T-ball Snack Suggestions

Hi, I am biased because I am a dietitian who sees how fat kids are getting but also a Mom who knows a fun snack adds to the enjoyment of sports. Very little energy is expended in T ball or most younger kids sports for that matter. I prefer to send fruit like a small bag of pre-cut apples or grapes or orange slices but my kids prefer I bring fake fruit snacks. If I do the later I try to buy the ones with real fruit juice at least. Costco has 100% fruit strips that most kids will eat also. For drink I do 100% juices for the younger ones or mini water bottles. the oder ones i will do small gatorade bottles occasionally. mostly I do ice cold water bottles as this is the best hydration for young athletes. gatorade is bad on teeth and not really necessary for exercise 1 hour or less. Pretzels or baked chips can be good as they cause kids to drink more water! I avoid the word partially hydrogenated on kids snack ingredients. just wish Kellogg's, Quaker and Keebler would too. I have seen gold fish bags and cheese sticks given also but not as many kids ate the cheese stick. I think parents should not go overboard on snacks. small portions not too many choices.and bring a few extras for siblings if you can. Hope this helps!

2 moms found this helpful

I bring juicy juice or Sunny D bottles. (I know so yucky). Then I bring grapes or the packs of Goldfish or Ritz Bitz peanut butter.

1 mom found this helpful

I have to disagree with Debbie G on this one..."after-game snacks need to be quick, easy and easy to eat, so don't get too hung up on "healthy"

Why not be healthy? There should be no other choice for our children. There are PLENTY of healthy snacks that are quick and easy to eat. For my daughter's soccer practices, when it was my turn I gave:

water
100% juice
cheese sticks
grapes (already packaged for individual servings at Sams Club)
cut strawberries, blueberries, blackberries
orange slices or the cuties that are out now are great
cantaloupe
bananas
whole apples (not sliced)
organic granola bars with choc. chips from Whole Foods (no hydrogenated oils)
Annie's organic bunny crackers (also from Whole Foods...lots of varieties)
whole grain or whole wheat crackers and laughing cow cheese wedges
yogurt sticks (lots of different flavors)
pudding (no high fructose corn syrup...kozyshack has some good ones)
jello individual cups

I hope this helps. A lot of great ideas were suggested below. Good luck.

1 mom found this helpful

Baby dill pickles wrapped in turkey slices...
watermelon slices and cheese cubes...
Frozen applesauce....
Peanut butter and sliced apples....
Snap peas, cut up peppers, and baby carrots and ranch dip... (which you can buy in single serve containers)
Baby carrots and hummus....
Pitas with hummus or peanut butter...
ants on a log....
cups filled with yogurt, granola, and blueberries...
fruit smoothies....
frozen banana popsicles (put a half banana on a stick, smear peanut butter on them, then roll them in crushed nuts or cereal, then freeze)
tortilla with lunchmeat and cream cheese rolled up....
string cheese and watermelon...

There are so many healthful opportunities for snacks. Try to avoid sugary drinks and soda, and stick to either water or 100% juice. I always try to make sure that every snack has some protein, some whole grains, and a bit of sugar in the way of fruit or veggies.

1 mom found this helpful

peanut butter crackers, cheese crackers, Pretzels, fruit, Real fruit juice.

Cut up oranges and apples and make baggies of raw almonds. The kids will get hydrated, energized by the natural fruit sugars and juices; the almonds provide good fats and protiens.

hi mom you can start by getting the kids something that is healthful like juices fruits sandwiches and etc just at long as it is healthful for the littles kids and waters bottle water is good fruits snacks and i hope i was alittle bit of help to you good luck with that mom.

The kids really love the orange slices. I slice them ahead of time and put them in freezer bags... they are delicious cold :) Soft pretzels are also a big hit... sometimes you can get mini ones or nuggets... i don't know if they do that where you are.

Orange slices...they love to do the smile thing with them and they get the boost of vitamin C.

Depends on the time of game. Is it AM or PM? AM go for more healthy breakfast foods (muffins, fruit, etc.) then brownies or cookies. I hate it when my kids have a 9 or 10 AM game and leave the field with a brownie. Why?
Fruit is good anytime... grab a bunch of bananas and apples and let the kids pick (just make sure you have enough of both for all kids incase you happen to get the whole team only likes bananas. Gold fish crackers or snack pretzels are good choices too. You want it to be something kids like (a treat for a good job) but it doesn't have to be loaded with sugar and fat. Evening games are tricky too because you do not know what kind of dinner schedule people have. Some kids eat before 4PM others not until after the game is over at 7:30. And if it is a late game you don't want to load them up on sugar then send them to bed. Just think about things your kids enjoy that you would want them to have at that time of day.... if the snack was just for your kid alone what would be a good choice? Afternoon games are the safest... if game is over at 2:30 on a saturday probably kids have eaten lunch and not near enough to spoil dinner... for a more sugary treat. Ice pops are great. Stay away from anything that will be too messy though. So ice cream sandwiches- just a big mess! Cookie and brownies at this time would be fine, just make sure the drink is abundant enough to "wash it down".
Capri suns or juice is always a good and easy choice for drink. Make sure it is good and cold. On hot summer games I always freeze it and bring it in a cooler- that way by the time the game is over it is thawed enough to drink but still ice cold to refresh those hot tired little ball players.
Hope this helps :)

I think I'm going to be in the minority here but..... I typically do something like Capri Sun. They have cut some of their sugar and most kids like them. They are also low cost. I try to do something like gold fish or small packages of cookies. The Grips are great because they are not very big but are just right for the younger kids. Not too much sweet but enough to be something sweet. I second the no nuts or peanut butter. You never know who is allergic.

