SNACKS to power you through.

Youth Athlete Summer Nutrition Series, Part III: SNACKS to power you through.

By: Emily Parsons, Pn1
Nutritionist
SPECTRUM, Inc

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SNACKS to power you through.

As a young athlete, the standard 3 meal a day schedule simply isn’t enough. You need to incorporate healthy snacks between meals to provide your body with the fuel to perform, recover and repair. Plus, having a quality snack between meals will help keep your blood sugar level stable, allowing you to make more balanced choices when it’s time for those main meals.

Keep in mind, when I say quality snack that doesn’t mean chowing down a bag of chips or mindlessly eating m&m’s that are sitting on the living room coffee table. Sure, you should be eating more frequently during the day, but these foods will simply provide you with empty calories that won’t do much to help sustain your energy or provide your body with the nutrients necessary for proper recovery.

So what is a quality snack comprised of? They can vary based on your personal goals (lean mass gains, fat mass loss, etc.), but well-balanced snacks should generally incorporate these components:

• Fruit or Veg
• 10-20g Protein
• Healthy Fats

Read below to see some examples of balanced snacks you can start incorporating into your daily routine!

• Apples w/ almond butter greek yogurt dip
• Harboiled Eggs w/ Crackers & veggies
• Trail Mix
• ½ PB & Banana Sandwich
• Veggies & Hummus
• Small Protein Shake
• Greek Yogurt or Cottage Cheese w/ Fruit or Veg
• Chicken Salad on Crackers’
• RX Bars
• Mini Egg Cups
• Protein Muffin

Mini Veggie Egg Cups

Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 12 large eggs
• Sea salt and ground black pepper
• 1 (10oz) bag baby spinach chopped
• 1 medium red bell pepper chopped
• 2 green onions chopped

Instructions
1. Heat oven to 375° F.
2. Lightly coat a regular twelve-cup muffin tin with spray. Set aside.
3. Place eggs in a large bowl; whisk to blend. Add salt and pepper.
4. Add spinach, bell pepper, and green onions; mix well.
5. Evenly pour egg mixture into muffin cups.
6. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes

By SPECTRUM Performance on August 7, 2017   /   Nutrition   /   Leave a comment