As well as preparing for college with good grades and studying for the ACT and SAT, students should make a habit of eating well.

Teenagers burn more calories than they ever will during their life. The habits they make now will follow students and will force them to face the consequences of bad eating habits sooner in life than they might have expected.

“If they develop unhealthy habits, such as eating fast food, high calorie snack food and desserts without gaining weight, they may think they can continue this pattern as they get older,” culinary arts teacher Rhonda Obenhaus said. “If they continue eating like they did in high school, they will gain weight, hence the freshman fifteen.”

One student, sophomore Melanie Blakeman, chooses to follow a vegetarian diet.

“Ever since I stopped eating meat I have felt more active,” Blakeman said. “Soy, beans, nuts, pasta and vegetables have a lot of nutritional vitamins.”

One meal that students can improve is breakfast since it is considered the most important meal of the day. Sugary breakfasts such as pop-tarts and most cereals can make the morning drag by. A breakfast of whole grains and protein can eliminate the mid-morning sugar crash.

“Whole grains keep you full longer and are packed with vitamins that teens need right now,” Obenhaus said.

Healthier diets at first can be difficult to follow since not everyone wakes up one morning as a vegan. Obenhaus gave a few suggestions to help make a habit of eating more nutritiously, including finding someone who will also agree to eat healthier.

“Get a friend or family member to keep you accountable,” Obenhaus said. “Make a plan by exchanging one bad habit with a good one. Give yourself three weeks to make it a habit.”

Obenhaus suggests avoiding a drastic change to one’s diet. The feeling of deprivation will set in, causing the desire to just give up. She also suggests keeping a food log for a week to pinpoint what foods contribute the most high saturated fats, calories and sugar in one’s day-to-day diet. Many of the foods and drinks teenagers consume have empty calories, meaning they choose things with a lot of calories, like soft drinks, that have no nutritional value.

Preparing meals at home can ensure that the healthiest ingredients go into the final product. Obenhaus stresses the importance of learning to cook.

“It’s absolutely the best way to monitor what you put in your body,” Obenhaus said. “Cooking fresh meals and eating at home with friends and family can be one of the best things you ever do for yourself.”