Something like Rice Krispy Treats and juice pouches for everyone. Or small bags of Cheez Its, cookies, etc and a juice box, etc.

My son doesn't like oranges so I usually bring grapes and oranges, and either those little bottles of Propel or all- fruit juice box. All the stuff I get from Costco. I also sometimes have added Rice Krispie treats. Make sure you bring a trash bag for all the trash, and peels.

Have fun!!

capri sun or any type of juice box, fruit snacks or fruit roll ups, small bag of chips my lil guy is in t ball as well and hes six now (this is his secondyear) and the kids just love it

We've done the baseball thing for years now and here are a few things that work well.
Any kind of drink is fine.
Food snacks:
granola bars
chips
popcorn
crakers
cupcakes
popsicles
cookies
fresh fruit

Fave fun and good luck!!

I do a juice box, and 2 snacks-usually gold fish and rice crispy treat. and then i put them in individual lunch sacks-it's quicker and I dont need a cooler. Plus, I bring extra for siblings. Other things I have done is string cheese, fruit snacks, orange slices, strawberries, grapes, chips. Not having to deal w/ a cooler is ideal.

I just brought the other day (also 5 year old T-Ball). I brought juice, granola bar, tangerine and a tiny little coin of chocolate (the chocolates that are wrapped in a gold foil and look like gold coins). Other moms had brought gummy candy and juice and a fruit. I am not fond of gummy chewy candy. Another mom brought these ice pops. They were cool. Kind of like snowcoan tasting but in strips like yogust strips. They were in the suppermarket as liquid and she froze them before coming. Have fun

We have a ball complex that hosts all ages of T-Ball, parent pitch, machine pitch ,etc...they also have a consession stand. It is their choice for the parent's to buy the team tickets, purchased for 50 cents but worth a dollar. They have regular chips, soft drinks in cans, gum, fruit rollups, etc....It's once a week and it really is a treat.

Our T-Ball field has T-Ball games on Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday at 6pm and 7:15 pm, the kids usually only have one game per week. It is expected the kids have eaten a meal before the games. It is expected the kids bring their own water bottles or drinks to drink during the game. The tickets are given out after the final handshake between the teams and the kids go pick out what they want that is on the team ticket list. Any refreshments/snacks are usually done at this time, not during the game.

If you want to bring a snack for the team that they are going to be taking home with them then be prepared to give snacks to all the kids in that family. It is very hard to look at a little brother or little sisters face when big sister or brother has something really yummy and they don't get any. If they go to the concession stand the parents have to go and they usually buy for their other kids.

We have done it both ways on the different teams over the years. I prefer to just give them a ticket because they really like having choices and it is actually cheaper.

What is really great, are those little h'ordeurve mini-hotdogs in puff-pastry, which they sell at Costco. Really good. I have had adults and kids of all ages, really like them. My super picky son included.
And you don't have to cook... and it is easy.

Sure, you wanna be healthy & not junk food oriented as all Moms strive to be... or it can just be fun and something with protein (which gives quality energy boosts), like these mini hot-dogs. And then, at Costco... they have in 2-pack jugs... these apple/banana smoothies. Not expensive at all, and healthy. I find it in the chilled fridge section at Costco... near the veggie cold room. (dont' know if it is in the same place at your Costco).

Or those mini croissant sandwiches, which you can find at Costco.

ANYTHING that is low maintenance and easy.

I would advise, staying away from anything with nuts/peanuts in it. As some kids may be allergic.

good luck,
Susan

Juice boxes to drink. Orange slices or green grapes (cut the little bunches off the main stems so they are easy to pick up, or put a serving into a baggie). Apple slices are good too, except by the time they get to eat them, they turn brown. I know lots of the other moms gave great ideas for healthy snacks, but after-game snacks need to be quick, easy and easy to eat, so don't get too hung up on "healthy" (I'm going to get clobbered for that advice, aren't I ;) ) And, after dragging snacks and drinks to soccer, baseball and basketball games for almost 20 years, buy a small cooler WITH WHEELS and pull it to the field from the parking lot. SOOOOOOOO much easier!!!!

Hi, I usually bring a little bag for each kid, with a Capri Sun or other juice, a fruit snack and maybe a granola bar. Something like that should go over real well-and I usually put the team's logo on the front of the bag, just for fun!

Cheese and fruit and water