Nutritious Snacks for Young Athletes

By Donna Stark

No matter where you live or what the season is, if your child is involved in sports, you can pretty much count on being asked to supply the team snack. For some parents, this can lead to a minor panic attack. After all, the snack doesn't only have to win over the hearts of the children, it also has to win over the hearts of all the other parents too. This begs the question then ... what is a good snack? If you are faced with the dilemma of what to bring for the team snack the next time it is your turn, keep reading!

Nutritious Snacks for Young Athletes

Just because most children will happily choose donuts, chips, or sugary drinks after a fun game with their friends, that doesn't mean something else shouldn't be provided. Young athletes should be eating whole, nutritious foods after a workout so their bodies can refuel and recover, rather than those highly-processed foods that can cause them to crash and burn later in the day. Here are some great suggestions on what you can bring that everyone will approve of.

• Fresh fruit - You certainly can't go wrong with fresh fruit! In addition to being sweet and refreshing, it's also a great way to hydrate your young ones. So freeze some grapes, peel some clementines, cut up some watermelon, or hand out squeezable applesauce packets.
• Vegetables - Kids love raw vegetables too! Some great options that will provide extra nutrition are baby carrots, snap peas, cucumbers, and celery. And if you really want to score points with the little kiddos, include some individual containers of ranch dressing!
• Dairy - This will definitely require a cooler and some extra care with packing, but when you see the smiles on the children's faces, you will know it was all worth it! So go ahead and freeze some yogurt tubes, toss in some string cheese, or buy some individual smoothie drinks.
• Crunchies - Sometimes, a little bit of crunch is desired too, but make sure you read the labels and choose healthy versions of this type of snack. Bring along some individual bags of pretzels, trail mix, granola bars, or crackers.

Healthy Can Taste Good

You certainly don't need high-sugar, overly-processed foods to win the team over. There are plenty of healthy, natural options you can serve instead! So choose the real winner of the game ... choose nutrition over everything else!

To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Pooler, Ga.