Nutritious Sports Snacks for Kids
Along with your kids’ sporting events comes the snack calendar. I am often asked, “What do you bring?” No surprise, I don’t want to be known as the Twinkie– or Donut Mom. On the other hand, bringing water and carrot sticks won’t fly either. So I’ve come up with some fun, nutrition-friendly snack ideas that your kids will love.
But first, remember that water should always be the beverage of choice. It’s important to replace fluid lost through sweating. Drinks like Gatorade and PowerAde are made for sporting events that are longer than an hour. So if they just finished an hour soccer game throw them a bottle of chilled water.
My winners for nutritious sports snacks are almost always fruits and vegetables or whole grain foods. So make sure you have a cooler with wheels to drag to the game.
Here are some of my “kid approved” favorites…
Here are some of my “kid approved” favorites…
- Chunks of chilled watermelon
- Cubes of cantaloupe or honeydew melon, cut up in baggies
- Frozen Grapes – just take grapes off the stem, put them in small plastic bags and freeze. Grapes will usually stay fully frozen in the cooler until the end of the game.
- Clementine tangerines (easy to peel)
- Apple slices with almond butter
- Orange slices with Baby Bell cheese
- Peanut or almond butter and banana sandwiches
- Boxes of dried cranberries and graham crackers
- Cheese sticks and whole grain Triscuits
- Popcorn (in small baggies) –always a winner, and surprise…a whole grain!
- Low-fat chocolate milk
- Brownies made with a can of black beans (that’s right…make a regular box of brownies and add one can of drained (not rinsed) can of black beans. Adds protein and fiber and they won’t know it!
Heidi Diller, RD
Corporate Nutritionist
Albertsons
Fruit & Vegetable Recipes
Video Center: Selection, Storage, and Preparation of Fruits & Vegetables.
