High School Kids Need More Fruits and Veggies - Is There Anything We Can Do?

Once again the news is telling us high school kids don't get enough fresh fruits and vegetables. CNN had a piece on this topic just this morning.

With all the issues teens have on their plates, telling teenagers to eat more fruits and veggies seems juvenile and downright silly. Yet if we want our kids to be healthy and strong to deal with the stress and strain of high school, we need to get our message across.

So what is a parent to do? Here are a few tips that might help them eat more fresh fruits and vegetables and benefit from the nutrients and phytochemicals that will flood their systems:

Tip One: Since teenagers eat tremendous amounts of fast food, casually suggest that you go out to eat at their favorite restaurant. Let them order whatever they want. If you know ahead of time, you can review the menu and find something healthy with the most veggies possible. As you're eating together, you can talk about how delicious your meal is and what other healthy items that you might like to try the next time you return. Subway is a great place to pile on the veggies as they have tons of choices. Noodles and Company also offers lots of healthy items.

Tip Two: While we don't want to focus on the negative, if your child is having skin issues like acne, a diet high in fruits and veggies is one more tool in the arsenal to fight blemished skin. The next time they bring up the subject of skin, you might say that you read that eating carrots, spinach, broccoli, and avocado can sometimes help keep skin clear. You might mention that both Chipotle and Baja Fresh offer salads and freshly made guacamole. Additionally, avoiding trans fats, fried foods, and increasing healthy monounsaturated fats also helps. Japanese restaurants are also a good choice. Obviously expensive, but full of veggies and Omega 3 fats from the fish.

Tip Three: Take the time to serve more veggies at dinner. Steam an array of veggies and serve them with an easy to make cheesy artichoke spinach dip (see recipes on next post). Or try Dr. Praeger's Spinach Pancakes served with applesauce and a little sour cream. Soups are a great way to get in high potency veggies. If you bring in take out, make sure you are choosing dishes with lots of veggies. Even pizza provides a veggie opportunity. Artichoke hearts, tomatoes, olives, green pepper, onion, and spinach are now available. Some pizza places now offer whole wheat crust. Add a salad and you are set. Cheesecake Factory, California Pizza, and California Tortilla also have items with lots of veggies and whole grains.

Tip Four: Stock the fridge with V-8 juices and sparkling apple juice. Ditch the sodas. Make your own trail mix with dried cranberries, raw almonds, dry roasted peanuts (more healthy fats), mini chocolate chips and whole wheat Chex cereal. Bake carrot cake (use whole wheat pastry flour), carrot muffins, or banana bread. If you pack their lunch, add more veggies on their sandwiches: a few spinach leaves, roasted red peppers, thinly sliced tomato. If they balk, just smile! Whenever you make a recipe, increase the amount of veggies. More chopped or diced veggies won't affect the taste or texture.

Tip Five: It is not too late to model good eating habits. Like mom always said, "Actions speak louder than words."

Happy Trails.

Judy