Easy, quick lunches for young athletes cooking on their own

In an ideal world, every young athlete would have a parent waiting at home after a morning practice or before a late practice, prepping and serving a nutrient-dense lunch that will help them perform their best. The reality is that, in the summer, many athletes are on their own when it comes to finding a lunch - either because parents work or are driving around other siblings. The good news is that great lunch options can be created in a short time with little cooking expertise. As long as the ingredients are there, the feat is easy.

Sit down with your young athlete and review the list below. Pick at least 3 options each week that your athlete is willing and able to make on their own. Use this to create your shopping list. Doing this assures you can be away from home with less stress, knowing your athlete is fueling well in your absence.

Kitchen Clean-up: 4 foods to toss in the garbage today

 

A few weeks ago, I posted about spring cleaning the pantry. Building off of that theme, I sometimes am asked if there are any foods that shouldn't even be regularly brought into the house. While I am a fan of moderation and treating oneself on occasion, there are some foods better left un-stocked and only purchased in small quantities when "treat time" arrives. Here are just a few of those foods...

1. Bulk bags of chips or cheetos
Chips, cheetos and other snack-type foods should not be stocked in large quantities. It is too easy to grab a handful here - a handful there - and suddenly half of the bag is gone. Instead, purchase the individual-sized bags only on occasion. This makes the snack portion-controlled. When the bag is gone, the treat is over. Because - lets face it - there really isn't anything "healthy" to be found in these snacks.

5 Nutrition Tasks Before Traveling By Air to Races

Traveling across the country for that big race is exciting. However, traveling by air can wreak havoc on athletes' performance when not done right. To be ready to race when you arrive at your destination, here are 4 things you should do BEFORE you travel this summer.

1. Research food vendors at your destination
Nothing is worse than arriving at your destination and realizing there are no good food options in sight. Do a little research in advance. Know where you will eat the night before your race. Locate the closest grocery store to do some shopping for essentials when you arrive. Make a list of what you need to buy, and go shopping first before you do anything else.

2. Pack your favorite foods
If you have a favorite race morning breakfast or preferred snacks, don't take any chances - pack them! Don't forget race day fuel, as this is not something you want to be driving around looking for once you arrive. Remember that any liquid or semi-liquid foods need to go into a checked bag, so plan for this when packing. Call the hotel to see if there is a frig, microwave or even full kitchenette in the room. If not, pack a hot pot (cook pot) that you can easily use to make foods such as rice, oatmeal, pasta or quinoa right in your room. And don't forget plastic plates, bowls and utensils.

Four Fantastic Apps for Nutrition-Minded Athletes

It amazes me how many apps exist now for smartphones. I love when I find a good app that makes my life easier. Here are a few of my favorite sports nutrition apps. Whether you want to count calories, shop quicker, eat out easier or check supplements, there's an app for that.

*Disclaimer: I am not being paid by any of these apps to discuss them on this blog. As you will see, I freely discuss the pros and cons of each.*

1. MyFitnessPal - Free
There are lots of apps available for calorie tracking. I like this app because the database is HUGE, which makes it easy to find uncommon or specialty foods. For clients working with me, we can also become "Friends", which allows me to see their food diary. When entering food, be sure to pay attention to how many "confirmations" a given food has received. This will give you some indication as to how accurate the entry likely is. Because this is a user-entered food database, there will be error, but potentially not much greater than any error associated with food tracking. Another note: like all calorie counters, this app notoriously under-estimates calorie needs. However, to use a way to track patterns of mindless eating or general intake across the board, it is a great tool.

Shopping Online for Performance-Enhancing Snacks

Recent articles in Eat to Compete have focused on snack ideas for athletes on-the-go. Busy athletes often have little time to shop. Did you know that many food items are available online? Through Amazon Prime (~$80 per year membership), users can get free 2-day shipping as well as additional "Subscribe and Save" discounts by setting up automatic delivery of items (not available for all items). While I admit I only use this for diapers and wipes currently (yes - I'm a mom), what a GREAT idea for busy families with hungry athlete mouths to feed! Check out this short list of recommended food items with links to purchase on Amazon.
*Indicates Subscribe & Save Available
+Indicates Free Shipping available for Prime Members

