I recently wrote about nutrition for teens, focusing on the athletes in your family. In almost everything that I discovered, from general articles to academic studies, the authors discussed the caloric requirements for student-athletes. The numbers are staggering…stating that these kids need 3,000 to 5,000 calories…with some sports requiring double that amount!
That’s a lot of calories, especially when you consider that the fuel our student-athletes need to consume has to be high quality, not just empty calories!
Honestly, it’s nearly impossible to consume that many calories in just three meals a day. That’s assuming you can get your kids to actually eat meals in the traditional sense. The Hectic Kids have always been so busy, running from activity to activity, that traditional meals are hard to come by. The 1950’s ideal of the family sitting down to breakfast together just doesn’t happen in today’s world. Heck, most families don’t even eat dinner together on a regular basis. A 2003 study sponsored by Eckrich found that 10% of families never eat dinner together and 40% eat dinner together 3 or fewer times a week! That was 2003, so I’m willing to bet those numbers have gotten worse. I know a lot of families that eat in separate rooms…and at different times.
Coupled with the disjointed schedules the kids lead, I’d wager that a large portion of their calories come from foraging. As compared to traditional meals comprised the categories from the USDA ChooseMyPlate recommendations (Fruits, Grains, Vegetables, and Protein), foraging involves consuming a targeted portion of those categories. And foraging often happens on the run. I don’t know how many times I saw one of more of the Hectic Kids grabbing something from the pantry and eating as the raced out the door to their next activity.
In an environment like that, how do you ensure that your kids are getting anywhere close to anything nutritional?
The trick is to have a lot of different, convenient foods on hand. Then you have to work with them to understand what they should be eating.
The first step is to eradicate empty calories from the house. That’s probably the hardest step of all, since all those scrumptious, calorie-laden foods are so tempting. And honestly, they were the foods I grew up on. You know, Twinkies, Ho-Ho’s, Ding-Dongs…all the good stuff. Just get rid of them!
Next you need to look over the list below and start stocking up on the foods that work as healthy fuel for your kids. While these foods are targeted at high school student-athletes these will work for any kid, regardless of age or activity level. The quality of the fuel your kids put into their engines is super important, so choose a wide variety. Then when they kids are looking for something to eat, help steer them to these foods.
Most importantly, you’ve got to make things convenient. Sure, this takes a little extra work, but it’s worth the effort. Heck, you might even get them to help make the wraps, PB&J sandwiches, etc. If you really want to be a superstar, repackage bulk-purchased foods into single-servings.
Also remember that what you might consider a weird combination of foods might not seem that way to your kids. I’ve seen wrestlers eat Cheerios and Hummus. I’ve seen fruit dipped in Ranch dressing. I’ve seen cheese spread on apples. The goal here is for the kids to eat a variety of foods, so don’t get grossed out by the combinations they come up with. If you’re pantry and fridge are stocked with healthy fare, does it really matter how they mix and match it. Just recognize that you might have to look away as they’re eating roast beef dipped in yogurt!
What should you keep in stock?
The list below covers a lot of ground…so don’t feel like you must have everything in your pantry and fridge all the time. But it’s a good idea to have a reasonable selection from several of the categories. Remember, convenience is key here. If your student-athletes have to do much preparation, there’s a high likelihood they will just skip eating or go for the easiest solution. You’re looking to promote healthy choices, keep that in mind.
Category |
Examples |
|---|---|
Cheese & Yogurt |
Cheese (cubed, shredded, sliced, string, etc.) Cottage Cheese Yogurt (individual containers and bulk) |
Fruit |
Canned Fruit Dried Fruit Fresh Fruit Frozen Fruit Frozen fruit bars Unsweetened apple sauce |
Veggies |
Baked potatoes Edamame Raw Veggies (cut for dipping) Salad (premixed and bulk) Sweet Potatoes Veggie Chips |
Spreads & Dips |
Hummus Nut butter (almond, cashew and peanut) Nutella Ranch dressing Yogurt Fruit Dip |
Protein & Snack Bars |
Breakfast Bars Clif Bar Date Bars Energy Bars Granola Bars Nature Valley Granola Bar Nut Bar Nutri-Grain Cereal Bar Protein Bar Quaker Chewy Bar |
Crackers & Cookies |
Animal crackers Crackers (individual packages and large boxes) Fig Newtons Graham crackers Nilla Wafers Rice cakes Soft pretzels Teddy Grahams |
Drinks |
Chocolate Milk Milk (gallons and individual packaging for grab-and-go) Protein Shake Smoothies (premixed and components) Sports Drinks Water |
Cereal & Mixes |
Cereal (have milk on hand too) Cooked oatmeal Dry cereal Granola Instant oatmeal |
Salty |
Dried fruit and nuts Nuts & Seeds (almonds, peanuts, cashews, sunflower seeds, pistachios…) Popcorn Pretzels Trail Mix |
Carbohydrates |
Bagels Bread Muffins Pita bread Quinoa Rice Tortillas |
Sandwiches |
Pizza Sandwiches (pre-made and components) Stuffed Pita Sandwich Sub Sandwich Tortilla wrap |
Proteins |
Beans Cooked Chicken Cooked Ham Eggs Hardboiled Egg Jerky Salmon Sliced Beef Sliced Chicken Sliced Ham Sliced Turkey Tuna |