A snack for performance can take place anytime of the day, and depending on the part of the season you are in may need more planning and strategy to what and when you are eating them. Aiming for fuel that won’t upset your stomach or fuel that can help rebuild muscle faster. A snack for performance can fall under many categories: pre-workout, during workout, post-workout, night time or anytime! So what I want the biggest take away for you to understand is that it is hard to meet your energy needs if you don’t snack during the day!
Pre-Workout Snack for Performance: Fuel Up Right
As you get closer to your workout—around an hour or less before- focus on simple, easy-to-digest carbs. These will provide you with sustained energy during your workout while minimizing feelings of sluggishness. You’ll want to keep protein, fat, and fiber to a minimum at this stage. Think of snacks that can be eaten quickly and on the go—foods you might offer a toddler, like applesauce, pretzels, a plain bagel, or a banana. A granola bar or a waffle with nut butter are also solid options
When working on including a pre-workout snack you want to train your gut, so start off having a smaller amount further out and then increasing amount and getting more carbs in as you get more confident in the snack not upsetting your stomach. This will also get you more confident to having a snack during your game. Here is some help on what that can look like.
Snacking During Your Workout
One of the keys to a high performance or training is staying fueled. The snacks for during your workout will be similar to those for a pre-workout snack. Your snack should still be easy to digest carbohydrates, with little to no protein or fat. These quick-to-digest carbs give you a fast energy boost to keep you going.
What you choose will depend on your sport or activity, as well as the timing. For example, during a basketball game halftime, you might enjoy something like mixed fruit, an orange, or applesauce—foods that are easy to consume while taking a break. But if you’re running a race or doing track training, you’ll want a snack that’s quick and convenient, like Teddy Grahams, fruit snacks, or a Honey Packets, Gels or Chews. The key is to pick foods that match your movement and timing during the activity.
Post-Workout Snack for Performance: Rebuild and Refuel
After your workout, your body needs the right fuel to recover. The goal of a post-workout snack is to help your muscles rebuild, replenish lost energy, and rehydrate. This recovery phase relies on the “3 R’s”
Refill
Rebuild
Rehydrate
For optimal recovery, pair protein with carbohydrates. After training, your muscles have broken down and need protein to rebuild. The carbohydrates will help restore the energy used during your workout, giving your body what it needs to refuel and recover. Together, carbs and protein help replenish muscle glycogen and promote muscle repair, which leads to strength gains.
Some great post-workout snack combos include oats with fruit, a peanut butter and banana sandwich, a smoothie, or a yogurt parfait with nuts. These snacks offer a mix of carbs and protein to fuel your recovery.
Night-Time Snacking: Fuel for Recovery and Tomorrow’s Workout
After dinner, a night-time snack might be necessary to fuel your recovery and prepare for tomorrow’s activities—especially if you’ve got early training or a game coming up. Like your post-workout snack, your night-time snack should combine protein and carbs to keep your muscles replenished and your energy stores full.
The carbs will give your body the fuel it needs for storage, while the protein will slow the digestion of those carbs, keeping you satisfied throughout the night. This combination will also support muscle repair during sleep.
Examples of good night-time snacks include chocolate milk with a banana, trail mix paired with yogurt, an apple with peanut butter, or a smoothie with some pretzels on the side.
Anytime snacks!
Anytime snacks are exactly what they sound like, this is a snack that you are having anytime of the day (well kinda…) this is a snack, when it’s like 2:00 on a Saturday afternoon and you are hungry or you need a morning snack at school. For these snacks, choose 2 items out of two different groups . Carbs + Protein, Produce + Carbs, or Produce + Protein. Feel free to be creative and choose items that sound good.
Snacks are here to help you to meet your energy needs and perform your best, but planning ahead is the best way to make sure this happens. But if you feel like you need more, please feel free to check out the blog Creating an Eating Structure for an Athlete Schedule.
Need more help than this? I would love to spend some time chatting to see if we can set you up with your own individualized plan! Free Meet & Greet
Written by student Carlee Beth Roy & Katie Ullery-Syvarth, RD, LD, CSSD
