5 Quick, Easy and Delicious Desserts for Youth Athletes
By Emmy Campbell
Just because you’re an athlete certainly doesn’t mean desserts are off-limits. Good nutrition and fuelling are key to successful performance in sport, and ensuring young athletes are eating enough and enjoying their food plays a huge role in this.
Whether you’re looking for something to satisfy that after dinner sweet tooth, or in need of an easy and nutritious snack before practice, we’ve got some great examples of quick and simple dessert ideas to satisfy the cravings and keep you on track for performance.
1. Rice Pudding
This deliciously creamy dessert is the perfect after-dinner dish or warming snack. Quick and easy to prepare, pop it in the oven while you sit down for dinner and you’ll have an absolute winner to serve up. And all for less than 50p per serving!
Ingredients
50g pudding rice 600ml semi-skimmed milk 4-5 drops of vanilla extract Honey to taste
Method
Simply mix the pudding rice, milk and vanilla extract into a large oven-proof dish and bake in a preheated oven (130° C) for 80-90 minutes, or until the milk has been absorbed and the rice is a light golden colour on top. Serve into bowls with a drizzle of honey or fruit on top and enjoy!
2. Yoghurt Pots
Providing a perfect protein top-up, these low-fat Greek yoghurt pots keep the saturated fat levels low without compromising on the delicious, creamy taste. Have them in the fridge ready to grab as a quick and easy snack, costing just 47p per serving!
Really straight forward to make, just spoon the yoghurt equally into 4 pots, top with the chopped strawberries and a drizzle of honey, or try blending everything together for a smoother finish.
3. Blueberry Frozen Yoghurt
This healthier ice cream alternative packs a taste punch and is perfect for satisfying those sweet cravings on a hot summer day. Make it up with any of your favourite fruit and keep in the freezer for a delicious sweet treat.
Ingredients
1 banana 500g blueberries (fresh or frozen) 1 tbsp honey 500g natural or Greek yoghurt
Method
To make, simply blitz 450g of blueberries (or your favourite fruit), the banana, yoghurt and honey in a blender. Once smooth, stir in the remaining berries and share between 6 jars. Place in the freezer for around 3 hours or until frozen.
4. Chia Pudding
This creamy, sweet pudding is packed full of nutrients and will hit that sweet spot perfectly. Or, give it a try for breakfast when you need to grab something on the go or as a quick snack between your training sessions.
Ingredients
250ml semi-skimmed milk (or milk substitute) 4 tbsp chia seeds Fresh fruit for topping
Method
Add the milk and chia seeds to 2 jars and give everything a good mix up. Leave it to rest for 2 minutes and then mix again to prevent clumping. Pop them in the fridge for around 2 hours and top with your favourite fresh fruit when serving.
5. Homemade Ice Lollies
The perfect treat to cool down after a training session on a hot day. These homemade ice lollies are easy to make and taste delicious, as well as being lower in fat and sugar than the shop-bought option, making them the perfect snack or dessert for a young athlete and only costing 52p per serving!
Simply blitz the strawberries (in a blender) until they’re a smooth pulp and place in a small bowl. Blitz the raspberries and place in a second small bowl. Mix the yoghurt, honey and vanilla extract in a third bowl. Spoon the 3 mixtures into the ice lolly moulds in any order you like, pop in the stick and place in the freezer overnight ready to grab when the sweet cravings hit.
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NUTRI-TEEN Food Powder Shakes
If youth athletes are going to take proteinshakes, 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 setsNUTRI-TEEN shakesapart 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 YSNNUTRI-TEEN shakesto 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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