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Healthy Diet for Adolescents (Ages 12-18)

A Guide for Parents and Caregivers

by Maria Adams, MS, MPH, RD

Adolescence is a time of growth and change. Teenagers need more calories and nutrients than any other age group to support their growing bodies. Yet most teens eat too many empty-calorie foods and come up short on many important nutrients. Here you will find information on your teen’s nutritional needs and practical suggestions for helping him eat a healthier diet.

Key Components of a Healthy Diet for Adolescents

Adequate Calories

Adolescents need a lot of calories to support the rapid growth that occurs during this time and to fuel their busy lives. The amount of calories that your teen needs varies depending on age, sex, and activity level. Most adolescent girls need somewhere around 2,200 calories per day, while most adolescent boys need 2,500-3,000 calories per day.

In between school work, sports, and other activities, teens are often so busy they don’t have time to eat balanced meals that provide the calories and nutrients they need. Still, it is also easy to eat too many calories, especially when poor food choices are made. Over time, this can lead to being overweight and obese. Make sure your teen gets the amount of calories they need by:

  • Providing them with a variety of nutrient-rich foods from all the different food groups
  • Limiting foods that are high in added sugar or fat, but provide little else (eg, candy bars, chips, cakes, cookies, donuts, and regular soda)
  • Serving reasonable portion sizes and then letting your teen have more if she is still hungry (serving too much food at one time encourages overeating)

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are the main source of energy for your teen. About 45%-65% of his calories should come from carbohydrates. Encourage your teen to choose healthy carbohydrate-rich foods, such as whole grains, fruit, vegetables, and milk. Limit foods that are high in refined flour or added sugar, such as white bread, non-whole grain crackers, cookies, juice, and soda.

Protein

Your teen needs protein for growth and repair, as well as to build muscle. About 15%-25% of your teen’s calories should come from protein. Good sources include poultry, lean meat, seafood, eggs, nuts, soy, legumes, and low-fat and nonfat dairy products.

Fat

Adolescents need between 25%-35% of their calories as fat. Dietary fat provides essential fatty acids that are necessary for proper growth. It also helps transport the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K and maintain healthy skin. Your teen’s fat intake should come mostly from healthy fats, such as those found in vegetable oils (eg, canola and olive oil), nuts, avocados, olives, and fatty fish (eg, salmon, sardines, and tuna).

Vitamins & Minerals

Research shows that many adolescents, particularly girls, do not get all the vitamins and minerals they need. If you feel your teen’s diet is not as “balanced” as it could be, ask her pediatrician about multivitamin supplementation. Also, you can serve fortified breakfast cereal.

While all vitamins and minerals are important, here are a few that adolescents often fall short on:

Vitamin or MineralImportanceGood Sources

Calcium

Essential for building strong bones and teeth

Milk, cheese, yogurt, tofu, calcium-fortified orange juice, calcium-fortified cereal, and canned salmon

Folate

Important for proper growth during adolescence

Orange juice, fortified breakfast cereals, bread, milk, dried beans, and lentils

Iron

Necessary for transporting red blood cells; not getting enough from the diet can result in iron-deficiency anemia

Meat, chicken, fish, and fortified breakfast cereal

Zinc

Helps promote proper growth and sexual maturation during adolescence

Chicken, meat, shellfish, whole grains, and fortified breakfast cereal

Vitamin A

Necessary for proper vision, growth, and immune system functioning

Carrots, fortified breakfast cereal, milk, and cheese

Vitamin D

Necessary for the body to use the calcium that is consumed

Fortified milk, salmon, and egg yolks—Sunshine allows your body to make vitamin D, but be aware of the dangers of getting too much sun

Vitamin E

Helps protect the body from damage

Nuts, seeds, whole grains, spinach, and fortified breakfast cereal

Magnesium

Helps regulate the heartbeat, build strong bones, and keep blood pressure within a normal range

Whole grains, green vegetables, and legumes

Fiber

Most adolescents do not eat enough fiber. Diets high in fiber tend to be lower in total calories, fat, and cholesterol than diets that are low in fiber. What’s more, research shows that a high fiber intake may help prevent heart disease and certain kinds of cancer. Fiber can also help prevent constipation and increase fullness following a meal. To be sure your teen is getting enough fiber, teach him to choose whole grains over refined grains, and encourage him to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables.

