Soccer Snacks
My son is 6-years-old and has just started football training after school at 5pm. I am wondering what is the best food to give him after school (around 4pm) to give him some energy, but which will not fill him up so much so he can't run about.
Vardit Kohn replies:
Carbohydrates are the fuel consumed by athletes to obtain long term energy, as they metabolise slowly and release even energy for a few hours.
Instead of opting for the usual choice of a sandwich, I'd go for different carbohydrates, for instance a small bowl of warm oats porridge with some chopped nuts and raisins. A small portion of muesli with warm (soya) milk and some sliced fruit would also go down well. Or try a warm smoothie - blend together half a ripe banana, 1 kiwi, 1 small apple (deseeded) and a handful of almonds with some warm water, milk or juice. Sweeten if desired with maple syrup and enhance the flavour with some desiccated coconut or vanilla extract. You can vary the fruit contents (but leave the banana) depending on your son's preferences. It's delicious, full of goodness and will provide plenty of wind for your son's sails..
