Starting to eat healthy

[Nicola04]

I want to start eating healthy with my family but I don't know where to start any tips on how to feed a picky teenager

[Cooper27 Administrator]

For me, the easiest thing was to start thinking of things I did like to eat, and to figure out how to make them a little healthier. For example adding peppers to spag bol took them from a food I wouldn't touch, to one that's a staple of my diet.

Learning to cook them in ways you'll eat them too is important. I still hate steamed brussel sprouts, but I like them roasted.

[Hidden]

I would suggest asking them if they would like to help, because you’d like to know what they would enjoy eating, that helps them feel and look good. Some youngsters have published recipe books, have own cookery series, I’ve seen.

If resistant and just not interested just go with that. I ended up buying things my teenagers would eat - like doughnuts and sliced bread, just for them occasionally. They refused to eat our healthy homemade bread etc. It was part of the rebellion teenagers need to go through. Lot easier than other rebellious and dangerous behaviour they may have resorted to if unable to rebel about food. Later in life from uni age onwards they both started to take a healthy interested in cooking and healthy food and I realised a lot sunk in. They are strong healthy resilient adults now feeding their own young ☺️children.

[Eryl]

The most effective way of making our diet healthier is to cut down on the ammount of processed foods that you consume, this includes bread (unless you can get real wholemeal), fruit juices, refined sugars and refined starches. Also avoid refined seed oils and don't be afraid of saturated fat.

[Nessie87]

cereals too and even fruit juices as there’s no fibre in them the sugar is more concentrated.

High fat is better than low fat too. You’re definitely on the right track. Keto or high fat low carb way of eaten has been proven to work and reduce/avoid diabetes by a UK GP.