Ask anyone with a teenager; the jokes about possibly finding they've chewed right through the fridge will probably flow. Many parents might also find that their house becomes filled with your teen's friends, and you might wonder: How in the world will you feed them?
A teen's body is growing and developing rapidly, and their metabolic needs are rising, meaning they need more calories, vitamins, and minerals. Yet anyone with a picky eater can tell you trying to cook healthy meals or offer healthy snacks can often be a meal-time struggle as much as keeping them fed and full.
How do you balance healthy and delicious food for your hungry teens without wasting it? Teens are exploring their independence at this time, and one way they may express that is by making their own food choices—but that's not all. They're juggling that independence, possibly working a summer job, being bombarded with fast-food media, and a busy schedule with work, homework, sports, clubs, and social lives. Many teens lean toward grab-and-go foods instead.
We have a few ideas that we hope can inspire and help you!
Breakfast Freezer Options
One of the struggles you might notice is getting your teen to eat breakfast. One of the easiest ways to get your teen to grab something to eat without hassle is to consider filling your freezer with easy-to-make breakfast sandwiches or burritos. These two items hold up exceptionally well to being pre-cooked, assembled, then wrapped and placed in the freezer, ready to be reheated in the microwave.
The best thing about frozen breakfast sandwiches or burritos is that they don't need to be for breakfast only. Excellent for any meal or snack when needed.
For an easy breakfast sandwich, utilize pre-made English muffins or biscuits, bake cracked eggs in a large square pan for easy sectioning, and choose a protein like sausage or bacon. Top the sandwich with egg, sausage, or bacon, wrap it in tinfoil, and place it in the fridge or freezer, and it's ready to go.
To reheat from frozen, simply tell your teen to unwrap the foil, replace it with a paper towel, and pop it in the microwave for 1 to ½ minutes or until the cheese melts. For sandwiches not frozen or stored in the fridge, microwave them wrapped in a paper towel in increments of 30 seconds until heated through.
How can you make breakfast sandwiches or burritos healthier?
Look for organic and whole wheat options, oroweat, and other alternative English muffins or biscuits. Switch up the regular bacon for turkey or try a low-fat sausage alternative, and switch out processed cheese slices for feta, mozzarella, cream cheese, and other lower-fat options.
Stir Fry A Thousand Ways
The humble stir fry is an excellent meal you can teach your teens to make, and it's endlessly adaptable to any leftovers you may have. A stir-fry meal can be as complex or as easy as you wish. It's speedy to make and can be packed with veggies for perfectly balanced meals. All you need beforehand is leftover cooked rice, a protein of choice, vegetables, and spices. One of the best things about stir-fry is how easy it is to make and how affordable it Is to make a lot of it that will feed a hoard of hungry teens.
Stir Fry ideas:
- Chicken, beef, pork: Use leftover cooked meats in your fridge. If utilizing raw meats, chop fresh, uncooked meat into 1-inch pieces and toss it in a pan over medium-high heat with your preferred oil to cook. If using leftover meat, cook until heated with salt and pepper if needed, then set aside. In the same pan, reduce the heat and add more oil of choice if required, then any vegetables you may have, as virtually any veggie adds to the dish. Try broccoli, carrots, peppers, onion, sugar snap peas, and diced zucchini, or add Mediterranean twists such as tomatoes and feta cheese.
- The classic beef and broccoli stir fry can take as little as 10 minutes and be a teen favorite. You only need a lean cut of beef in strips, fresh broccoli florets, ginger, garlic, and soy sauce.
- Sprinkle in nuts and seeds. Peanuts may be a go-to for stir-fry toppings, but there are many more delicious nuts on the horizon to experiment with. Add almonds, cashews, and toasted sesame seeds to add depth to the flavor.
How can we make stir-fry healthier?
To make a stir fry healthier, try switching up the proteins. You can use tofu, seitan, chickpeas, or a favorite meatless alternative. Instead of vegetable or olive oil, try avocado, grapeseed, peanut, rice bran, safflower, soybean or sunflower oils. If your picky teen allows it, try using brown, black, red, or wild rice instead of white.
If you're worried about the salt in soy sauce, try cooking with Coconut Aminos—a popular soy sauce replacement with a slightly sweeter flavor but packing all the umami flavor punch of regular soy sauce.
Cooked stir fry can last up to 3-4 days in the fridge in a sealed container and last up to three months in the freezer.
Healthy Snacking Options
In between meals, teens often look for a snack. Keep your teens satisfied and full with these healthy and delicious snacking ideas.
- Let them make a snack plate. Stock your fridge with fruits, nuts, seeds, vegetables, and cheeses while adding healthier cracker options such as Triscuits, whole grain rice cakes, flaxseed crackers, or popcorn. Cut fruits, veggies, and cheeses up when storing in the fridge, and let your teen or teens grab a plate for a healthy snack ready to go at any time.
- Trail Mix. Trail mix can work with almost anything and can be stored effortlessly in a jar or ziplock bag. Consider low to no-salt nuts like peanuts, cashews, and almonds with dried fruit and dark, semi-sweet chocolate chips for a delicious and irresistible combination.
- Deviled eggs are not just for the holidays. Eggs are an excellent protein source of healthy fats, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Deviled eggs are a tasty, quick snack that your teen may already love while boosting their protein intake. You can substitute whole-fat mayo for low-fat or use Greek yogurt for a tangy, low-calorie, full-flavored egg.
- Roasted chickpeas are crunchy, salty, and packed to the brim with plant-based protein that can be flavored in any way your teen likes. You can use canned chickpeas for the ultimate in quick, delicious convenience.
This summer, avoid the stampede to your fridge that leaves it empty and leave the worries about whether your teen is getting enough nutrients behind. You can get your teen the nutrients they need in many ways while ensuring they enjoy every bite. We hope we've made summer meals more manageable for you!