Looking for the best healthy snacks for teens? Many of our teens have found themselves home alone more often these last few years. Whether it was due to lockdown or schools navigating the tumultuous COVID-19 times, teens are spending more time at home these days. As a result, they’re having to fend for themselves when they get hungry. And of course, it’s easier to grab some chips or cookies or throw some Bagel Bites in the oven and be done with it. It’s also easier for us as parents when shopping. We know that our teens will eat frozen pizza or frozen taquitos in the freezer, so we buy them.
What we often don’t think of is that teens are quite capable of making their own meals and if we offer them alternatives to sugar-laden, convenience snacks, they will ultimately make them. If TikTok meal hack videos are an indication that our young people are looking for quick, delicious, and healthy alternatives; there’s always someone on TikTok making something easy and tasty.
But first, what do we do as parents who want the best for our kids? In a time when childhood obesity is on the rise and kids are experiencing challenging health issues – recent research indicates that 24% of young adults in the United States; that’s 1 in 4 teens – have prediabetes. In addition to this, our kids’ mental health and wellness are in peril. We need to invest in self-care for teens.
Our teens need our guidance now more than ever. By providing our kids with the tools, resources, and ability to choose snacks and meals for themselves that are healthy, nutrient-dense, and nutritious, we can set them up for a lifetime of better food choices and ultimately better health overall.
Best Healthy Snacks for Teens to Make in the Air Fryer
An air fryer can be the perfect appliance for a starving teen. Not only is it quick and easy, but as a parent, you really don’t have to worry too much about it. It’s more difficult to accidentally leave it on when they walk out of the kitchen. It shuts off automatically, and most teens can navigate the appliance well enough to understand the safety issues. Here are some of the best healthy snacks for teens to make in an air fryer.
Baked Potatoes in the Air Fryer Easily One of the Best Healthy Snacks for Teens
A diet high in white, starchy potatoes can pose a challenge when trying to regulate blood sugar. However, potatoes are ok in moderation. They’re high in minerals, vitamins, and fiber, making them one of the best healthy snacks for teens who are inclined to reach for a bag of chips when hungry. Simply coat the washed potato in olive oil, season with salt, and cook in an air fryer at 400 degrees for about 35 minutes. They can then add their favorite toppings and be on their way!
Dip to Their Hearts Content With Homemade Zucchini Chips
slice zucchini, spritz with cooking oil spray, season, and air fry, it’s as simple as that to make homemade zucchini chips. If your teen prefers to get fancy, teach them how to dredge the zucchini in egg and seasoned flour to make a crispier, crunchier version. Have them use their favorite healthy dipping sauce or make their own with seasoned plain greek yogurt!
Sweet Potatoes are The Perfect Teen Superfood
It’s easy enough to cut up a sweet potato, spritz with a little cooking oil, add a few shakes of Lawry’s Seasoned Salt, and add to the air fryer until tender on the inside and crispy on the outside. Sweet potatoes are high in fiber and often a better choice than white potatoes, especially for those with pre-diabetes.
Best Healthy Snacks for Teens: Mini-meatballs Flavored Their Way
Now, unless your teen is truly inspired, we can’t expect that they’re going to defrost some meat at snack time. They likely aren’t about to season and roll meatballs to put into the air fryer the next time they get a little hungry. However, we can set them up for success by having them help make mini meatballs during the weekend. You can mix up the seasonings to be Asian style, Hot Wings flavor, or whatever they prefer. Then simply freeze the mini meatballs. They can just grab a few from the freezer and air fry until crispy and enjoy with their favorite dipping sauces.
Let Your Kids Know Why You Want Them To Choose Healthier Options
The best healthy snacks for teens means choosing what tastes good, but in your mind, it means something entirely different. When your kids have to fend for themselves, you want them to choose healthier options, of course, but do they really know why you nag them about this?
By letting our teens know that we’ve ‘been there, done that’ and lived on McDonald’s for weeks straight, we have firsthand experience that there are better choices and they have more options than we did back in the day. They’re smart, they understand that healthier food is better for them. What they don’t realize or fail to see is that many of the issues that they face every day could be managed with a change in diet.
For example, vitamin deficiencies have been linked to everything from depression and anxiety to psoriasis and eczema. Spend time with your teen going over what health, physical, and wellness issues they’re facing and come up with a plan for how changing their diet could possibly eliminate some of their symptoms. The internet is vast and there are countless resources that provide insight into the connections between disease, diet, and food.
Teach your child how to find this information, vet credible sources, and make changes to their diet that could affect their health and well-being. Set your young adult on a path toward health. By incorporating these best healthy snacks for teens, and providing access to the ingredients, knowledge, and resources to make these snacks, they will be well equipped for a better outlook on food and nutrition and thus, a healthier future.
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