If you plan to bring a half-time snack:

At half-time, most coaches prefer that the kids have just fruit and water. That way, the kids get charged up without getting overly full. Here are some popular fruits that kids can eat fast:

• Orange slices
• Easy-peel Clementines
• Grapes
• Cantaloupe, watermelon or honeydew melon chunks
• StrawberriesIf you plan to bring an after the Game Snack:

  After the game, there’s more time. First and foremost, the kids are thirsty. All the players will have brought their own water bottles to the game, so providing drinks is optional. Milk or chocolate milk, as long as chilled, can be the perfect snack and drink in one. No need for anything else then! But if you plan to just bring the snack and have them drink their own water, you can start by setting out any leftover fruit from halftime. Then, here are a few ideas for the rest of the post-game snack:

For early morning games:

• Whole-wheat mini-bagels with cream cheese and jelly
• Mini-yogurt cups and whole-grain graham crackers
• Granola bars
• Whole-grain muffinsFor just before lunch games:
  • String cheese and whole-grain crackers (fish shaped, perhaps)
  • Half sandwiches on whole-wheat bread (PB&J, turkey & cheese, etc.)
  • Peanut butter on celery sticksFor afternoon games:

• Popcorn and baby carrots
• Oatmeal-raisin cookies
• Whole-grain crackers and cheese
• Trail mix made from whole-grain cereal, nuts, raisins, pretzels, chocolate chips, etc.——–Did you know?—————-

  • Juice drinks, even those containing vitamin C or 100%, are so full of sweeteners that they are just as unhealthy as soda. Actual fruit is best, since it has fiber and more nutrients.
  • Most cereal bars and granola bars have very little fiber or protein. They do have lots of sugar (and corn syrup)—and sometimes partially hydrogenated oil (which contains trans fat, the most unhealthy type of fat).
  • A 2-ounce bag of chips often contains one third of a child’s recommended fat intake for the entire day. • Packaged “fruit” snacks are usually made of refined sweeteners (such as corn syrup or concentrated apple juice) and inexpensive vitamin C powder. Few contain any real fruit.
  • Many kids will naturally refuse to eat most of their next meal if they eat a high-calorie snack beforehand—even if the snack had no nutritional value. If they are forced to eat the meal, they may end up eating too many calories for their body.