Eat for Performance

Top 4 Easy, Athlete-Tested Snacks

By Carlos Carrera|Updated on July 6, 2023 (originally published on December 3, 2021)

Student-athletes are always on the run. Running around campus from lifts to class to practice. If that sounds familiar, you probably sometimes forget to eat too. This is your reminder: DO NOT forget to take care of the little things, such as getting proper nutritious meals throughout the day and proper hydration.

If you are struggling to find the time to get to the school's cafeteria between classes and training sessions, here are 5 DIY recipes, which are not only easy, but delicious and nutritious.

#1 Fruit Burrito

Pick up some whole wheat tortillas, peanut or almond butter, and any fruit of your choice (I personally like strawberries for this one). Spread 2 tablespoons of peanut butter onto a tortilla, add your sliced fruit on top, and roll into a burrito. Use aluminum foil to wrap it and there you go. An easy and nutritious snack that you can carry with you during those busy days.

#2 Smoothies on the Go

Use a portable blender to bring your smoothies with you anywhere you go. Fill up your blender with your milk of choice (whole, low fat, almond, etc), and add your fruit. Press the power button and blend on the fly for a great ,easy snack on the go.

Tip: Add a scoop of protein powder for a perfect post-training recovery drink.

#3 Yogurt Parfait

Get a reusable parfait container, and prepare this the night before, so it's in the fridge, ready to go for the next day.

Add your favorite kind of yogurt as a base, add some strawberries and blueberries, followed by your favorite kind of granola. Top it off with a little more yogurt and a scoop of peanut/almond butter or honey at the end. This makes a delicious and easy snack to go.

#4 Chocolate Milk

Don't have time to get in a proper meal after your training sessions? Pack a bottle of chocolate milk to keep you fueled and help you recover after those intense workouts. Chocolate milk provides not only the post workout protein that you need, but also some simple sugars to help you hydrate and recover.

Eating proper meals, hydrating, sleeping, and recovering can go a long way. It will give you the necessary energy that you need to go through your busy days, and perform to the best of your ability. Not only on the field, but in the classrooms as well.