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Post-workout Snacks for Teens and Tweens

March 28, 2021 By Maria Adams Leave a Comment

Post-workout snacks for teens are important to help them recover from their sport and provide the energy they need to keep going until the next meal.

post-workout snacks for teens

Whether your adolescent plays soccer, runs track, or dances, they will benefit from having a snack after their activity.

Why Have Post-Workout Snack?

Having a snack soon after exercise will help promote muscle recovery and restore hydration levels. This will help athletes feel their best and optimize their energy for the rest of their day, as well as their next practice, game, or event. A planned snack can also cut down on the “pantry grazing” that might otherwise occur.

When to Have Your Snack

In the past, research has suggested it’s ideal to eat within 30 to 45 minutes after a workout. However, more recent research suggests this window is longer. Still, it’s wise to eat a snack soon after practice so you don’t get over-hungry later.

An individual’s hunger level after a workout will depend on a variety of factors, including the intensity and duration of their exercise, what and when they ate before their activity, and their age and size.

What to Look for in a Post-Workout Snack?

The 3 key parts of a post-workout snack include:

  1. Carbohydrates
  2. Protein
  3. Fluid

Bonus:

  • Fruit or veggie

Carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are your body’s main source of fuel and extra important for athletes.

After a workout, carbs are needed to help replenish depleted glycogen in the muscles. Glycogen is the way our bodies store carbohydrates. It provides our muscles with the energy they need to move, so making sure that they are refueled and ready to go again is vital!

Here are some examples of foods that are rich in carbohydrates: bread, cereal, pasta, crackers, pretzels, granola bars, fruit, potatoes, corn, yogurt, milk, and legumes.

Protein

To maximize muscle recovery, choose a snack that provides protein. The protein will help repair and rebuild damaged muscle fibers, which is especially important after a hard workout. Moreover, growing adolescents need adequate protein available for overall body growth.

Here are some examples of foods that are rich in protein: dairy milk, soy milk, Greek or Skyr yogurt, kefir, cheese, fish, poultry, pork, beef, eggs, tofu, edamame, nut butter, seed butter, chia seeds, hemp seeds, and beans.

Fluid

Hydration is important. In general, water will suffice. Studies suggest that electrolyte replacement drinks or “sports drinks” are only needed when the exercise is intense and lasts longer than 60 minutes.

Note that other foods, such as milk, smoothies, and “watery” foods such as watermelon and soup, will also count towards hydration goals.

Ideally, athletes should drink water not only after their workout but before and during their workout too.

Fruit or Veggie

Add a fruit or veggie when possible. This will help provide vitamins that are needed for repair and recovery. Plus fruits and veggies tend to be filled with water and will help with hydration.

How Much Should I Eat?

Portion sizes are so individual. Rather than following a guideline, practice intuitive eating and listen to your body. Choose a snack that you enjoy and then eat until satisfied; trust your body to know when you have had enough. If you are interested in more personal advice, seek out a Registered Dietitian who specializes in intuitive eating and has expertise with sports nutrition.

Also, know that it’s ok if your snack doesn’t meet all the criteria listed in this article all the time. Eating should never have rules around it. Moreover, food choices are about more than nutrition. Other factors that come into play include what’s available, appealing, and convenient.

Ultimately, what your adolescent decides to eat (or even whether they eat) is up to them. But you can help out by keeping a variety of options available at home. 

22 Post-Workout Snack Ideas

Here are 22 post-workout snack ideas. (Note that these would make excellent post-workout snacks for parents too!)

