We spend every day crafting balanced menus for children aged 3 to 18, and one question keeps coming back to us: why do teenagers love junk food so much?
With packets of crisps between meals, burgers and pizzas shared with friends, and lunchtime trips to Hoogvliet, Albert Heijn or Jumbo, we see how drawn teenagers are to ultra-processed foods.
To understand what is really going on behind these cravings, we turned to our nutritionist Bérénice. This is our Question of the Month.
Nutritionist Bérénice Jaime’s take
Adolescence is a period of transition where food choices can reflect inner turbulence. In building their identity, teenagers seek to differentiate themselves from their parents, through their language and tastes, and by developing their own food culture.
At this age, the brain chases immediate pleasure without always weighing up the consequences for health. Neuroscience explains this pull towards fatty, salty and sugary foods: the brain’s reward system is highly active, while the capacity to control impulses is still developing.
Eating is also a social experience. Fast-food restaurants and nearby supermarkets become part of teenagers’ social lives, where they find affordable food that satisfies both their taste buds and their hunger.
The key point: strict bans are counterproductive. When perceived as restricting independence, they can lead to frustration, sneaking unhealthy food, and unbalanced eating patterns.
Bérénice’s advice
The goal is to guide teenagers towards independence in their food choices, balancing enjoyment and nutrition, without turning mealtimes into a battleground. The key is an approach built on dialogue and awareness, without banning specific foods outright.
Make smarter swaps
Choose water or fruit juice over fizzy drinks; go for a bagel or a baguette rather than a croissant.
Watch the portions
Avoid large portions and adding too much sauce.
Rediscover real flavors
Introduce healthy foods in a fun way, cooking homemade burgers together with quality ingredients, for example.
The DeliDej approach
Through our Corners in secondary schools, we offer teenagers an alternative to the supermarket and junk food.
Our sandwiches are made with quality baguettes and filled with fresh salad vegetables, ham, chicken or cheese. A more balanced take on the foods teenagers love.
We have also removed fizzy drinks from the Corner, replacing them with flavoured waters, natural and sugar-free.
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