Many parents are surprised when their kids start playing organized sports and they are given a sign-up sheet for after-game snacks. The next thing you know your child is barraged with one or two sugary drinks, donut holes and several snack-sized bags of cheese curls just as you are ready to head home for lunch or dinner.
What are you to do, be the mean parent who doesn’t let your child take the snack? While no one wants to be the parent who says “no” and tells your child to refuse the cheese curls, there are snack options that can fuel kids’ bodies in a healthy way before or after sports. A healthy snack is one that is not overly processed, may include a protein and is fiber-rich. If you are trying to replenish and rehydrate a young athlete, you want to avoid foods that are filled with sugar, chemicals, additives and colors.
Easy options for healthy snacks
- Home made trail mix (who doesn’t like trail mix?) There are endless possibilities to mix together: Cheerios or Life, raisins, dried cranberries, dried blueberries, banana chips, honey wheat pretzels or unsalted popcorn & nuts (almonds, walnuts, cashews)
- Crunchy Snacks – Sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, plain popcorn, and soy nuts are tasty and great for munching.
- Sweet Stuff – Gelatin cups, applesauce cups, granola, raisins, and dried fruit can help satisfy a sweet tooth without all the junk
- Orange slices. A go-to sports snack. Perfect to make smiles turn orange and fun while kids reap the juicy benefits of natural juice, fiber and vitamin C.
- Apple slices or carrot sticks. Another crunchy option. Fill them up with fiber, vitamin C and antioxidants after the big game.
Don’t forget hydration
Younger children just starting out in sports (t-ball and kindergarten soccer- type activities) don’t need anything more than water to drink before, during, and after their game or practice. They aren’t exercising enough to lose a lot of electrolytes that would be replenished with a sports drink. If your child is resistant to drinking water (after all, it’s not very exciting), try adding berries, cucumber, lime or lemon and if they’re thirsty enough, they’ll drink it!
While it’s definitely ok to have juice, a sports drink, or other sugary drink once in a while, this shouldn’t be what kids are offered to drink every day. If you feel pressured to choose a “sports drink,” pick one that does not have artificial colors added and is low in sugar.
Fueling up after a game is a great place to teach kids about foods that are healthy for snacking. Next time you have snack duty, bring some healthy snacks along as an option for your child and his/her. Setting a great example can be a way to encourage better nutrition choices for everyone.