Easy Snack Packs for Athletes in School

Students and athletes can have a lot of trouble getting in enough calories and nutrients during the day due to demanding class, athletic, and social schedules. The school lunch program does a lot for kids in need, but it does not provide optimal solutions to these athletes who are trying to build muscle. Athletes who want to play college sports should not look to school lunches or vending machines to meet their daytime needs. A snack pack, like the one shown in this video, presents an easy solution to this issue.

Planning ahead. Think about how long you will be gone on certain days and how many snacks you’ll need. About 1,000 calories worth of food is a good start. The goal is to have enough, but not too much. The next step is making the shopping list and actually getting those snacks into your house. This brings us to step 2.
Choosing your snacks. Mix your snacks up in 2 groups, protein+fats in one group, and carbs+veggies in another. Each time you have a snack, choose some from each group. For example, a string cheese (protein/fat) would pair nicely with an apple (carbohydrate) for a balanced snack.
Bag it all up. You can bag up shelf-stable foods ahead of time and add in your fruit and dairy the morning of. Keep it somewhere like your backpack and you’re ready to go!

Athletes in the high schools where I’m from, (Cookeville, TN), have demanding schedules. Many rely on the school lunch program for their daytime nutrition. For these athletes to reach their full potential, they will need to supplement their daytime nutrition with healthier snacks. Also, living in the country usually means longer commutes and more chores at home. Convenience and planning ahead are essential to consider here.