Plum Organics Mish Mash *+ [for toddlers, I know - but you can eat them too!]
Clif Mojo Bars *+ [there are many bar options; I just picked one]
Planters Trail Mix - Fruit & Nut Packets *+
Bear Naked Granola *+
Kashi Go-Lean Cereal Cups *+
Justin's Natural Peanut Butter Packets (case of 10) [almond butter packets and jars of either nut butter also available]
StarKist Tuna Packets *
Fig Newtons Individual Packages *+ [48-packs also available]
Microwave Popcorn Snack Bags *
Pretzel Bags +
Kashi Whole Grain Crackers *+
Bare Naked Baked/Dried Fruit Packets *+
Single Serving Hummus Dip Packets
GoPicnic Ready-to-Eat Meals: Sunbutter & Crackers *+ 
Go-Go Squeeze Applesauce Pouches *+
100% Juice Boxes +
8-oz chocolate milk cartons +
8-oz soy chocolate milk cartons *+
8-oz almond chocolate milk cartons *+

Be Extraordinary,


RDKate

15 ways to fuel well on a budget

Although the economy appears to be improving, many still follow a strict budget when it comes to food. The complaint I often hear is, "Eating healthy is expensive". While healthy food prices can't necessarily compete with the dollar menu at the local fast food place, there are plenty of ways to save money while making the right choices for your health and performance both now and long-term. Here are 15 ways (in 3 areas) to keep your stomach full and your wallet too.

Meal-Planning
Sorry but yes - you really do need to do a little planning. It is likely that you plan for other things in your life - laundry, kids carpooling schedules, deadlines at work or school - and planning for meals should be one of those. Here are few ways to make meal planning easier and result in bigger cost savings:
1. Before you leave for the grocery store, check your fridge and cupboards for what you already have on hand that you can use.
2. Make a list of meals based on weekly store specials. Use online websites such as AllRecipes.com for meal ideas based on what you find is on sale.
3. When planning meals, try the "flexitarian" lifestyle: go meatless 2-3 nights per week. That can save you big dough.

How to eat a healthy, quick dinner every night

You have had a long day at school or work. It's 5:30pm, and in your rush to get home you realize you have nothing planned for dinner. Once home, your peruse the refrigerator and realize the only two options are blue box mac 'n' cheese or peanut butter and jelly.

Sound familiar? Athletes today have so much going on that meal planning consists of the 5 minutes before they want to eat. But meal planning doesn't have to be 2 hrs of cooking a 4-course meal every night. You can eat healthy with only a little pre-planning and minimal food preparation. Here's how:

Sunday: This is often a less hectic day for all of us. Use this day to plan your meals for the week and shop. Often the grocery store is markedly less busy on Sunday nights. Make a list so you don't buy frivolous things or waste time. When choosing meals, don't reinvent the wheel. There are an infinite number of websites and blogs out there that provide quick, easy, cheap and HEALTHY recipes. Here is my newest favorite: http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/  Sign up for her email list and have dinner ideas sent right to your inbox - how easy is that?! If you have time today, you can even prep for Monday and Tuesday's dinner (i.e. chopping vegetables, cooking pasta or rice, etc.).

Monday: Cook enough tonight that you have enough to eat on Friday. In other words, cook once - eat twice. Therefore, choose something that freezes easily, such as chili, lasagna or a meat dish.

Tuesday: Focus on fresh foods that are easy to prepare. Think salads or low-sodium deli meat sandwiches loaded with veggies. You want to use your produce before it goes bad. Top salads with easy protein foods like canned beans, hard-boiled eggs or pre-cooked shrimp.

Wednesday: Slow cooker day! Give yourself a break and prepare this the night before. Wednesday morning, set the crock pot and go. Pretty much anything can be made in a crock pot (even meat loaf), but some easy ideas are chicken and potatoes, mushroom-barley soup, or fajitas.

Thursday: Pantry day. Use those non-perishable items and supplement with any leftover produce. How about a quick pasta and veggie dish or quinoa with black beans?

Friday: My favorite day. Just defrost Monday's leftovers and you are good to go.

Help yourself out and make sure you own these kitchen appliances. They cut your prep time significantly and just overall make your life a whole lot easier:
-Crock pot/slow cooker
-Rice cooker (also cooks lentils)
-Toaster oven (especially when baking for one or two - heats up and cooks much faster)
-A good blender

With a little pre-planning, eating healthy every night is much easier than you think. It's 2013. Make the commitment; make it a habit. Good luck!

