April’s Meal of the Month, presented by Celly Salt
What is one of the biggest challenges we face feeding young athletes? Ice rink concession stand food. Most concession stands are full of popcorn, pizza, breadsticks and colorful slushies. Relying on these fast and tempting options will make an athlete sluggish and decrease their potential on the ice.
Eating a nourishing small snack before or after a skate will increase energy and maximize performance. A pre-skate snack will sustain energy and a post-skate snack is important to refuel muscles. A snack should contain both carbohydrate and protein, and be consumed within one hour of exertion. That is when muscles are primed for energy intake. Food choices really do make a difference.
Planning and preparation of portable and nourishing snacks is key. Young athletes require proper energy to support recovery and repair of their growing body. For hockey players to perform well, they need to eat well.
What type of snacks will provide energy and strength? Celly Salt is here to offer some ideas to help plan and prepare snacks to fuel healthy athletes.
Quick, Easy and portable snacks for hockey players on the go
With a little prep work and planning ahead, you can provide youth hockey players with viable, healthy and delicious snacks for life on the road. Here’s a few we recommend:
- Trail mix – Roasted Celly Pepitas (see recipe below), raisins, mini chocolate chips, pretzels
- Hard-boiled egg and whole wheat tortilla
- Smoothies
- Cheese sticks and whole grain crackers
- Sandwich with whole grain bread or wrap, lean protein or nut butter
- Beef Jerky and banana
- Yogurt and berries
- Hummus and vegetables to dip
- Dried fruit or dried fruit strips without added sugar
- Cereal and milk
- Nuts, seeds (single serve) and mandarin orange
- Plain or Chocolate milk – single serve
- Whole grain granola bars without a coating
Brand name snacks
- Kind bars – pressed fruit and mini nut bars
- Naked – individual peanut butter and almond butter packets
- Rx Products – bars, oat cups, granola
- Lara Products – bars and cereal
- Biena – chickpea snacks
- Bob’s Red Mill – bars and oat cups
- Chobani, Siggi’s, Fage, Stonyfield – plain Greek yogurt
- Harvest Snaps – green pea snacks
- Ripple – plant-based milk
- Fairlife – ultra-filtered milk
- Hippeas – chickpea puffs
Do-it-yourself quick snacks on the go: Celly Salt Roasted Pepitas
Ingredients
- 2 cups raw pepitas (raw pumpkin seeds)
- 4 teaspoons Celly Salt Original (or 4 teaspoons Celly Salt Sin Bin or 8 teaspoons Celly Salt Chirpin’ Herb)
- 2 teaspoons vegetable or olive oil
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Combine pepitas, Celly Salt Original and oil in a medium bowl; stir well to coat seeds.
- Pour out seeds onto a rimmed baking sheet and spread evenly.
- Place in preheated oven and bake for 8 minutes or until just golden.
- Remove from oven and cool completely on pan. Store in an airtight container.
Cook’s Note: Great mixed into trail mix, topper for salad or just a snack.
Healthy snacks for youth hockey players: Celly Fruit and Nut Bars
Ingredients
- 12 pitted dates
- ¼ cup peanut butter (or nut butter of choice)
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup roasted almonds, chopped
- 1 cup old fashioned oats, uncooked
- ½ cup dried cherries (or dried fruit of choice)
- ¼ cup Celly Salt Original Roasted Pepitas (see recipe above)
- Vegetable Cooking Spray
Directions
- Line an 8-inch square pan with wax or parchment paper.
- Place dates in a food processor and process until they form a ball; set aside.
- Place peanut butter, honey and vanilla in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until combined; about one minute.
- Place reserved dates in a large bowl. Add heated peanut butter mixture and mix to completely combine.
- Add oats, dried cherries and Celly Salt Original Roasted Pepitas to date mixture. Stir until well blended.
- Lightly coat hands with cooking spray and press mixture into prepared pan. Freeze for 30-45 minutes. Cut into 12 bars. Store in refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Cook’s Note: Mix in 2 tablespoons chia seeds with the oats for added protein, fiber, calcium and magnesium.
Want more recipes and products from Celly Salt? Click HERE.
