Inside: Feeding hungry teens? Here are some of the best foods to include in their meals and snacks.
One moment, your baby is sitting in a highchair, gleefully scarfing down diced avocado and spoonfuls of pureed peas.
And the next moment they’re a teenager, strolling into the house with a bag of Taco Bell in one hand and a Mountain Dew in the other.
Teens have independence, their own money, and growth spurt-fueled appetite surges.
We want them to make the most nutritious choices. But often, they make the easiest ones. That usually means more packaged, ultra-processed, and nutrient-poor foods.
Why this matters
Teenagers are experiencing huge growth and development. For instance, it’s not uncommon for a teen boy in a growth spurt to shoot up four inches in one year.
All that growth means they need quality nutrients to fuel it. It also means they’re hungry. Sometimes really hungry.
What they need
Unfortunately, diet quality tends to tank during the teenage years compared to younger children. In fact, the teens years are the lowest diet quality time period in life.
According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, teenage girls are lacking in…
- Iron
- Protein
- Folate
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin B12
- Phosphorus
- Magnesium
- Choline
- Fiber
Teenage boys need more….
- Phosphorus
- Magnesium
- Choline
- Fiber
WHAT ABOUT VITAMIN D? Vitamin D was singled out in the Dietary Guidelines as a “nutrient of public health concern”. It’s key for forming strong bones, which teens are still building. Vitamin D is the one supplement I have my teen take daily.
Best Foods For Teens
The good news is that while they’re still living under your roof, you can stock the house with nutritious foods for meals and snacks.
So what are the best foods for teens to eat? Obviously, offering a variety of foods is best. But I’ve picked 10 stand-outs. They’re based on nutrients that most teens aren’t getting enough of.
1. Beans
They’re one of the best foods for teens because they’re a rich source of plant-based protein and contain at least three of the nutrients that teenagers need more of: fiber, protein, and iron. A cup of black beans packs 16 grams of protein, nearly as much as three eggs.
Ways to serve them:
- In a batch of homemade hummus
- Combined with ground turkey in these Baked Turkey Tacos
- Tucked into a burrito with cheese and salsa
- Stacked in a 7-Layer Dip with cheese, salsa, sour cream, guacamole, tomato, and lettuce
- Cooked white beans whirled into a smoothie
- In a veggie burger
- Cold on a protein-rich “power salad”
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: 29 Ways to Serve Chickpeas To Kids
2. Oats
They’re a natural whole grain, and teens aren’t getting enough whole grains in general. They’re rich in the kind of fiber that fights constipation and the kind that helps lower cholesterol. They’re also filling, so they make a good stick-with-you meal in the morning.
Ways to serve them:
All oats (old-fashioned, quick, and steel-cut) are 100 percent whole grain and have the same health benefits.
3. Eggs
Each egg packs six grams of protein. And don’t toss the yolk: Both the yolk and the white contain protein, and the yolk has valuable nutrients like vitamin D (eggs are one of the only foods that naturally contains vitamin D), choline (a nutrient that’s most people don’t get enough of), and antioxidants like lutein (which is good for eye health).
Ways to serve them:
- On a Make-Ahead Egg Muffin or Bagel Sandwich
- Inside a Make-Ahead Breakfast Burrito: Top burritos with scrambled eggs and a sprinkle of cheese, roll up tightly and wrap in foil. Reheat in toaster oven or oven.
- Baked into Make-Ahead Scrambled Egg Muffins
- As an “Egg-in-a-Hole”: Cut out a hole from the center of buttered bread, place it in a pan and crack an egg in the center, flipping and cooking until egg is at desired doneness.
- Boiled and stashed in the fridge to eat as is, or chopped onto a power salad
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Are brown eggs healthier than white? Should you buy “cage free” eggs? Find out in Egg Myths & Facts You Should Know
4. Peanuts & Peanut Butter
Peanuts contain more plant-based protein than any other nut and they’re one of the most affordable nut too. Plus, a two-tablespoon serving of peanut butter costs about 18 cents on average. Peanuts also contain magnesium, a mineral teens need more of.
Way to serve it:
All nuts are nutritious. For instance, pistachios are a source of complete protein, which means they have all the amino acids we need to get from food. Teenage girls are more at risk than boys for not getting enough protein.
5. Soy
Soy foods like edamame are a high-quality plant protein. That means they pack all the amino acids we need to get from food. Soy is also a good source of iron that’s well-absorbed compared to iron in other plant foods. A half-cup of edamame in the pods has 5 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber, plus calcium, magnesium, and potassium–all nutrients that teens need.
How to serve it:
Research has found that girls who eat soy as a teen and young adult may have a lower risk of breast cancer later in life.