  1. Chocolate milk. A simple refueling classic. Chocolate milk is often recommended as a recovery drink because it contains a 3:1 ratio of carbs to protein, considered to be ideal after a workout.
  2. Chocolate banana smoothie. Take the chocolate milk up a notch by combining milk, a frozen banana, and cocoa powder in a blender for this delicious combination.
  3. Turkey sandwich on whole-wheat bread. Sandwiches aren’t just for lunchtime. They also make a great post-workout snack. Only a little hungry: make it half a sandwich.
  4. Peanut butter chocolate chip balls plus a fruit or veggie.
  5. Cheese and crackers plus grapes.
  6. Egg sandwich with arugula or baby spinach.
  7. Trailmix plus fruit.
  8. Greek or Skyr yogurt plus granola and berries.
  9. A smoothie made with kefir or yogurt or a non-dairy smoothie made with soy milk plus frozen fruit. (If using a low-protein milk like almond or oat, add a scoop of protein powder or a tablespoon of peanut butter).
  10. Overnight oats. (Prep ahead with berries or sliced banana on top.)
  11. Chia pudding with berries. (Prep ahead and grab and go.)
  12. Granola bar plus a glass of milk and a piece of fruit. Read about choosing granola/energy bars here.
  13. Banana bread plus peanut butter.
  14. Strawberry muffin plus a glass of milk.
  15. Whole-grain pretzels plus hummus and fruit.
  16. Baked potato with butter and smoked salmon.
  17. Pita chips and hummus and veggies.
  18. Hard-boiled eggs plus fruit and/or toast.
  19. Leftover pizza slice(s).
  20. Almond butter toast with berries.
  21. Donut apples with Greek/Skyr yogurt or nut/seed butter for protein.
  22. Protein bar plus a piece of fruit. (Yes, protein bars are good and especially convenient when on the go, but as you can see from this list, there are so many more creative options!)

These are just some suggestions. Use this list to think beyond the protein bar and help inspire your own list of ideas.

I should also note, that sometimes your activity will end just before a meal. In that case, by all means refuel with breakfast, lunch, or dinner instead.

Related Posts:

  • Pre-Sport Snacks for Tweens and Teens
  • Refueling with Smoked Salmon Stuffed Hasselback Potatoes

Sources and Resources:

  • Essential Sports Nutrition by Marni Sumbal, MS, RD, CSSD, LD/N (affiliate link*)
  • Fueling Young Athletes by Heather R. Mangieri, RDN, CSSD, MS (affiliate link*)
  • How Teen Athletes Can Build Muscle with Protein
  • Timing Your Pre- and Post-workout Nutrition

Disclaimers:

Note that this post is meant to be used as a guide only. For more individualized guidance please consult a Registered Dietitian.

*These are Amazon affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

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I'm Maria, a mom and Registered Dietitian with a love for good food. Let me help you navigate your way to happier, more confident eating and cooking. I take a non-diet, intuitive eating approach and truly believe that all foods can fit! Read More…

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Teens and tweens benefit from snacks to help bridg Teens and tweens benefit from snacks to help bridge the gap between meals. Add sports and the need for a snack becomes even more important. 🤸‍♀️🤾🏽‍♂️⛹🏿‍♂️🏄🏼‍♀️🏑

So what should your teen eat after a practice or event? 

Ideally, they should eat food that provides both carbohydrates and protein. Water is also important to help with rehydration.

Carbohydrates are our main source of fuel. We store carbohydrates in our muscles as glycogen. After exercise, it’s important to replenish the lost glycogen. Carbohydrate-rich foods include:

✔️grains such as cereal, bread, rice, crackers, granola, and oats
✔️dairy products such as milk and yogurt
✔️starchy veggies such as potatoes and corn
✔️fruit 

Protein helps us repair damaged muscles and teens need to have a ready supply of protein for growth too. But think beyond the protein bar, you can actually get ample protein from a variety of foods, including:

✔️Soy, dairy, or pea protein milk 
✔️Greek or Skyr yogurt
✔️Kefir
✔️Cheese
✔️Nuts and seeds
✔️Nut and seed butter
✔️Beans and legumes
✔️Eggs
✔️Seafood such as salmon and tuna
✔️Meat such as turkey, ham, chicken, and beef

I have put together some suggestions for snack ideas in these infographics. In general, it’s great to include a fruit or veggie as part of the snack when possible. 🍓🥝🍅🥑🥒🥕🫐🍎It can help to think of the post-workout snack as a “mini-meal” versus just a snack. 

