Happy back to school to all you sports-parents out there! This is the time of year when everything is a big giant rush: rushing out of bed, rushing out of the door in the morning, rushing from work to drive to the school pick-up line, rushing from school to practice, rushing from practice back home, rushing to get dinner in everyone’s mouths before rushing off to bed. Sound familiar? I’m exhausted from even typing it!
During all of this rush, it can be easy to reach for the most convenient snack options for your athlete to grab on her way to practice. Things like granola bars, protein bars, chips, peanut-butter crackers, and even the McDonald’s drive-thru are definitely a quick and easy way to make sure your daughter is getting some fuel before her practice or game. However, despite their convenience, these types of foods can have some detrimental effects on your daughter’s health.
According to PubMed.gov, consuming Ultra-Processed Foods (foods that go through multiple processes and often involve added ingredients) can lead to severe negative health outcomes such as “overweight, obesity…cancer, type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.” Not only do these foods have a severe impact on your daughter’s physical health, but they can severely impact her mental health as well. According to European Neuropsychopharmalogy, there is strong evidence linking poor diet to a host of mood disorders like anxiety and depression.
Of course you want to put your daughter’s health and well-being first, but how can you possibly do that when you don’t even get a second to breathe?! No worries, that’s where my quick-and-easy post school pre practice snacks come into play. They are full of health-supporting, brain-boosting nutrients that will allow her to stay full, stay focused, stay confident, and perform her best both physically and mentally. Try them out and let me know which one is your favorite in the comments!
Banana-Collagen Muffins:
These muffins are so easy even a teenager can’t mess them up (don’t quote me on that)! Easy to prepare ahead of time to grab and go during the busy weeks for a quick pre-practice snack. Collagen is a great way to get some protein and support your daughter’s joints, ligaments, and muscles during even the hardest of training sessions. They have no added sugar, yet still have a delicious flavor! Find the recipe here.
Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Bites:
This recipe doesn’t even require an oven, a stove, or an open fire (ok none of these recipes require that..). They’re packed with protein, fiber, and flavor. Prep these for the week on Sundays, and your athlete (and you!) will have a snack to last them all week! Check them out here.
DIY RX Bars:
Who doesn’t love RX bars?! Though delicious, they do come at a high price. My solution? Make your own! These bars are no bake (my favorite!), full of fiber from the dates, healthy fats from the nuts, and protein from the powdered peanut butter. Sure to power your athlete all afternoon! Learn how to make your own here.
Chia Seed Pudding 3 Ways:
As an adolescent female, your daughter needs plenty of Omega-3’s to keep her body and brain healthy! Unfortunately, the majority of American teenage females don’t get enough Omega-3’s, which can result in trouble with sleep (sound familiar!), inability to concentrate effectively, difficult and painful menstrual cycles, problems with heart health, increased risk of depression and anxiety, among many other physical and mental risks! Worry no more, these chia seed pudding recipes are high in these important Omega-3’s, and serve as a quick and easy snack for your daughter to grab between school and practice. Check these three brain boosting recipes out here.
These recipes are quick and easy, and full of nutrition that will help your daughter unlock her physical AND mental potential in sport. This week, instead of running down the snack aisle while shopping, or hitting up the drive-thru on the way to practice, try out some of these recipes! Your daughter’s health and performance will thank you!