Snacking: An Athlete’s Best Friend

August 30, 2022

As the new school year ramps up, high school and college athletes are getting ready for their seasons to kick off and they need the proper fuel to do it! I often get the question, “what should I eat?” from athletes, or
“what should I be giving my child?” from the parents of athletes. While it sounds like a simple question, it really is one of the most important. Proper fueling is critical for athletes and, therefore, snacking is essential for this group of individuals.

Healthy, high-quality, nutrient-dense snacks are key to achieving peak performance. They can be quick, easy, and affordable. Below are a number of great choices, depending on whether you’re looking for a light, moderate, or heavy snack. Which type of snack you (or your athlete) are looking for will depend on hunger level, time of day, and whether it is pre- or post- workout. Typically, light snacks will be geared toward morning and pre workout, while moderate ones will be afternoon snack and post-workout, and heavy snacks also post-workout and in the evening. These are all simply generalizations, however, as listening
to one’s own hunger cues and body are most important.

Light Snack	Moderate Snack	Heavy Snack
Fresh fruit	Fruit with peanut butter	Sandwich/panini/wrap/bagel:
Raisins and other dried fruit	Grahamcrackers with peanut butter	-peanut butter and jelly
Frozen fruit	Trail mix	-lean deli meat
Veggies	Sunflower seeds	-grilled chicken
Graham crackers	Oatmeal	-tuna
Dry cereal	Cereal with milk	Cheese and crackers
Pretzels	Popcorn	Waffles
Low-fat Greek yogurt	Low-fat string cheese	Omelet
Granola bar	Jerky
Low-fat pudding	Greek yogurt parfait
Freeze-dried edamame	Fig/fruit bars; Granola bars
	Veggies/pretzels with hummus
	Soup
	Yogurt smoothies
	Low-fat chocolate milk

 

As an athlete, remember that keeping well fed and well hydrated are important keys to success. To get the best out of your body, you need to put the best into it!