Adolescents need more than just a nutritionally balanced diet.

Children and adolescents need a varied mixed diet for growth. A full diet consists largely of carbohydrates. The carbohydrates should provide 50 to 55 percent of food energy and come primarily from grains, vegetables, potatoes and fruits. With a healthy diet at an early age, neuropathic pain can be avoided in the later years.

Fat is also part of a full diet. It should come mainly from vegetable fats and oils and contribute a maximum of 30 percent of food energy.

The remaining energy needs of about 10 to 15 percent of dietary energy consists of equal numbers of animal and/or plant protein, especially of milk, meat, fish, cereals and potatoes.

Avoid a monotonous diet

An unbalanced diet can eventually lead to deficiencies in specific nutrients such as trace elements, vitamins and fatty acids.

Let your children have a say in the design of the diet and each also select his favorite dish at times. Adolescents can learn a self-evident use of natural foods when you shop or cook together.

The meals

Two main meals a day can be cold meals. The main ingredients are bread or cereal flakes and milk. Margarine, butter, lean cheese or sausage round off the meal in small quantities. These meals are important for the supply of protein, calcium, vitamins and fiber.

Adolescents should decide how much they eat themselves as much as possible. Dishes that are filled to the brim from the start, scare off more than they animate to eat. In addition, adolescents should not sit alone at the table. Pleasant, quiet surroundings and a friendly atmosphere round out the meal.

Proper preparation

Long storage, improper preparation of long cooking, reheating and the use of too much water when cooking destroy many vital nutrients. Take care when preparing meals on short cooking times and use only a little water or fat so that the nutrients and the natural taste of the food are retained.

Fun instead of forced

Eating is more than just eating. It also has to be tasty and fun. Adolescents in particular, coercion and prohibitions do not achieve much. Therefore, in all recommendations for healthy nutrition for children, the fun of eating should not be neglected.