Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Pretzels, goldfish crackers, fruit that is low fiber and easy to digest - melon, mango etc at the beginning and during the meet. Chocolate milk, sandwiches, protein shakes, pasta at the end of the meet. Do not give protein bars and protein shakes during the meet or beforehand - it will slow them down. They need easy to digest carbs for energy during the meet.

Mango is about as high in fiber as you can get?

Not according to nutrition facts - lower than apple, orange, berries, etc. Those stringy bits are deceptive I guess. The fruits with even less are melons, peaches, plums.

I don't live in the DMV so maybe it is different for you. He swims with our local Y, and this weekend warm up is at 3:30 and the meet is from 4 to 7. It is just vs another Y. Yes he is 5, but he is very mature and a very strong (and fast) swimmer. He is terrible at ball sports, so we are trying to show him soccer (which he is terrible at and the other kids let him know it) is not the be all end all of sports.

Thanks for everyone who gave me snack advice!

My kid takes fruit, smoothies, and goldfish crackers.

I agree with other posters that 5 is really young for a club meet. The kids are generally separate from the parents for the meet with the kids on the pool deck and parents in the stands. Whatever you pack should be easy to access for your kid.

Packed my 6 year old a lightly buttered bagel, string cheese, apple slices, and treat (kinder bueno) for this weekend’s meet and he ate everything but the apple slices. Seemed to sustain him well for the 3-4 hours.

Apple slices, cucumber slices, dried seaweed, granola bar, Cheerios, Gatorade.

She eats none of it

You have your 5 year old attending meets that span snack and dinner time?

I used to pack a combo of nutritional suggestions by the Coach and treats… guess what got eaten?
At 5 it doesn’t matter, you just want them to be happy and not hungry.
I actually feel that way until they’re teens I think . My kid did club swim and meets for 2 years then didn’t want to anymore. Part of her decision was the meets….

I'm curious what meets your 5 year old is attending that will be during dinner time??? A 5 year old at a club meet is actually pretty rare, and typically 8 and unders swim at mini meets, which are generally in the morning or early afternoon. I can't imagine that a 5 year old will enjoy an hours long meet late in the day. I would encourage you to pick events strategically, that are towards the beginning of the meet, and then leave. There is no reason to stay until the end of a club meet.
in terms of snacks- I agree with what others have said- I used to pack healthy snacks, they came home squished in the swim backpack. For a meet that is at a mealtime I do usually make a sandwich and a piece of whole fruit- which may or may not get eaten.

My swimmer (20) is a creature of habit- he always packed a bag of pretzels, an apple, lots of water and a chocolate milk for after his last race.

Anonymous wrote:
Not a hill to die on - candy and junk are fine. If they don't get it from you, they will get it from their friends at the meet.

Focus on getting them a good meal in the morning and/or the night before or a decent lunch if it's a later meet.

It'll be easier if you surrender to this earlier rather than later and not stress about it too much.

This.

There will be kids with healthy snacks and according to my kids these same kids act like vultures in sharing the fun snacks brought by others.

Not a hill to die on - candy and junk are fine. If they don't get it from you, they will get it from their friends at the meet.

Focus on getting them a good meal in the morning and/or the night before or a decent lunch if it's a later meet.

It'll be easier if you surrender to this earlier rather than later and not stress about it too much.

Goldfish. Literally that is all the kids seem to eat during meets.

Occasionally pretzels, fruit roll ups, and fruit snacks.

Anonymous wrote:Pretzels, goldfish crackers, fruit that is low fiber and easy to digest - melon, mango etc at the beginning and during the meet. Chocolate milk, sandwiches, protein shakes, pasta at the end of the meet. Do not give protein bars and protein shakes during the meet or beforehand - it will slow them down. They need easy to digest carbs for energy during the meet.

Mango is about as high in fiber as you can get?

Pretzels, goldfish crackers, fruit that is low fiber and easy to digest - melon, mango etc at the beginning and during the meet. Chocolate milk, sandwiches, protein shakes, pasta at the end of the meet. Do not give protein bars and protein shakes during the meet or beforehand - it will slow them down. They need easy to digest carbs for energy during the meet.

Please help this rookie swim parent out with healthy-ish snack ideas you pack in their bags, especially for meets that span afternoon into evening hours, so taking place during the kid's typical snack and then dinner time. Swimmer is 5 going on 6, FYI.

Thanks!!