No matter your skill level, swim meets are long. Many swimmers sit on the pool deck for up to 10-hours straight! Eating during a meet is necessary for optimal performance. As a talented age-group swimmer, I remember eating a hot dog between every event (watch out Joey Chestnut)! This ridiculous antidote is not far from the foods many swimmers eat while waiting on a pool deck. In all honesty, healthy foods at swim meets are tough. Unless you are an amazing planner, your best options at swim meets are typically hot dogs, sodas, or candy! Here are some simple food options which can be the best swim meet snacks!
As a caveat, not everyone digests dairy easily. Some people have lactose intolerance or sensitivity with lactose. If you are not sensitive to lactose, this is a great, light option, while providing healthy protein and carbohydrates! Also, if you are looking for a bit more carbohydrates, consider adding some granola.
Combining carbohydrates and protein are simply solutions for race day snacks! Celery and almond butter is an excellent snack for those craving a slightly fuller meal than yogurt. An alternative to this snack is the traditional celery and peanut butter, but like lactose, many are intolerant or allergic to peanuts. Keep this in mind when picking your nut spread, because you may not be allergic, but a teammate may be very allergic to simply the smell of peanuts! If you are looking for another twist for this traditional snack, try creating "ants on a log" by adding raisins on top!
Instead of the sugar laden cereals, oatmeal is a healthy carbohydrate package for active swimmers. Combining this with fruit (for example berries or a banana) and almond butter and you've got yourself an amazing swim meet snack! However, heating the oatmeal can be problematic at a meet. For this dilemma, try taking your oatmeal to the snack bar for a quick heating. Sometimes snack bars are resistant to heating up outside food, but this is commonly resolved with a small water purchase:)
If you aren't a regular consumer of oatmeal, monitor your intake. Fiber can sometimes upset a stomach, something a swimmer in a tight fitted swimmer never wants!
Many protein bars are on the market, some healthy, some unhealthy. This makes reading the protein bar label an essential asset for a swimmer. When considering an ideal protein bar for a swimmer, sugar content should gain the most attention. Attempt to find a protein bar with no added sugar! This may sound impossible if you've read nutritional labels in the past, but trust me they do exist! Also, make sure you aren't fooled, organic sugar cane, agave nectar, beet syrup, caramel, corn syrup, dextrin, dextrose, lactose, and raw honey are only a few synonyms for sugar!
If you aren't satisfied with the protein bars at your local grocery, consider making your own protein bars (or balls!). Enjoy this COR recipe:
Ingredients:
Directions:
Clearly, many swim meet snacks are available with proper planning and nutritional information. Overall, ensure you food has complex carbohydrates (not processed) and protein. These combinations are common in fruits, vegetables, nuts, and dairy.
Also, keep in mind your history with a food. Meets are not the ideal time to try something new or different. If you are not a common consumer of these foods, try them first and individualize to your specific likes and needs.