Planning a day or afternoon of skiing, sliding, hiking, or skating? All these activities will most certainly work up an appetite, and every budding athlete needs to learn to listen to their body and make sure they fuel up! We have a ton of snack suggestions for even the most hard-core champions out there!
Energy balls and other great things
Energy balls—which we all know and love—have all the attributes of a healthy snack…. plus they’re easy to grab and enjoy! They boast carbs, to give you an instant energy boost, and protein, to help keep you full, without slowing down your digestion and making you feel heavy.
Simple to make and requiring no cooking time, energy balls can be made the night before with the help of your kids, and are the ideal post-activity snack. While chocolate lovers will melt for this chocolate-coconut version, foodies will fall for this original recipe made with oats, dried apricots, and green sencha tea. You could also try this recipe for healthy apple pie-style energy balls—they’re comforting and surprising (who would have thought to add goji berries to the mix?).
Pressed for time? You’ll find a variety of ready-made energy balls in-store, like these vegan and organic ones by Koukla.
In the same category of foods, granola bars, energy bars, and snack bars all make excellent lunch box or sports bag additions. Bite into these no-bake bars made with hemp seeds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and maple syrup; they contain 25 g of carbohydrates and 11 g of protein per portion.
For a complete and well-balanced snack, pair your energy balls or bar with a fruit that’s easy to eat on the go with no utensils, such as an apple, banana, or pear.
Pssst! If you’re carrying them in your backpack, place them first in an insulated lunch bag (with no frozen gel pack) to prevent them from freezing. Another option: store them in a resealable bag and slide them into your coat’s inner pocket (your body warmth will do the trick!).
Breads and muffins, oh my!
Without being overly sweet, breads and muffins are the perfect post-activity snack. Like energy balls and bars, these snacks often contain fruits, grains, nuts, and whole-wheat cereals that are all rich in fibre. Their practical format makes them easy to enjoy when you’re on the move, at the top of a mountain summit, or as you’re warming up your toes next to an outdoor or indoor fire.
Here are a few of our most nutritious recipes:
Cereals galore
Cereals provide us with a significant dose of complex carbohydrates (which give us lots of energy), so they too deserve a place in the healthy, post-activity snack category. Consumed whole, cereals like wheat, oats, and corn help keep us fuller longer thanks to their fibre. For a filling sports snack, try making nut butter sandwiches on whole-wheat bread, low-sugar date squares (the crunchiness comes from whole-wheat oats), or Mexican-style popcorn.
For a protein-packed snack, pair your fibre-rich treats with a few pieces of your favourite cheese or a few spoonfuls of Greek yogurt.
Smoothies to satisfy your hunger!
Smoothies are nutritious beverages that are rich in carbs and fibre—perfect for quenching your thirst and providing you with precious calories. Frozen fruit, ripe bananas, yogurt, milk, fruit juice, almond or oat powder: add whatever you like to your smoothie and blend to the desired consistency! For added protein, throw in some Greek yogurt instead of traditional yogurt, or add a spoonful of protein powder (think whey or soy powder). Another great option is to add silky tofu to the mix.
Here are a few recipes to inspire you:
Another quick (and healthy) idea is to opt for
LOOP smoothies—cold-pressed beverages made from imperfect fruits and pea protein. They’re as green as they are delicious!
Fruity and . . . spicy?
Why not try a smoothie flavoured with cardamom, cinnamon, and ginger? This perfectly balanced spice blend is sure to bring a little heat to your ice-cold drink.
A few minutes before leaving, prepare a large batch for the whole family and pour into airtight travel containers, such as Thermoses.
Stay hydrated!
While we tend to sweat less in below-zero temperatures, our body still loses water. In fact, we expel water vapour upon exhalation and with the cold often comes the urge to pee (yes, you read that right!). Which is why it’s so important to constantly drink water. You can jazz up your H2O by adding a few slices of lemon, lime, orange, strawberry, cucumber, and/or fresh herbs (think mint, basil, thyme, rosemary, etc.).
Herbal tea is also a great way to up your water intake. Let your tea steep 5 minutes before pouring it into an insulated travel mug. What a treat it is to take a sip of hot tea in the cold outdoors!