Adolescence and Healthy Eating: How to keep your teenager on track…

With 66% of the UK teenager’s diet coming from ultra-processed foods (UPF’s) there is strong evidence to show that attitudes to healthy eating deteriorate in adolescence, despite much intervention in primary schools and early years education to help children connect with real food.

When children reach adolescence they are faced with a whirlwind of growth, change, and, let’s be honest, it can all feel a bit chaotic! Teenagers are navigating rapid physical development, hormonal shifts, academic pressures, and evolving social landscapes.

Amidst this flurry, nutrition, one of the cornerstones of their wellbeing, can often take a backseat.

Basic Hygiene Factors

As a parent, all you really want is for your child to be as mentally and physically fit as they can be – healthy, achieving their potential, and most importantly, happy. There are many hygiene factors and events in a teenager’s life that to get to that point, including relationships with friends and family, quality of sleep, physical activity, and of course, the one I can help with, a healthy attitude towards food.

As a parent my guiding principle has always been balance – that my children are eating enough of the good stuff to keep their energy levels nice and steady, for both brain and body.

The Decline in Healthy Eating During Adolescence

It’s concerning but true: as children transition into their teenage years, their eating habits often take a turn for the worse. Research indicates that poor eating habits formed during adolescence can lead to obesity and diet-related diseases in later years. In the UK, for example, just 12% of teenagers eat their 5-a-day, while many rely heavily on ultra-processed foods high in sugar, unhealthy fats, and additives. In fact, 11-18’s consume 3x Recommended Daily Intake (R.D.I.) of free sugars and half the R.D.I. of fibre. 

So why does this happen?

• Peer Pressure: When I was a teenager, I just wanted to fit in (unlike my husband who has always been his own man!). This desire to fit in can lead teens to adopt the eating habits of their friends, which aren’t always the healthiest choices. Studies have shown that this desire to fit in with your peers can negatively influence an adolescent’s eating behavior, leading to increased consumption of energy-dense and low-nutrition foods.
• Family Dynamics: As teenagers seek independence and become busier with after-school activities – sport, music, dance, extra lessons – may mean that they miss family meal-times. As a family you may not eat together as much. This in turn reduces opportunities for parents to influence what your teenager eats. And we do have an influence (though we might not think it!) – studies show that parental attitudes about a healthy diet and modelling desirable dietary behaviors are positively associated with adolescents’ increased fruit and vegetable consumption.
• Media and Advertising, and the world around us: Our young people are constantly exposed, bombarded even, to advertisements for unhealthy foods – Deliveroo, Just Eat, KFC, McDonald’s – in the streets, on the TV, on their phones and laptops – and of course they’ll most likely be walking past the local shop which is bursting with energy drinks, cheap chocolate bars, packs of custard creams for 30p (yes!). All this shapes teens’ perceptions and choices and there is little we can do about it apart from encourage them and educate them in making healthier choices! 

The Impact of Social Media on Teenage Eating Habits

Well, where do I start with this?! The influence of social media on food choices is so great. From viral diet trends to influencers showcasing crazy meals, there’s such a pressure on teens to eat (or avoid) certain foods.

Eddie Abbew, for instance, with his 4 million followers on instagram, is a huge influence. He advocates real food, mostly from animals, such as eggs, chicken thighs, tuna, feta cheese, beef liver, and turkey. Although he throws in a few plant-based foods such as sweet potatoes, avocados, olives, macadamia and pecan nuts, he absolutely shuns whole grains, porridge oats, legumes (beans and lentils) and, basically, anything with fibre! Misinformation on social media is a real problem, and it can spread rapidly, leading adolescents to make dietary choices based on unverified sources.

Having said that, social media can also serve as a platform for positive food inspiration. Encouraging teenagers to follow credible nutritionists and chefs can empower them to make informed, healthier choices.

Simple Ways to Help Teens Eat Better

Supporting teenagers in developing a healthy relationship with food is crucial. Here are some practical strategies:

1. Encourage Cooking from Scratch: Teaching teens to prepare basic meals fosters independence and ensures they know what’s in their food. Simple dishes like stir-fries, omelettes, fajitas or homemade pasta sauces are nutritious and easy to make.
2. Make Healthy Foods Accessible: Change the contents of your goodie cupboard! Dump the crisps, processed protein and snack bars and stock the kitchen with ready-to-eat fruits, vegetables, and protein-rich snacks such as hummus, yoghurt and nut butters. When healthy options are within reach, teens are more likely to choose them over processed alternatives.
3. Avoid Demonizing ‘Treat’ Foods: Balance is key. Labeling foods as ‘good’ or ‘bad’ can create unhealthy relationships with eating. Instead, focus on moderation and the overall quality of their diet.
4. Educate, Don’t Lecture: Engage in conversations about how nutrition impacts energy, mood, and academic or athletic performance. Helping teens understand the connection between what they eat and how they feel can motivate healthier choices. Encourage them to read my Go Faster Food book!
5. Lead by Example: Adolescents are observant. Modelling healthy eating behaviors yourself can influence them more than words alone.

CRuNCH: Empowering Teens Through Cooking

This year, I launched a charity, CRuNCH (Charity Registration No: 1211341), which teaches children the essential life skill of cooking from scratch. Through our Cook5 with CRuNCH programme, we equip young people with the skills to cook five simple, healthy meals—building a foundation for a healthier, happier future.

Through hands-on workshops and our campaigning efforts for better food and health policies, we’re working to ensure that all young people – regardless of background – can access the skills and knowledge needed for a lifetime of healthy eating. If we can inspire just one teenager to swap an ultra-processed snack for a healthier alternative, we’re making a difference!

Want to support our mission? Visit CRuNCH to learn more about our initiatives and how you can get involved – see our feature on BBC news!

The Benefits Of Eating Together 

In the messiness of real life, one thing remains constant: the need to eat!

But food is more than just sustenance.

When we can carve out even a little time to cook and eat together, it fuels something even more important. It fuels connection. It can be the heartbeat of family life, bringing us together, enabling us to talk about our feelings, laugh, cry, argue things through and create memories.So, let’s embrace the imperfection.

Let’s dive into the delicious chaos of family cooking and rediscover the joy of cooking for, and with, the ones we love, to raise the next generation of confident, healthy eaters – one home-cooked meal at a time!

Head to the recipe section or hit surprise me at the top of the page for some inspiration!