Numerous studies have shown it:the Dutch adolescent eats unhealthy. Something that I think is immediately proven if you live near a high school and a supermarket. Or just if you have teenagers at home, that's also possible!
As a parent you can still insist on it… But the average adolescent eats unhealthy. And that is certainly not because you as a parent are not doing your best. In this blog you can read why adolescents eat so much. There is also a biological reason for it. Although it is a pity that they then go for bags of chips en masse. We will also give you tips for that. Although it depends on the stubbornness of our adolescents whether they will actually do something with it, of course!
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Dutch adolescents score high on unhealthy food. Is that because of us, their educators? Well no. At least, not always of course. As a parent, you only have a certain amount of influence over their choices, even if your adolescent is eating an unhealthy diet. And in addition:the Dutch adolescent is often also a relatively rich adolescent. And so, in general, it is best to spend money on fries during the break. The little break then, hey mama. In the big one they go out again for a meal. That is to say:outside the lunch box.
When children reach puberty, they are given the freedom to spend money themselves. They are even slowly earning it themselves… Does your teenager already have a newspaper route? Then you as a parent can still stamp on saving. But if it's up to your teen, a significant portion of that salary is likely going toward snacks that you don't want to buy them. The Dutch teenager eats unhealthy and seems insatiable when it comes to junk food. And that's largely because we have it so good. But what can you do about that as a parent? And:do you really want that?
Adolescents lie in bed for hours because they are tired and then empty the fridge with all the leftovers that are still there. Adolescents are bored for hours a day, even when they are busy with something, and then they start snacking. However? We can blame them for that. But it is also biologically determined that our teenagers behave this way. In the teenage phase you experience all kinds of changes, physically and mentally. Your body and brain are suddenly developing at lightning speed. That requires energy. And so our teenagers lie in bed for hours. And they eat your fridge empty. Don't let them read it, but somehow their body needs it. Unfortunately, this does not apply to the food they usually choose for themselves. Or rather:the snacks.
If you have teenagers in your house, you probably recognize it. You can spend hours hammering on certain things. But the harder you persevere, the less your adolescent listens. Something about sticking behind the wallpaper… Some things that you, as a parent, find important, simply don't interest your adolescent. Like, for example, healthy eating. That is why the average adolescent eats unhealthy and I doubt whether they lose sleep over it. That's up to you, as a parent! So are there things you can do to get through to your stubborn teen? Who knows. Read through the tips below.
Talk to your teenager about unhealthy food. Again, do I hear you thinking? Yes, of course! The Nutrition Center encourages parents to keep talking with their teenagers. They give all kinds of tips to help adolescents learn to deal with food more consciously. An adolescent eats unhealthy out of ignorance and disinterest. As a parent, try to change that.
We can all insist on healthy living and healthy eating, but all too often we give the wrong example. And you bet your observant teen will notice. And makes a clever comment about it to rub it in on you! Do not try to persuade your teenager to go all the way on health. Teach them to enjoy their snacks instead of them flying in at that fast adolescent pace. This way you combine a lesson in healthy eating with the unhealthy eating behavior of your adolescent. Oh, is your teenager a real tea drinker? Then maybe this tea to deacidify is a good idea. Tastes great so they don't even notice.
Good:an adolescent eats unhealthy out of disinterest and ignorance. But how do you get a teenager interested? Easy. Don't just put a plate full of food in front of them. But invite them to the kitchen. You can start with simple things. And expand that to make real meals. In this way, your adolescent is actively and consciously with food. Because you always learn the most from practice.
Joyce has also put my son to work. It started with a cream cake, and now our junior master chef also has apple turnovers to his name! A bonus:he still likes it. Unfortunately, this is all still unhealthy, but at least it arouses some interest. And if you let the adolescent cook dinner himself, for example, once a week, that realization about unhealthy food may come sooner than you think.
One last point. You might think:my adolescent eats unhealthy, but does not gain an ounce. That is often the case. And they are growing, so they need a little extra. But the snacks that adolescents often choose mainly consist of sugars, salt and fats. They certainly don't need that to this extent. They may not gain a gram, but that will change as soon as they come out of the growth phase. There are a lot of teenagers who suddenly gain a lot of weight after puberty. So before that happens, teach them about the importance of healthy eating. Because we now know that after a certain age you can no longer gobble everything down carefree.
Shutterstock photo of boy in fridge by FTiare