Physical Activity

While it may not be a nutrient, physical activity is a key component of any healthy diet. Encourage your teen to be physically active every day. If necessary, set limits on the amount of time spent watching TV or using the computer. All physical activity counts—whether it is being involved with school sports, taking dance lessons, shooting hoops in the driveway, or walking to school. There are countless ways to get moving.

Eating Guide for Adolescents

This eating guide is based on the United States Department of Agriculture's MyPlate. It lists the main food groups, examples of the recommended daily amount for different ages, as well as suggestions about which foods to choose in each group. The recommended daily amount varies based on age, weight, sex, and activity level. Use the daily amounts below as a starting guide, then go to the MyPlate website for more individualized recommendations.

Food Group Daily Amount *Key Suggestions

Grains (1 ounce = 1 slice bread; ¼ bagel; ½ cup cooked pasta or rice; 5 whole-wheat crackers)

  • Female
    • 12-18 years old: 6 ounces
  • Male
    • 12 years old: 7 ounces
    • 15 years old: 9 ounces
    • 18 years old: 10 ounces
  • At least ½ of grains should be whole grains
  • Whole grains include: whole wheat products, oatmeal, brown rice, barley, bulgur, popcorn

Vegetables (1 cup = 1 cup raw or cooked vegetables; 2 cups raw leafy vegetables)

  • Female
    • 12-18 years old: 2.5 cups
  • Male
    • 12 years old: 3 cups
    • 15 years old: 3.5 cups
    • 18 years old: 3.5 cups
  • Encourage a variety of different vegetables
  • Provide more of the following:
    • Dark green (eg, broccoli, spinach, bok choy, romaine lettuce)
    • Orange (eg, carrots, sweet potatoes, butternut squash)
    • Dry beans and peas (eg, chickpeas, black beans, lentils, split peas, kidney beans, tofu)

Fruits (1 cup = 1 cup fresh fruit; 1 cup fruit juice; ½ cup dried fruit)

  • Female
    • 12-18 years old: 2 cups
  • Male
    • 12 years old: 2 cups
    • 15 years old: 2 cups
    • 18 years old: 2.5 cups
  • Offer a variety of fruit and 100% fruit juice

Milk (1 cup = 8 ounces milk or yogurt; 1½ ounces natural cheese)

  • Female
    • 12-18 years old: 3 cups
  • Male
    • 12 years old: 3 cups
    • 15 years old: 3 cups
    • 18 years old: 3 cups
  • Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy products such as milk, yogurt, kefir, and cheese
  • Milk alternatives include calcium-rich or -fortified foods and beverages, such as soy milk and fortified orange juice

Protein (1 ounce = 1 ounce meat, fish, or poultry; ¼ cup cooked, dry beans; 1 egg; 1 tablespoon peanut butter; ½ ounce nuts)

  • Female
    • 12-18 years old: 5.5 ounces
  • Male
    • 12 years old: 6 ounces
    • 15 years old: 6.5 ounces
    • 18 years old: 7 ounces
  • Choose lean meats and poultry
  • Offer more fish and vegetarian sources of protein, such as beans, peas, nuts, and seeds

Fats and Sweets

  • Female
    • 12-18 years old: 265 calories
  • Male
    • 12 years old: 290 calories
    • 15 years old: 410 calories
    • 18 years old: 425 calories
  • Limit foods high in added sugar or solid fats (eg, soda, candy, cookies, muffins, chips, French fries, and fried foods)
  • Look for products that contain no saturated or trans fats

  *The daily amounts shown here are for adolescents who are of average weight and height for their age and engage in 30-60 minutes of physical activity every day.

