How many times a day can a child possibly utter the phrase “Mom, I’m hungry!”? My children can do it approximately 3,482 times before my head starts to explode a little.  This is especially true on our ‘sports days’ (a.k.a. practice, HKRS race days, soccer games, basketball games, or pretty much any day in general).  Little athletes need clean burning fuel, just like adults and it’s also important to feed them specific combinations to ensure maximum absorption of necessary nutrients.  Mixing fruit, carbs, and a little fat is the best way to maximize nutrition.  Here are a few easy suggestions that you can keep on hand for your little sport star.

1. Apples with nut butter and cinnamon sugar.  Slice apples and top with a little dollop of nut butter and sprinkle with cinnamon/sugar blend.  If you want to cut the apples head of time simply toss the slices with a little bit of lemon juice to prevent browning.
2. Strawberry Cheesecake roll-ups. Spread Whipped or low-fat cream cheese on a tortilla, top with 1/4 teaspoon of powdered sugar or raw sugar.  Layer thinly sliced strawberries on top and roll! Cut into bite sized pieces, or if packing to be used later, wait to slice until ready to eat.
3. Banana berry smoothie. Blend 1 frozen banana with 12 ounces milk (dairy or non-dairy), a handful of baby spinach, 1/2 cup frozen berries, and a dash of vanilla extract.  Blend until the mix reaches smoothie texture.  Your kiddo won’t even taste the spinach! This recipe makes about 2 kid sized servings.
4. Hummus and wheat crackers.  Hummus, which is just a blend of garbanzo beans, tahini (sesame paste), lemon juice, and spices, is a great high protein, low fat dip.  There are zillions of flavors available at pretty much any grocery store.  It’s also super easy to make! Check out the recipe here Hummus is awesome on whole grain crackers, baby carrots, or other raw veggies.