Learn about 5 common teenage eating habits that interfere with health… and how to help teens eat better!

Let’s face it, if you have a teenager in your house, you’re probably starting to see some bad food habits. 

From skipping breakfast and overeating at the end of the day (what I call back-loading) to too many soft drinks and fast food, teens may venture away from healthy habits when they get a little freedom.

As a pediatric nutritionist who’s worked with many teens, and as a mom who has raised four teens, I’ve seen what can happen during adolescence. 

While you may fret and worry about your teen’s diet, a healthy weight, and the unhealthy foods they eat, I know that much of the time bad eating habits are anchored in normal teen development.

But other unhealthy eating signs, like restrictive diets, are not. 

If you see the signs of an eating disorder, you should never consider this typical or normal. You should seek additional help.

In this article, I will review some of the common teenage eating habits I’ve seen that are counterproductive to physical health, highlighting why they happen, and what you can do about them.

Puberty, the Growth Spurt, and Teen Food 

Before I get going, you need to understand what’s going on during the teenage years because it has quite an influence on eating.

The teenage years are a time of rapid growth and development. Puberty is in full swing, with both girls and boys growing and changing a lot. The teenage growth spurt is characterized by increases in height, weight, and social-emotional changes, like body image and self-esteem. To say it’s a roller-coaster ride is an understatement!

It helps if you know the signs of the typical teenage growth spurt, so you can be ready with more food. Because anytime there’s an uptick in growth, an increased appetite follows.

Teenage Girls

Puberty for girls begins around age 10 years with the first period starting around age 12 1/2. 

Most girls finish the majority of their growth two years after they start their period, typically around age 14 or 15.

Read more about when females stop growing.

Teen Boys

Boys begin puberty about two years later than girls, which is around age 12 to 13 years of age. 

Boys grow for a longer period of time, and typically reach their peak height by age 18 years.

Read more details about when boys stop growing.

All this growing requires energy and essential nutrients. As such, the nutritional needs of adolescence are at an all-time high, preparing the body for its last phase of growth. 

It’s no wonder teenage eating habits become a central focus!

Good Eating Habits in the Teen Years

Obviously, you can support your teen through all this growth with good food, healthy meals, and encouraging healthy eating habits. 

An eating schedule for regular meals and snacks still works well with the teen, even though your teen may be drawn to eat outside your home or to “junk food.” 

This is where you may have to draw the line and set rules around family meals and friend meals.

A healthy diet, including nutritious foods such as lean protein sources like lean meats or eggs, dairy products (or non-dairy alternatives), fruits, vegetables and whole grains foods like whole wheat bread or brown rice, should anchor your teen’s diet.

Of course, sweets and treats and sugary drinks may be the lure. How to balance sweets will be a challenge, but I encourage you to make your home a health haven where your teen can get the nutrition he needs to grow well with predictable times when sweets and treats are eaten.

Last, being a good role model of a healthy lifestyle helps a lot.

Why Do Teenagers Eat So Much?

It is normal for teens to eat a lot, especially boys. 

They have the highest calorie requirements for growth than any other age or stage of childhood, with some teenage boys needing up to 3,400 calories per day!

All these calories, protein and other nutrients support the dynamic and energy-demanding process of growth.

How Often Should a Teen Eat?

I advise teens eat three meals each day and include at least one healthy snack per day. 

If your teen is an athlete, he or she may need an additional snack or a 4th meal.

5 Common and Unhealthy Eating Habits in Teens

Unhealthy eating, whether related to unhealthy food choices, overeating, or erratic timing can set a teen up for excessive hunger, fatigue, a lack of focus, unhealthy weight gain, and disordered eating. Poor eating may also contribute to future problems like heart disease or other chronic diseases.

Here are 5 common eating habits in the teen that are counterproductive to their health, with some suggestions and general guidelines for improving them.

1. Skipping Breakfast

Breakfast is often cited as “the most important meal of the day,” and with several good reasons.

It gives teens a metabolic jump start, turning on a teen’s metabolism, and giving their body the fuel to get the engine going. 

Breakfast also wakes up the brain for learning, and helps with appetite management throughout the day.

A high protein breakfast has been shown to help teens manage their appetite, body fat levels, and prevent extra unhealthy weight gain. 

I interviewed the researcher who did the studies on high protein breakfasts for teens on my podcast — take a listen!

Quick Fix

Yes, even my teens were crunched for time to eat in the morning. When your teen doesn’t have the time to eat breakfast before he leaves for school there are a few things you can try: 

1. Opt for a “grab-n-go” breakfast such as a mixture of dry breakfast cereals, raisins, and nuts, a piece of fruit with a wedge of cheese, or a peanut butter sandwich on whole grain bread (my teens liked this toasted). 
2. Teens can drink their breakfast, with options such as fruit smoothies or milk-based breakfast drinks. Both provide vitamins and minerals in addition to calories and protein.
3. Check out my Fast & Nutritious Breakfasts for Athletes to spur some other new ideas. 

