Healthy Snack Ideas for the Soccer Player
 

It is important to replenish the body with healthy foods especially in a tournament setting to keep your child fit, healthy and prepared for the next game.  Listed below are some snacks suggestions that parent's have made for my daughter's soccer team.
 

• Peanut Butter Sandwiches:  You can make these with bread or mini sandwiches out of graham or whole grain cracker.
   
• Homemade Trail Mix:  This is always a favorite for the kids, easy to make and takes little time and effort.  You want to add a mixture of sweet and salty to get a good taste.  Here is a suggested recipe but you can mix and match based on what your child likes to eat.

  1 cup of yogurt raisins
  1 cup of Craisins
  1 cup dried pineapple
  1 cup of dried banana chips
  1 cup of Kashi Cinnamon Heart cereal
  1 cup of peanuts
  1 cup of home-made popcorn
  1 cup of mini marshmallows

  Other Ideas:
  Dried Fruits: dried papaya, dried cherries, apple chips, raisins, coconut, blueberries
  Chocolate: chocolate chips (white and/or milk), carob chips, Mini M&Ms, Chocolate covered raisins or peanuts.
  Cereals: Granola, Cheerios, Chex or Kashi
  Cookies (cut in pieces): Nilla Wafers, Graham Crackers, animal crackers
  Nuts and Seeds: almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds
  Other: peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, mini pretzels
   

• Fruit Ideas:  Kebobs- use the mini wooden skewers and add your child's favorite, seasonal fruit and favorite cheese.  Fruit ideas: pineapple chunks, grapes, strawberries, blueberries, or watermelon chunks. If you don't want the trouble of making the kebobs simply do a fruit salad in clear cups.  Sliced oranges are always a hit as well.  In a hurry purchase the ready made fruit cups at your local supermarket.
   
• Bagels: Cut bagels in half and fill with flavored cream cheese or peanut butter.  You can also add slices of strawberries or bananas to each sandwich.
   
• Yogurt:  Yogurt parfaits are always a hit.  In a clear plastic cup layer: granola cereal, plan yogurt , and favorite fruit sliced until cup is full.  Also, frozen Go-Gurts (yogurt in a tube by Yoplait) can be frozen.
   
• Veggies and Dip:  Fill a Dixie cup with ranch dressing and stand baby carrots/clery sticks up in the cup then cover with saran wrap.
   
• Popsicles:  Make your own popsicles with 100% fruit juice.  This is a great treat on a hot day.
   
• Cookies:  Strawberry Fig Newtons, Graham Crackers, or Animal Crackers.
   
• Cheese:  Individually wrapped packets of cheese and crackers or string cheese.
   
• Banana Muffins:  Use the box mix and replace applesauce for oil.  Be sure to add extra banana for more nutrition..