Be Extraordinary,


RDKate


Adapted from "Eat a Healthy Dinner Every Night", Women's Day, 2009, Karen Ansel, RD

A Shopping List to Fuel Summer Activity

Summer brings competitions for many athletes; a well-stocked pantry/refrigerator is critical. It is hard to follow my advice of building your "plate" at meals if the right food is not available to do so. Use this list to help you get started at the grocery store. This is not all-inclusive, but is a great base. Choose options from each group each time you shop. Happy shopping!

Breads, Pasta, Rice, & Other Grains

Brown rice

Whole wheat pasta

Couscous, quinoa, wheat pilaf

Whole wheat tortillas

Whole wheat breads, bagels, rolls, pita bread, English muffins (store in the freezer)

Oatmeal

Ready-to-eat whole grain cereals: Raisin Brand, Frosted Mini Wheats, Kashi

Granola Bars: Kashi, Lunabars, Larabars

Whole-wheat toaster waffles

Whole-grain crackers: Triscuits, Wheat Thins, TLC’s 

Fruits & Veggies

Potatoes or sweet potatoes

Frozen or canned veggies (rinse canned to reduce sodium content)

Bags of prew-ashed salad greens

Bags of mini carrots

Pre-chopped veggies/fruits

Canned fruit in own juice (not in heavy syrup)

Frozen berries

Oranges, apples, bananas (store in frig)

Dates, raisins, cherries, cranberries and other dried fruit 

Milk & Milk Products

Low-fat milk (regular or soy)

Low-fat yogurt (regular or greek)

Low-fat cheese (lighter vs. darker)

Low-fat cottage cheese 

Meat & Meat Alternatives

Boneless, skinless chicken breasts (store in freezer in single-portion bags)

Lean ground meat (ground round, sirloin, turkey breast – store in freezer in 1/4 pound-portion bags)

Cubed meat (anything lean) for kebabs or stir fries

Cooked shrimp

Lean deli meats (turkey, ham, roast beef)

Packets or cans of tuna (packed in water) & chicken

Edamame (ready-to-eat or frozen), soynuts

Canned beans: any kind (rinse to reduce sodium content)

Frozen veggie/garden burgers

Tofu

Egg or egg substitutes

Peanut or other nut butters (ideally containing only "nuts" in the ingredient list)

Healthy Oils

Soft (tub) or liquid margarine: Olivio, Smart Balance, etc.

Oil for cooking and baking: canola, olive

Low-fat salad dressing: vinaigrettes or oil-based

Low-fat mayo: olive or canola oil-based

Nuts and seeds: lightly salted or no salt

Avocado

Olives

Extras

Seasonings such as onion and garlic powders (vs. salts), dried herbs

Spaghetti sauce (4 grams of fat or less per 4 ounces/125 grams)

Pretzels, low-fat chips (baked), low-fat popcorn (air-popped is best)

Low-fat frozen yogurt

Be Extraordinary,


RDKate

Source: Endurance Sports Nutrition by Suzanne Girard Eberle MS, RD. 2007

For Your Health: Shopping Over The Holidays

This week I decided to showcase the holiday articles of some of my fellow dietitians. All of these relate to what you do for your health when you go holiday shopping. Now, I am not a huge fan of calorie counting or worrying about weight, but I do believe in being realistic, and understanding what it is about your energy intake that might be causing undesirable body composition changes.

Stay Full While Shopping - Sheah Rarback, RD
Get some ideas for great snacks you can take along with you the next time you go shopping to help you resist the temptation of that mall Chinese food (they get you with those free smells!).

Drop that Drink - Carol Lapin, RD
Check out this article to educate yourself about where excess energy can sneak in when you start sipping on your walk through the mall. I know I love my latte when I go shopping, but I'm careful to go with a small (enough to satisfy my craving), non-fat with light or no whip and 1 less pump of flavor shots than normal.

Healthy Holiday Gifts - Laura Armstrong, RD
Of course we all go to the mall for one reason: to find that perfect gift. How about trying a healthy gift this year? This article has some great ideas for gifts I think people would actually enjoy (think "Awesome - thanks so much!" instead of, "Ohh....great...").

Happy Shoppping and Be Extraordinary,

RDKate