• Home
  • Start Here!
    • Subscribe
    • Topics
    • Top Tips!
  • About
    • Services
    • Contact Us!
    • Media
    • Disclaimer
  • Blog
    • Popular Posts
    • Recipe Index
  • Books
    • RD Book Coaching Services
  • Podcast
  • Privacy Policy
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • RSS Feed

Maryann Jacobsen

Independent Author & Family Nutrition Expert

  • Home
  • Start Here!
    • Subscribe
    • Topics
    • Top Tips!
  • About
    • Services
    • Contact Us!
    • Media
    • Disclaimer
  • Blog
    • Popular Posts
    • Recipe Index
  • Books
    • RD Book Coaching Services
  • Podcast
  • Privacy Policy

5 of the Best After Game Snacks for Kids

October 21, 2011

Tweet
Pin
Share67
Yum
Email
Share
67 Shares

Big A started soccer back in September and the after game snack frenzy has begun.  The coach told all of the parents, who get assigned snack duty, to keep the snacks healthy.  But that hasn’t stopped the cookies, cupcakes and other not-so-nutritious fare from being chosen as snacks.

I recently went to an educational session at the American Dietetic Association’s Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo on how to feed active kids.  The experts offered up advice on what constitutes a good post-game snack, so I just had to share.

The why behind it

I think it’s important to consider the making of a good post-game snack from a physiological point of view.  First off, these recommendations are for children who work hard for a period of time.  With soccer, Big A runs almost the entire hour so I consider that high activity — maybe not the same as an endurance athlete but hard work for a 5-year-old!

Most after game snacks should be eaten 30 minutes after game time and the goal is to help tired muscles recover.  Children who stay active most of the game (and practice) are likely to have glycogen stores (carbs stored in muscles used for energy) that are somewhat depleted — and it’s a good idea to replace them.

So carbohydrate-rich snacks are good choices along with a little protein is to aid muscle repair and stimulate new tissue.

Here are 5 snacks that fit the bill

1. Bagels or graham crackers with peanut butter

2. Fruit (great for young kids that may not be working as hard)

3. Trail mix

4. Animal crackers/granola bars

5. Fruit smoothies/100% juice packs/low-fat yogurt sticks

Timing matters too.  If the game is close to mealtime, like lunch or dinner, some juice or fruit is perfect followed by a balanced meal.  A bigger snack is a good idea when the main meal is a couple of hours away.

Sally from Real Mom Nutrition, has been crusading for healthier snacks after her kid’s games — some great conversations going on over there.

Here’s my take on it: While there’s a time and a place for treats like cookies and cupcakes after games isn’t one of them.  These items are too high in fat and not ideal for recovery.  They also teach kids to associate such foods (and expect them!) after-game time which is not so smart.

What kind of snacks are your kids getting post-game time?  Has this been an issue for you?

Related Posts

  • 5 Reasons to Love California Mandarins (Cuties)

    We eat a lot of fruit in my house.  Not only do my kids love…

  • a young girl placing two oranges on her eyes surrounded by colorful fruits and vegetables
    Do You Believe One of These 5 Myths About Kids Nutrition?

    This is the introduction to my Kids Nutrition Series There's not a parent alive who…

  • three toddlers laying down with colorful fruits and vegetables holding some in their hands
    Why Excess Nutrition is a Concern for Today's Kids

    This is Part 2 in my Kids' Nutrition Series When parents consider their child's nutrition…

  • baby boy surrounded by colorful fruit
    Is Your Child's Gut Healthy?

