Forsyth Medical Center 
Adolescent Girls
Establishing Healthy Food Habits
| According to the American Dietetic Association, 51 percent of children eat less than one serving of fruit a day, and more then 98 percent of school-aged children do not meet the Food Guide Pyramid recommendations for all five food groups. |
Poor eating habits can have a devastating effect on childrens' health. Parents who set food guidelines while their children are young can go a long way toward making sure that those healthy habits are continued into adulthood.
Below are easy nutrition tips for your adolescent. These tips can help establish healthy eating habits for the entire family.
Kid-Friendly Nutrition Tips:
Encourage your child and family to follow these healthy food habits:
- Choose 1 percent or fat-free milk. This provides essential nutrients and minerals while limiting artery-clogging fat. (Whole milk is recommended through age two.)
- Eliminate cheese on sandwiches, unless its low-fat or fat-free. Although cheese adds much-needed calcium to a child's diet, full-fat varieties add unneeded saturated fat.
- Switch to low-fat luncheon meats. Keep lunches healthy by using turkey or chicken breast or low-fat ham, bologna or roast beef in sandwiches.
- Include at least one serving of fruit in every lunch. In addition to apples, oranges and bananas, try pears, sliced melon, applesauce cups, grapes or pineapple.
- Add vegetables such as lettuce, cucumber slices, tomato, green pepper or sweet onion on sandwiches.
- Use whole grain bread instead of white bread. Whole grains are rich in fiber.
- Limit cookies, snack cakes, doughnuts, brownies and other sweet baked goods.
- Pack baked chips, pretzels, Cheerios, bread sticks or low-fat crackers instead of potato, corn, tortilla or other chips made with oil.
- Be vigilant about beverages, including juices, and stick with diet drinks that are sugar free. Watch out for drinks that are only 10 percent juice or less-they're soft drinks in disguise. Pack 100-percent juice drinks instead. Water is always a healthy option.
- Steer clear of pre-packaged lunches. Make your own healthy substitute with low-fat crackers, low-fat lunchmeat, fruit and a pure juice drink.
For More Information
For more information about the Healthy Family Adolescent Weight Management Program, please contact the Sara Lee Center for Women's Health at (336) 718-3780 or call toll free (888) 218-1234.
