Article written by Libby Grimshaw- BSc Sport, Exercise & Nutrition Student 

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?

Then you'll love the YSN Kitchen App available to download FREE on android and IOS. Packed with 100's of recipes ideal for fuelling youth athletes and active teens. 

Download for IOS here

Download for Android here