    This is Part 4 of my Kids' Nutrition Series So far in our Kids' Nutrition…

Tweet
Pin
Share67
Yum
Email
Share
67 Shares

Categories: Feeding School-Age Kids 10 Comments

« Parmesan Peas [Recipe]
5 Ways to Help Kids Eat Smart This Halloween »

Comments

  1. Heather says

    October 21, 2011 at 9:29 am

    I’m so glad to read this, definitely going to print this out and save for next year. None of the parents on our team ever talked about appropriate snack food and I hope to change that. Soccer just ended last week for us and it was finally my snack day. When my son and I walked into the store he asked if we could bring a healthy snack. All the snacks so far where processed junk food and we talked about them being unhealthy. I really had visions of bringing little fruit salads, but I just wasn’t sure how easy it would be for the kids to eat in the car or if others would prefer packaged food. We picked out packaged apple slices, baby carrots and 100% juice boxes (next time I’m bringing water). I could have saved a ton of money if I just bought apples and sliced whole carrots. When I brought out the snack the moms all started saying, “That’s a good idea!” Only one child didn’t take the carrots.

    Reply
    • Maryann Tomovich Jacobsen, MS, RD says

      October 21, 2011 at 10:55 am

      Good for you Heather! I was nervous that my snack wouldn’t be well received but the kids loved it (organic yogurt sticks and orange slices). When it comes to advising parents, I think telling them what kids need will probably work better than saying they need to bring something healthy.

      Reply
  2. Ramona says

    October 24, 2011 at 9:52 am

    This year our coach decided not to do snacks after the game for the kids, but our game times are at 6:30 which is our dinner time. Since our commute from work doesn’t give us enough time to eat before we go, we try to pack our ‘meal’ with us. It really means that dinner that night is more ‘snacky’, but we usually choose from basic cheese quesadillas, pepperoni slices, lunch meat, apple sauce, orange slices, cheese sticks, etc. for all of us to have. I tried veggies with hummus, but the girls didn’t want that on the ball field even though they’ll eat it elsewhere. Yes, we have the occasional chips with this but we try to ballance it out.

    We always have a little extra and often other team mates, they’re either 4 or 5 years old, come ask if they can have a bite. These kids are starving! Very few of them have eaten before the game and their last ‘snack’ was about 3:00. I love that my oldest is playing soccer and we’ll work around the meal part so she isn’t eating dinner too late in the evening.

    Reply
  3. @MommysMinions says

    October 25, 2011 at 9:41 pm

    These are great tips. I may steal them for ME!

    Reply
  4. Dr.Pooja Makhe says

    December 14, 2012 at 6:54 am

    A protein based supplement for children,for healthy growth and development .It has chockalate flavour Can be used as part of a balanced breakfast. Great to taste, the shakes are bound to be a hit any day of the week. Dinoshake is an easy way to ensure that your child gets protein and other essential nutrients in the daily diet.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Hi, I’m Maryann…

Hi, I’m a registered dietitian who focuses on developmental stages. Here, you won’t get one-size-fits-all advice. Instead, you’ll get information based on your (and your family’s) age and stage. Make your choice between family and midlife-focused newsletters below and subscribe. Find out more!

Recent Posts

  • Yes, Every Midlife Women Should Take a Multivitamin (And Here’s Why)
  • 10 Signs Intermittent Fasting Doesn’t Live Up to the Hype
  • What do the Latest Vitamin D Studies Really Tell Us?
  • 3 Breathing Exercises That Will Change Your Life with Nick Heath [Podcast]
  • 6 Dietary Supplements Most Teenagers Need

Random Posts

  • 12 Tips for Getting Dinner on the Table Fast12 Tips for Getting Dinner on the Table Fast
  • 7 BIG Lessons I Learned in 20157 BIG Lessons I Learned in 2015

Categories

Get the books!

The Alliance of Independent Authors - Author Member

Join the Newsletter

Sign up for Maryann’s E-mail Newsletter and get her ebook The Landmines of a Healthy Relationship with Food for FREE. Subscribe now!

Thank you!

You have successfully joined our subscriber list. You're not done. Check your email to confirm your address. After you do that, you'll receive a link for the free e-book.

.

Copyright © 2023 — Maryann Jacobsen • All rights reserved • Powered by Femme Flora. Designed & Developed by BinaryTurf Privacy Policy

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.OK Privacy Policy
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Non-necessary
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
SAVE & ACCEPT