Post-Game Sports Snacks for Kids - Other Than an Orange
by Sarah Amyot
“Not another orange!” Are your kids tired of the same snacks after their sports games? With travel and club sports, parents and guardians are getting hit left and right with snack sign- ups. Here are some best practices and food options for when you’re up next for post-game snack duty: THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE POST-GAME SNACK If you’re new to this, there’s definitely a formula to “what works.” • It’s one drink and not one but TWO snacks. Kids nowadays like variety. • Pre-packaged snacks are a safe bet as homemade options may not be the norm on the team. • Stay away from high-allergy foods like nuts. Check with the team for any other allergies. THE EXECUTION OF THE POST-GAME/PRACTICE SNACK There are a couple of ways to hand out snacks after a game or practice. • Lay it all out. Place everything on a blanket or across the first-row bleacher and let the kids have at it. You can try to keep things organized but know chaos will ensue no matter what. • Pre-package them. Put each kid’s snacks into a brown paper bag. Try to choose a packaging option that’s eco- friendly or reusable. Be a star parent or guardian and write a note on the outside like “Great game!” or “You played awesome today!” POST-GAME SNACK OPTIONS After a game, recovery and repair are the primary focuses for a young athlete. According to the National Youth Sports Health & Safety Institute, “Proper nutrition for youth athletes is not only important for maintaining health and optimizing sports performance but also is critical for meeting growth and development requirements.…post-exercise snacks and meals should contain both carbohydrates and protein.”
Here are some after-sports snack options (healthy or not): • Pretzels and hummus: The Sabra brand has them packaged together or you can get single-serve hummus packs. • Apples and SunButter: SunButter is made of sunflower seeds and is perfect for avoiding peanut allergies. • Taco-in-a-Bag: Grab some bags of Doritos and fill them with taco toppings! Annapolis Moms Media’s Lisa Peri notes: “It was seriously the best and my kids loved it when they [were] on the swim team. In fact, I think the only thing they liked about the swim team was Tacos-in-a-Bag!”
WINTER 2025 | 19
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