals is as follows: breakfast - 25%, lunch - 35-40%, afternoon tea - 15%, dinner - 20-25% of the total amount of food eaten per day.

Breakfast: buckwheat or barley porridge with water or milk, a few pieces of boiled meat, tomato, cucumber, a glass of tea.

Lunch: baked potatoes, coleslaw with carrots dressed with vegetable oil, optional soup.

Snack: yogurt/ fruit biscuit/ sliced fruit or berries.

Dinner: cottage cheese casserole with yogurt / baked fish.

We hope that after reading this article, you can find the right approach to compiling a he althy andrational menu for a teenager!