Need more snack and lunch ideas to keep the kiddos happy at school as well as on the sports field?
Every season when we sign up for the sport programs, I’m filled with dread. Not because of the overlapping practices or games that can be an hour or more away, but because of the snacks!
The worst part about organized sports is snack time. When my kids would participate in preschool and kindergarten activities, it was easy to lure them away from the junk food and sugary sports drinks and hand them an ice-cold water and savory snack instead.
Usually, there is one parent who is responsible for bringing snacks for one particular game, so the majority of the time, I’m at the mercy of other parent’s food choices. My kids have been served everything from soda to Kool-Aid to Gatorade, and Cheetos, Doritos, and Zebra Cakes.
I let my kids have some of these foods as treats occasionally, but I strongly believe they should stay off the sports fields!
There are so many easy, inexpensive fueling foods out there. I just wish we could go back to water and orange slices like back in the day. I understand that preteen football players are hungry after playing a 2-hour game, but a small bag of chips or donuts is not going to do the trick. If you want to know more about the “why,” read this post: How to Feed Athletic Kids.
Finding foods, however, that every child on the team will eat—even the child who was expecting that bag of chips—can be a daunting task. Especially when your child does not want to be the one whose mom brought THAT snack.
Here are some snack ideas that have nutritional value while making your kids happy at the same time:
- No-Bake Energy Bites
- Watermelon Pops
- Homemade Fruit Cups
- No-Bake Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Granola Bars
- Cut-up watermelon
- Orange slices
- Grapes and apple slices
- Trail mix
- Carrot and celery sticks with hummus, ranch, or peanut butter (can substitute WOWbutter)
- Fruit kabobs
- Finger sandwiches with cold cuts
- Whole-grain bagels with cream cheese
- Banana bread chunks
- Popcorn
What are some of your favorite after school snacks to feed growing kids?
Angel
There are so many easy, inexpensive fueling foods for preteen football players.I understand that preteen football players are hungry after playing a 2 hour game.It’s very important for them.
MOMables
you are right. food is also fuel so good food is what they deserve.