Looking for easy and healthy sports snacks for your kids? Here’s your dietitian-approved list, free from diet culture!
Is it just me, or did hockey season JUST end, and without even blinking, we’re headed into two very busy months of driving kids to and from the soccer field? That’s right–it’s Spring sports season again! This year, believe it or not, I have three (that’s right…THREE!) kids in soccer, so every weeknight evening will involve taking kids to soccer.
This means rushing home from work, quickly feeding the kids, uniforming-up and heading out again. Yikes! This means that you’ll have to be extra organized and either have leftovers ready to heat up or super easy weeknight meals. Quick and easy is key. You want to make sure these meals are balanced and nutritious to keep your kids energized for practice. Speaking of fuel, you’ll want to check out my complete guide to sports nutrition for young athletes.
Start with Food Neutrality
Sports snacks can be a hot topic. While I understand the frustration of seeing kids handed snacks that aren’t always the most nutrient-dense, it’s essential to approach this from a place of understanding and food neutrality. Kids look forward to snacks as a fun part of the game, and it’s a great opportunity to introduce them to a variety of foods that fuel their bodies.
Sports Snacks Support Recovery
Why even bother with sports snacks? Providing snacks that support our kids’ activity levels and overall well-being is important. Snacks after practice can help maintain their energy levels and support recovery. It’s not about labeling foods as “good” or “bad,” but about offering a variety of options that contribute to their growth and enjoyment of the sport.
The purpose of the post-sport snack is to:
- Provide energy to keep muscles working throughout the activity
- Keep the body hydrated and cool (especially during the summer months)
- Provide nutrients for growth and development
- Encourage recovery after the game
My Favorite Nutritious Sports Snacks for Kids:
- Granola bars (look for ones with whole ingredients)
- Cheese sticks and apple slices
- Whole fruit (bananas, apples, clementines) or cut fruit (watermelon, orange slices)
- Greek yogurt cups and fruit
- Homemade trail mix (made with dietitian-approved breakfast cereals) in individual baggies
- Home-popped popcorn and milk or chocolate milk
- Cheese and crackers with fruit
- Fruit and veggie pouches (my favorite are GoGo squeeZ Fruitz & Veggiez Fruit Sauce or Baby Gourmet Squoosh Organic Fruit & Veggie Snack Pouches)
- Homemade muffins or energy balls
Follow your child’s Lead
Last year, I sent these yummy egg mini-muffins with some cheese, grapes, and strawberries. Let kids pick and choose their own combination. Remember – it’s your child’s responsibility to choose “how much” they eat. Providing a variety of options allows them to listen to their hunger cues and eat what feels right for them.
In Summary
Embracing a flexible, food-neutral approach when it comes to sports snacks helps create a positive food environment for our kids, fostering a healthy relationship with food and their bodies. Let’s focus on nourishment, enjoyment, and the energy needed for them to thrive on and off the field!
![[AD] Who else loves a quick, one-pot meal for the busy back-to-school season? 🙋♀️
As a dietitian and mom, I’m all about recipes that are quick, affordable, nourishing, and of course, delicious. That’s why I’ve teamed up with my friends at L’Ancêtre Cheese to bring you my Homemade One-Pot Hamburger Helper—perfect for weeknight dinners and makes awesome leftovers for lunchboxes too!
What I love most? You can toss everything—beef, pasta, veggies—into one pot, saving time and dishes! Plus, @ancetrecheese , made locally here in Canada from pasture-fed cows, adds that perfect cheesy touch. It’s organic, sustainably produced, and absolutely delicious. 🧀
What you need:
* 1.5 lbs lean ground beef
* 4 cups uncooked whole grain, regular or gluten-free pasta noodles (like rotini or macaroni)
* ½ yellow onion, diced
* 2 cups veggies of choice, diced (eg. mushrooms, bell peppers, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower etc.)
* 1 cup frozen peas
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 tsp pepper
* 1.5 cups milk of choice
* 1.5 cups chicken broth
* 1-680 mL jar tomato pasta sauce
* 2 tsp Italian Seasoning
* Tsp red pepper flakes
* 3 cups L’Ancêtre’s Marbled Mild Cheddar
Put it all together:
1. Cook beef in a large pot over medium-high heat until browned, then drain. Add onion, garlic, red pepper, mushrooms, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper; cook until veggies are tender-crisp.