6. Yogurt
Teens have higher calcium needs in this intense period of growth and change, and they’re still building bone. Dairy foods contain phosphorus, a nutrient teens more of. Yogurt also has vitamin B12, which girls tend to lack. Greek yogurt contains more protein per cup than regular because more liquid is strained off, which concentrates the protein. Yogurt is good for the gut too.
Ways to serve it:
Want more ideas for the best foods for teens? See my lists of Healthy Breakfast Ideas For Teens and Healthy Lunches For Teens.
7. Berries
All fruits are good for teens, but by the late teens, fruit and veggie intake is only about half of where it should be. Berries are a star because they’re especially rich in fiber, which most teens lack in their diets. Plus they score high for antioxidants, plant compounds that protect cells from the kind of damage that can lead to disease later in life. Blueberries may also have the potential to positively affect learning and memory.
Ways to serve them:
8. Popcorn
Surprised to see this on a best foods for teens list? A lot of kids and teens gravitate to crunchy snacks already, and popcorn delivers some bonus fiber and whole grains compared to snacks like chips. Popcorn is a natural whole grain, which teens (and everyone else) need more of. Have them sprinkle it with nutritional yeast, a cheesy vegan seasoning, and they’ll also be getting bonus B vitamins.
How to serve it: Get my recipe for foolproof stovetop popcorn, which I make at least a couple times a week!
9. Leafy greens
A lot of people (including teens) are consuming most of their veggie servings in the form of French fries and not getting enough leafy greens. Leafy greens contain vitamin C, fiber, and folate, a B vitamin that teen girls especially need. The pigments that make them green also give them disease-fighting properties.
Ways to serve them:
10. Breakfast cereal
Cereal is an easy and affordable breakfast: A bowl of cereal with milk costs, on average, 50 cents per serving! Fortified kinds supply needed nutrients like iron, B vitamins, and folate. (Keep in mind that organic varieties don’t tend to be fortified.) Look for a box with at least 3 grams of fiber per serving. Here are other guidelines for picking a breakfast cereal for kids.
Ways to serve it:
- As is, straight from the box
- “Gussied Up” cereal: Top cold cereal with berries or sliced fruit, nuts and seeds.
- Mixed with nuts and dried fruit in a trail mix
FAQ About Foods for Teens
What foods do teens need LESS of?
Most kids get too many ultra-processed food, which tend to contain more fat, salt, and sugar and may be related to health risks. And about one-third of teens’ sugar consumption comes in the form of sweet drinks. That includes soft drinks, sports drinks, and bottled teas.
What about fast food?
Most teens get more saturated fat and sodium than recommended, two things fast food tends to be packed with. But fast food is inexpensive and tasty, so a lot of teens are naturally drawn to it. As a dietitian, I don’t demonize fast food with my kids, but since they eat it when they’re out and about, we don’t get it as a family.
Do teen athletes need more food?
Yes. Teens who exercise need extra calories to fuel activity. They also need more protein for a few things: rebuilding muscle that was damaged during exercise (a normal part of the process), supplying energy for workouts, and building new muscle.
What are some easy dinner ideas for teens?
Give yourself the night off! Here are 25 dinners that teens can make themselves.
How much caffeine is okay for teens?
The American Academy of Pediatrics says that adolescents shouldn’t have more than 100 mg of caffeine each day. Health Canada sets their caffeine recommendation maximum daily amount at 2.5 mg per kg of body weight. That’s about 150 mg of caffeine for a 130-pound teenager. A 12-ounce can of Coke has about 34 mg of caffeine.
One of the biggest drawbacks of caffeine for teens is that it disrupts sleep, and most teens don’t get enough shut-eye already. It can also cause restlessness, a racing heart, and irritability. Be sure your teen understands the risk of energy drinks, which can pack as much caffeine as four cups of coffee.
How many fruits and vegetables does my teen need?
Teens ages 14-18 need 1.5 cups of fruit (2 cups of fruit for boys) and 2.5 cups of veggies (3 cups of veggies for boys). Here’s an example of what that looks like:
Does my teenager need a multivitamin?
As a registered dietitian, I always suggest people get good nutrition through real food, instead of supplements. That’s because you get the whole package with foods–like fiber and disease-fighting compounds–not just the isolated nutrients.
But if your teen is very picky and eats relatively few foods or doesn’t eat many fruits or vegetables, a daily multivitamin can be a good insurance policy. Talk to your pediatrician about what’s best. A good rule of thumb is to look for multivitamins with levels at or around the Daily Values (no need to mega-dose).
Why are teen girls at risk for not getting enough protein?
Teen girls tend to eat fewer calories than boys, and are more likely to restrict their diets for weight loss and not eat enough calories in general.
But protein can be low for both teen girls or boys if they go vegetarian or vegan by simply cutting out animal foods–without including other protein sources like beans, lentils, and soy.
If your teen is an extremely picky eater, they might also be skimping on protein.
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