Add up all the school classrooms and sport’s teams your children participate in and you’ll see that it’s likely you’ll be handed snack duty more than a few times.
Bringing a snack for the class or the team to enjoy at half-time is a chance to help out the teacher or coach, and to provide kids with a tasty pick-me-up.
Before you choose a snack to share, there are a few things to keep in mind:
- Homemade is great for avoiding preservatives and other ingredients we either can’t pronounce or would rather not see our children consume, but your child’s school or team may have a policy against bringing homemade snacks. Some require snacks be store bought and pre-packaged. Make sure you check the rules.
- If you’re bringing a half-time game snack, keep in mind your biggest objective is to keep the players hydrated and fueled. Water is key, as is avoiding overly sugary, salty or fatty foods.
- Parents of kids with allergies often send a separate snack for their kids, but it’s nice to be considerate and not leave anyone out when choosing a group snack. Play it safe and ask parents if anyone has an allergy you should be aware of and check labels to accommodate them.
- Younger siblings often attend their big brother or sister’s game, and love to join in on the snack. It’s nice to bring extras. Their parents will greatly appreciate not having to keep little ones away from the tasty temptations.
- Keep it simple. Snacks are often eaten standing up and at lighting speed. Nothing fussy.
So what do you bring? Here’s a helpful round up of tasty, healthy food to feed a crowd:
- Save your wallet and the planet by foregoing juice boxes and bottles of water. Instead, bring a large jug of water or a healthy sports drink made from a mix, and don’t forget a stack of reusable cups.
- Fresh fruit. Go beyond orange slices (although they are popular for a reason!). Think apples, Cuties, grapes and bananas, or make it fun by serving frozen fruit cubes or melon balls on skewers.
- Yogurt sticks. Choose the ones without high fructose corn syrup and other nasty stuff, and freeze them to turn them into satisfying popsicles.
- Air-popped popcorn served in brown paper bags.
- String cheese sticks.
- Individual serving bags of pretzels, Pirate Booty or Apple Chips.
- Mini boxes or raisins or craisins.
- Fruit leathers or twists made with 100 percent fruit.
- Unsweetened applesauce in the pouches.
- Jello cups.
- Mini cinnamon raisin or whole-grain bagels.
- Popsicles – packed in a well-insulated cooler.
- Healthy granola bars or other kid-sized energy bars.