Healthy Eating Ideas

Breakfast

Encourage your teen to start the day off with breakfast. Studies show that kids learn better when fueled with breakfast, yet most teens skip this important meal. Ideally it should include foods from the different food groups. While your son or daughter may not have time for a sit-down breakfast, here are some choices that can be eaten on-the-run:

  • Drinkable yogurt and whole-wheat toast
  • Fruit smoothie and granola bar
  • Whole-grain cereal with milk or yogurt
  • Egg and cheese breakfast sandwich

For those who prefer non-breakfast foods, leftovers and sandwiches are good choices.

Snacks

Because of their high energy needs, most teens should eat 2-3 snacks a day: a mid-morning snack, an afternoon snack, and perhaps an evening snack.

While you cannot control the snacks your child eats away from home, you can pack a healthy snack for between classes or before sports practice. Some ideas include:

  • Fresh fruit slices
  • Drinkable yogurt
  • Low-fat granola bars
  • Whole-grain crackers and sliced cheese
  • String cheese
  • Grilled cheese on whole-wheat bread
  • Peanut butter and jelly sandwich
  • Sliced, raw vegetables with low-fat dip
  • Whole-grain pretzels
  • Trail mix
  • Hummus and pita bread
  • Bagel pizza
  • Frozen whole-grain waffles
  • Air-popped popcorn

Lunch

Encourage your teen to purchase healthy lunches. If you pack a lunch for your child, ask for her input and then do your best to ensure a balanced, healthy meal. Even if your child does not eat the healthiest meal at lunch, eating something is better than nothing.

Dinner

While it may be difficult to have dinner together, try to make it happen at least a few times every week. Research shows that children who eat dinner with their families tend to have higher quality diets than those who do not. A healthy dinner includes whole grains, vegetables, lean protein, and low-fat dairy, and sometimes dessert.

Ways to Improve Your Teen's Diet

  • Encourage your teen to eat at least two snacks per day—one in the mid-morning and one after school. If your teen is involved with sports or after school activities, pack something that he can eat beforehand.
  • Most teens consume too much unhealthy fat, added sugar, and salt. Buy healthy choices, like fresh fruit, sliced vegetables, whole-grain pretzels, whole-wheat crackers, low-fat granola bars, fresh whole-grain bread, frozen yogurt, low-fat milk or soy milk, seltzer water, and flavored water. Get out of the habit of buying less healthy snack foods, such as chips, cookies, juice (unless 100% fruit juice), and soda.
  • Try to cook at home. Home-cooked meals tend to be healthier and lower in calories, fat, and salt than restaurant food.
  • Get your teen involved with meal planning, shopping, and cooking. The more involved he is, the more likely he will take an interest in trying the foods that you prepare.
  • Eat together as much as you can. Try to make it happen a few nights during the week.
  • Talk to your child about healthy eating and why it is important. Stress the immediate benefits (eg, it will help you excel in school, run faster, throw the ball farther, have better skin).
  • Be aware of excessive dieting and eating disorders. If your child has unhealthy eating behaviors, such as going on different diets, routinely skipping meals, using laxatives, or throwing up after meals, express your concern. You may want to also talk to a doctor and a school counselor.
RESOURCES::

American Dietetic Association
http://www.eatright.org/

ChooseMyPlate.gov
http://www.choosemyplate.gov/

CANADIAN RESOURCES::

Canada's Food Guide
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/

Dietitians of Canada
http://www.dietitians.ca/

REFERENCES::

ChooseMyPlate.gov. United States Department of Agriculture, ChooseMyPlate.gov website. Available at: http://www.mypyramid.gov . Updated June 14, 2011. Accessed June 20, 2011.

Dietary guidelines for Americans 2005. US Department of Agriculture website. Available at: http://www.health.... . Accessed January 3, 2010.

Stang J, Story M, eds. Guidelines for Adolescent Nutrition Services. Minneapolis, MN: Center for Leadership, Education, and Training in Maternal and Teen Nutrition; 2005.


Last reviewed March 2013 by Dianne Scheinberg Rishikof MS, RD, LDN
Last Updated: 3/15/2013

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