Nutrition: Back to School for Teens

It’s September, and that means back to school time. And if that marks the beginning of another round of stale bologna sandwiches and mealy apples, then lunchtime can quickly become a bore. For teens, especially teen girls, this can be a particular concern, as a tasteless lunch, combined with the social pressure to fit in and be thin, can make it tempting to start skipping the meal altogether. While seemingly innocuous at first, many teens don’t realize that not only does skipping meals sap your energy and make you more prone to making mistakes in class or on the court, but over time it can also teach your body to become more efficient at storing fat – exactly the opposite effect they are looking for – and the dieting mindset that comes with it can turn dangerous in a hurry.

So in the name of keeping teens healthy and happy – and moms and dads sane - here are a few tips to help their lunch get made – and eaten.

1. Involve your teen in grocery shopping and menu planning. This could be met with a healthy dose of skepticism at first, but you might be surprised at just how many positive food choices your teen will make if you open the door to new ideas. Consider a joint trip to the grocery store to pick out some new foods that he or she might not have tried, and ask about different meals that have been available at a friend’s house, the cafeteria, or the food court.
2. Set some minimum standards about the quality of lunch – then don’t sweat the details. For example, a balanced lunch should include a source of protein – be it leftover chicken breast, a hard-boiled egg or two, some cottage cheese, or even a bean salad or some tofu if you have a vegetarian-leaning teen, along with some veggies, which could be raw, stir-fried, roasted, sliced into a sandwich or cooked in a soup. Ideally, there would also be a fruit and a source of whole grain, but if that’s too much of a battle, then stick with a couple of these items (the protein is a must) and open the door to something else that your teen might enjoy – be it a sweet, or something savoury or even salty.
3. Try to include some new and interesting foods in your teen’s lunch. Consider hummus and crackers, Mini Babybel cheese (it’s cute and portable), mini containers of cottage cheese (they come flavoured now, too), lower sodium soups, sweet potato chips, homemade banana bread or muffins (bake extra and keep them frozen), or a trail mix made with nuts (if permitted), seeds (try pumpkin seeds – they are a great source of iron), or roasted soy nuts (they’re beans, not nuts, and a great source of protein), raisins or dried cranberries, dried cereal (Cheerios work well), and chocolate chips or mini M&M’s – you can make a large batch and keep it handy for lunches or snacks.

- Jennifer Sygo, M.Sc., RD is the Director of Nutrition for Cleveland Clinic Canada (www.clevelandcliniccanada.com) and the nutrition columnist for The National Post. She has been a regular client of Sugar Moon for over five years. For inquiries about Jennifer’s nutrition services, or to book an appointment, e-mail jsygo@rogers.com.