Teenagers are full of energy and need nutritious foods to support their growing bodies. So, what foods should teens eat to nourish themselves? Here are some recommendations:
1. Stir-Fried Eggs with Green Peppers
Eggs provide high-quality protein and are also rich in calcium. Green peppers are packed with vitamin C. Stir-frying them together not only creates a visually appealing dish but also enhances calcium absorption.
Ingredients: Eggs, green peppers, salt, soybean oil
Method:Wash and deseed green peppers, then chop finely. Beat eggs and slice button mushrooms. Heat 1.5 tablespoons oil in a pan. Add chopped peppers and mushrooms, stir-fry for 1 minute until tender-crisp. Season with salt and mix well. Pour in beaten eggs, drizzling remaining oil evenly around the pan edges. Once eggs set, flip and cook briefly for 1 minute before serving.
2. Braised Fish with Tofu
Tofu is a well-known high-calcium food. Just 200 grams of firm tofu provides one-third of the daily calcium requirement—more than half a pound of milk. The abundant vitamin D in fish enhances calcium absorption. Thus, braised fish with tofu is not only delicious but also an ideal pairing for calcium supplementation and bone health.Note: Choose soft tofu or firm tofu with higher calcium content.
Ingredients: Carp, tofu, scallions, garlic, soy sauce, salt, cooking wine
Method: Thaw carp from the refrigerator; cut tofu into small cubes.Finely chop scallions and garlic. Heat oil in a pan and pan-fry the carp over low heat until both sides are lightly golden. Add minced garlic, a teaspoon of ginger paste, cooking wine, dark soy sauce, and about 2 small bowls of water. Gently place tofu cubes into the broth, season with salt, and simmer over low heat for about 15 minutes until flavors meld. Finally, increase heat to reduce the sauce.Vinegared Baby Bok Choy
Many leafy greens rival milk in calcium content, with baby bok choy surpassing milk by weight. Vinegar helps convert calcium from insoluble to soluble form, enhancing absorption.
Additionally, baby bok choy contains abundant minerals and vitamin K that aid calcium absorption.
Ingredients: 500g baby bok choy, 50g salad oil,salt 4g, soy sauce 10g, vinegar 40g, clear broth 50g, cornstarch slurry 10g, minced ginger 2g, minced scallions 2g, Sichuan pepper oil 5g, MSG 3g
Method: Wash bok choy, cut into sections, and set aside. Heat oil in a wok, stir-fry minced ginger and scallions until fragrant. Add bok choy, salt, vinegar, and soy sauce.Stir-fry until well combined, then thicken with cornstarch slurry. Drizzle with Sichuan pepper oil, remove from heat, and plate immediately.
4. Grass Carp Head with Daylily Flower Soup
Daylily flowers are exceptionally rich in calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin A. Paired with grass carp heads—abundant in cephalin—this combination offers complementary benefits, promoting healthy growth and development.
Ingredients: 25g dried daylily buds (also known as golden needle flowers), 2 fresh grass carp heads, 5mL ginger juice, 1 small piece of dried tangerine peel, cooking wine, aged vinegar, sugar, salt, MSG to taste, 2000mL water.
Method: Trim the hard stems from the dried daylilies, rinse them, and soak in cold water until softened. Wash the dried tangerine peel. Scale and gut the catfish heads, rinse them, and cut into chunks. Lightly pan-fry the fish heads in oil, then transfer them to a clay pot or earthenware jar. Add water, dried tangerine peel, ginger juice, cooking wine, aged vinegar, salt, and sugar.Bring to a boil over high heat, then add the softened daylily buds. After returning to a boil, reduce to medium heat and simmer for about 40 minutes until the fish head is tender. Season with MSG before serving.