Teen athletes need plenty of energy to meet their growth and exercise needs. However, eating enough to meet your high energy requirements may be difficult when you have school, training sessions and other commitments to fit into your busy schedule.
Our main and most efficient source of energy during exercise is carbohydrates, with a recommendation of 1-3 g of carbohydrates per kg of body mass to be consumed before exercise. The following recipes include snacks that are quick to make and high in carbohydrates to help you meet this recommendation and have the energy to perform at your best!
Snack Recipes
Chocolate Chip Energy Balls
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups rolled oats or quick oats
- ½ cup nut butter (can be replaced with seed butter if you have a nut allergy)
- ⅓ cup honey or maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup chocolate chips
Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and leave in the fridge to set for 30 minutes. Remove from the fridge and roll the mixture into 18 1-inch sized balls. Then enjoy!
Chia Seed Pudding
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons chia seeds
- ½ cup of milk of choice (use a plant-based milk, like almond milk, to make it vegan)
- 1 teaspoon honey or maple syrup
Mix the ingredients and leave in the fridge for at least two hours before eating. Personalise your chia seed pudding by adding toppings, such as fruit and nut butter, or by adding flavourings to your mixture, like chocolate through cocoa powder or vanilla through vanilla extract!
Apple with Peanut Butter
Ingredients
- Apple
- Peanut butter
This is a simple but tasty option for a quick energy boost. Simply cut your apple into slices and serve with peanut butter for dipping. You can also try this with banana or celery instead of apple, or with different types of nut and seed butters to suit your preferences!
Homemade Trail Mix
Ingredients
- You choose!
Trail mix is normally a combination of granola, dried fruit, nuts and sometimes sweets. However, some trail mixes can be unhealthy if they contain too many sugary additions. Make your own trail mix by combining your favourite nuts, seeds, cereals and other healthy additions for an easy way to increase your energy intake!
LIKE THESE RECIPES?
NUTRI-TEEN Food Powder Shakes
If youth athletes are going to take protein shakes, then we want to know that they’re well educated and getting all of the nutrients their body needs to stay and healthy and perform at their best.
That’s why we’ve created the world’s first food powder shake tailored specifically to active youths. Not only is it a great source of protein, but each shake also contains a specific blend of fats, carbs and 16 essential micronutrients to ensure athletes get everything their body needs to perform and its best. NUTRI-TEEN Shakes are specifically designed to cater to the nutritional needs of active youths, this food powder can help fill in any dietary gaps, providing the high-quality protein that's crucial for muscle recovery and growth.
Available in several kid-approved flavours, these food powder shakes offer a quick, easy, and tasty way to boost your child's protein intake. What sets NUTRI-TEEN shakes apart is their focus on supporting youths during their vital growth and development phases, as well as facilitating recovery.
Please remember, these food powder shakes are not meant to replace a balanced diet of whole foods. Instead, they're designed to complement it, particularly when your child's dietary needs are heightened due to intense training sessions. If ensuring adequate protein through food alone is proving difficult, consider adding YSN NUTRI-TEEN shakes to your young athlete's nutritional plan for that added support.
Disclaimer: This article is intended to provide general information about nutrition for youth athletes and is not meant to replace professional dietary advice or individual nutritional counselling. Every child's nutritional needs can vary due to factors such as age, size, physical activity level, and medical conditions. We strongly recommend consulting with a registered dietitian or a healthcare provider before making changes to your child's diet, such as adding food powders. YSN and the author of this article do not take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, dietary modification, action, or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this article.
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