Busy Schedules and the Importance of Nutrition

As a coach, one of the things I see frequently is children (and parents) running from work or other activities feeling no other options but to eat in the car, or just before lesson time and healthy nutrition taking a back seat due to the time constraints. Fast food is easily available and quick and most will take that path thinking that preparing healthy snacks takes too much time. Unfortunately it leads to both parents and kids feeling tired because their bodies aren’t getting the nutrients that will actually keep them going with such a busy schedule. I know for myself, when I haven’t taken a moment to bring something healthy with me and I go to fast-food or even a vending machine, I find that I’m hungrier sooner, and I don’t have the same energy as I do when I eat better.

Preparing quick and easy snacks can take about as long as driving through a fast food restaurant. It may take a week or two to get used to it, but I guarantee that you and your children will feel much better. Children who are in athletics need the nutritional balance to keep going! If not, fatigue and irritability can set in and that’s before they get home only to be hit with homework that is due the next day.

Remember, you don’t have to serve meals, just something healthy to keep them going. Get containers and create a system that works for everyone. There are plenty of snacks that can be stored in the car or you can prepare them ahead of time and grab what you need for the day. I used to bring home my fruits and vegetables from the grocery store and instead of keeping them in the container, I immediately divided them up into small Ziploc bags and kept one of my crisper drawers as the “grab and go” box in the refrigerator. I also kept a basket for dry snacks out on the counter. I used small containers for sauces or hummus as well.

The following are some great snack ideas for kids on the go:

• Hummus & Crackers

• Popcorn

• Cheese sticks/cubes

• Bagels

• Fresh fruit

• Fresh veggies

• Yogurt

• Grilled Chicken

• Cans of tuna

• Rice cakes

• Whole grain crackers

• Peanut butter sandwich

• Applesauce

• Fruit popsicle (homemade)

• Cereal bars (high in protein, low in sugars)

• Nuts

• Dry cereal

• Dried fruit

I hope this at least gets you started! Use your imagination! With as many size containers as they make today, you can take just about anything with you!

Happy eating!

References:

http://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/2011/08/17/eating-healthy-difficult-but-not-impossible-for-kids-on-the-go/

http://woodbridge.patch.com/articles/mom-qa-healthy-eating-for-the-kids-and-you-on-the-go