2. Light-Loading Lunch 

Lunch provides the nutrients your teen requires to continue learning at school. Eating lunch also keeps the appetite in check after school at the end of the day. 

If your teen is an athlete, lunch is the fuel they will tap into during after-school practice.

Lunch offers up a few risks.

One, if your teen brings lunch from home, the priority will be to pack a healthy lunch with a variety of foods that are easy and safe to store. I’ve personally been challenged with my teen’s lunch in the past to find variety day after day.

Buying lunch at school can be challenging as well. Some teens may only pick one or two items off the lunch line (I call this “light loading”), not nearly creating a well-balanced diet or meeting their nutritional needs. This may leave the teen under-fueled and hungry after school.

Other teens may choose unhealthy lunch options…day after day. This may lead to poor nutrition and unhealthy weight gain.

Still, other teens will skip lunch all together. This is not good, or healthy, and may fuel disordered eating or be a sign of an eating disorder. 

Quick Fix 

You can teach and train your child to make healthy lunch choices.

1. Encourage your teen to select a variety of items from at least 3 food groups when packing or buying. 
2. Include food groups such as dairy, fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and lean meat or other protein foods. 
3. Check out the lunch menu and plan ahead. This can be a useful strategy to help your teen make healthy choices and avoid the “surprise” lunch. 
4. If packing lunch from home, veer off the sandwich path. Try microwaving a potato, sending in a chef salad, or assembling whole grain crackers with lean deli meat and cheese. 
5. Round out any sandwich or entree with a piece of fresh fruit and a container of low-fat milk or yogurt (if not already packed). 
6. Discourage skipping lunch at school!

Chances are, if your teen eats a good lunch at school, he won’t be starving, then overeat, and clean out your refrigerator and pantry.

3. Not Getting Enough Fluids (or the Wrong Ones)

Tiredness or fatigue is a symptom of inadequate sleep, but these can also represent dehydration. 

It’s not uncommon for teens to be thirsty but misinterpret that thirst as hunger. These two feelings can be confused.

Quick Fix

Be sure your teen is drinking at least 2 liters of fluid per day. If they are playing a sport, they probably need more. 

A good rule of thumb to teach your teen is: If you feel thirsty, then you’re behind on fluids. 

Help your teen recognize thirst as dehydration and look for times during the day when they can increase their fluid intake. 

Be picky with beverages. Sugary drinks can be problematic for teens, causing unwanted weight gain when not balanced into the overall diet. 

Instead, promote fluids such as water, milk, or flavored sparkling water. 

Encourage your teen to lay off the caffeine, too. Is coffee bad for teens? Not necessarily, but it can be addictive and at the very least, it’s dehydrating.

4. Snacking All Night Long

Many teens love to eat after dinner, and sometimes well into the evening. However, the food choices may be less than healthy. 

Hello, potato chips? Ice cream? Obviously, this can be a recipe for eating too much and extra, unwanted weight gain.

Quick Fix

1. Make sure teens know the difference between true, physical hunger and “head hunger.” Head hunger is psychological hunger, or thinking you’re hungry without the appetite signals in the body. Head hunger is actually boredom, emotions, a habit, or something else.
2. If your teen is truly hungry, consider some of these healthier late night snacks.

5. Skipping Fiber

Fiber is found in a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains. It’s one of those “filling” nutrients, helping teens feel full after eating a meal or snack. 

Yet, so many teens opt for fast food, convenience foods, or unhealthy ultra-processed foods, and in doing so, they often miss getting enough fiber in their diet.

Quick Fix

1. Offer fruits and vegetables with meals, and have them easily available on the counter when your teen wants to nosh.
2. Swap refined grains found in cereal, bread, bagels, and crackers for whole grain foods. Encourage more dietary fiber and you may see less grazing and overeating!

How to Improve Diets for Teens

The best way to break poor eating habits is to return to a regular eating schedule, offer wholesome nutritious foods at mealtimes, encourage a morning breakfast and school lunch every day, and nag (just a little) about  fluid and fiber intake. 

These small steps can reinforce healthier eating habits and may keep them healthy, energetic, and getting the nutrients they need to grow into a healthy adult.

Need More Help with Teen Nutrition?

• Check out our on demand library of workshops, classes and guidebooks to help parents like you raise good eaters.
• Read Protein Powder for Kids: What Parents Need to Know