2. Mix in milk, broth, tomato sauce, and uncooked macaroni. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and cook for 15-18 minutes, stirring often. Adjust liquid as needed.
3. Remove from heat, stir in frozen peas and 1 cup of cheese until melted. Transfer to a casserole dish, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and bake at 375°F for 5-10 minutes until golden. Cool before serving.
Make sure to pick up L’Ancêtre cheese (either a family-sized block or pre-shredded) at a local retailer near you! Visit https://www.fromagerieancetre.com/en/cheeses/ to find out more!
#Ad #Partner #BackToSchool #LunchboxIdeas #OrganicCheese #FamilyMeals #LAncetreCheese](https://www.sarahremmer.com/wp-content/uploads/sb-instagram-feed-images/459558167_1543212989903442_998663133378052381_nfull.webp)
![👇[AD] Dietitian-approved “snack lunches” that my kids love, in partnership with my friends at @naturesbakery 💜
Make sure to comment “snack lunch” and I’ll send you a free school-lunch cheat sheet 🙌🏻
Let’s be honest, the items kids get most excited about in their school lunches are the... snacks! So, why not build a meal-worthy “snack lunch” that your kids can be excited about opening and enjoying?
We do this often, and for good reason. It’s quick and easy for me (yay!), and my kids love helping pack them. Plus, these lunches can be just as nourishing as a “traditional” lunch. Bonus: the most often get eaten!
Here’s my “rule of 4” for building these lunches, ensuring they’re packed with the nutrients my kids need for the day:
1️⃣ Whole grains/starches
2️⃣ Protein-rich foods
3️⃣ Fruit
4️⃣ Veggies
As a dietitian Mom, I’m a huge fan of including @naturesbakery Fig Bars in my kids’ lunches. Not only do they always get eaten (aka my kids love them), but I love that they contain a simple ingredients list with whole grains and real fruit. They’re also plant-based, dairy-free and nut-free (making them perfect for school lunches!).
A typical “snack lunch” might look like this:
Charcuterie-Style
* Meats, cheese and crackers; for plant-based families, you could swap the meat and cheese with smoked tofu slices, tempeh strips or plant-based deli slices, plant-based cheeses, and hummus, roasted chickpeas or edamame.
* Cut up fruit
* Chia pudding
* A Nature’s Bakery Raspberry Fig Bar (plant-based, dairy-free, and nut-free!)
Mediterranean-focused:
* mini naan bread/pita
* Hummus
* mini caprese salad skewers
* Nature’s Bakery Blueberry Fig Bar
* Fruit
* Dried chickpeas
Fun Finger Foods:
* energy bites
* edamame beans
* Seed and banana roll-ups
* string cheese (or dairy-free alternative)
* Nature’s Bakery Raspberry Fig Bar
* Mini carrots
If you think your kids will love snack lunches, comment “snack lunch” below for a free school lunch cheat sheet ❤️
#Ad #Partner #NaturesBakery #SnackLunch #SchoolLunchIdeas #DietitianApproved #PlantBasedSnacks](https://www.sarahremmer.com/wp-content/uploads/sb-instagram-feed-images/458372728_522285503507501_4269903014098073865_nfull.webp)
Comments
kosigro says
Apart from Sally at Real Mom Nutrition and you, I do feel the same. Probably less than 40% mind the effect of lots of sugar colouring and spices that current snack are stuffed with. And children seem to enjoy without knowledge of consequences and long time effect.
Nutritionists at social level and health facilities should propagate awareness to both parents and children as they visit these facilities.
Otherwise we are silently headed for dooms day
aryansharma says
thanks for providing this information this will be very helpful for our players.
thanks for sharing this important topic for health benifits.
Erin says
We are starting soccer next week as well! Thanks for the great tips, Sarah. This list makes things feel a little less daunting when it’s our turn for snack day!
Sarah Remmer says
You’re very welcome 🙂
Cris says
Where do you get the slammers from?
Sarah Remmer says
Hi Cris. They are often found in the snack food section alongside crackers and granola bars. In my grocery store they are found in the natural and organic aisles. Hope this helps!