Of course, it’s important to remember that the snacks don’t have to fit into these neat categories or include produce all the time. Eating should never have rules around it. Moreover, food choices are about more than nutrition. Other factors that come into play include what’s available, appealing, and convenient. 

Ultimately, what your adolescent decides to eat (or even whether they eat) is up to them. But you can help out by keeping a variety of options available at home. 

To learn more and get additional snack ideas, go to my latest blog post, link in profile. ⬆️Also, be sure to save this post for future reference (or perhaps share with your teen)!
Weekends call for pancakes! 🥞I have finally sta Weekends call for pancakes! 🥞I have finally started increasing the batter size so that it makes enough pancakes for my family of four. My teen boys can eat a lot and lately we had been running out before the pancake maker (that would be me!) got to eat (or at least eat enough). 

Here is my modified “Flying pancakes” recipe. You can find the original on my blog. 

1 cup spelt or white whole wheat flour
1 cup oat flour
1-2 tablespoons sugar (optional)
2 teaspoons baking powder 
1/2 heaping teaspoon baking soda
1/2 heaping teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 1/2 cups kefir or buttermilk
1/2 cup plain oat milk
2 tablespoons avocado or canola oil

butter for greasing pancake pan

toppings of choice 

1. In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients.
2. Add liquid ingredients and stir until just combined.
3. Heat pancake pan of griddle.
4. Grease pan with butter. Cook over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes and flip and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes or until golden brown.

Enjoy with toppings of choice. No fresh berries? 🍓🫐No problem. Try frozen berries, applesauce, and bananas as pictured here! Or add chocolate chips to the batter, yum.
Happy first day of spring! 🌱The sun is bright ☀️ here and I am on my way out to do some yardwork. It just feels like a day to be outside and after a week of too much time on my computer 👩‍💻 I know that’s what I need! 

Speaking of bright, I made this pretty “Moroccan-spiced carrot salad with lentils” last weekend. It was so delicious and luckily there was enough to enjoy it for a few leftover lunches. Recipe from @loveandlemons cookbook. I highly recommend it. 

What’s on my cooking list today? Not sure. Sometimes you just need a little rest and regroup day if you know what I mean! I am hoping for some local takeout tonight. 

How are you spending your Saturday?
Happy St. Patrick’s Day! 🍀Why not celebrate w Happy St. Patrick’s Day! 🍀Why not celebrate with a minty green smoothie/ Shamrock Shake? 

Here is how I made this one:

Shamrock Shake

1 smoothie

1/2 cup @siggisdairy plain full fat yogurt
1/2 cup oat milk
1/2 frozen banana
1 cup baby spinach
7 mint leaves

whipped cream 
dark chocolate

Combine yogurt through mint leaves in a high-speed blender. Pour into a class. Top with whipped cream and then use a microplane to grate dark chocolate on top. Enjoy! 💚

PS - Don’t fear the full fat dairy! It tastes delicious and provides a mega dose of satisfaction. Also, often times when we go for the low-fat we end up adding more sugar to make it taste good. 

#shamrockshake #happystpatricksday #luckoftheirish #greensmoothiesrecipe #siggis #luckysmoothie #stpaddysday #snackideas #familysnacks #momsnack #chocolateplease #dailysiggis #siggisambassador #halsanutrition #foodtographyschool #foodtography @foodtographyschool #replicasurfaces
Friday night is pizza night at our house. 🍕Ofte Friday night is pizza night at our house. 🍕Often, we order takeout but sometimes we make it ourselves.👩‍🍳Pictured here is one of my favorite combo’s: 𝕔𝕒𝕣𝕒𝕞𝕖𝕝𝕚𝕫𝕖𝕕 𝕠𝕟𝕚𝕠𝕟𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕞𝕦𝕤𝕙𝕣𝕠𝕠𝕞𝕤 𝕡𝕝𝕦𝕤 𝕒𝕣𝕦𝕘𝕦𝕝𝕒. 🌱Topped with mozzarella and perhaps a drizzle of balsamic glaze it’s 💯.

You can get the recipe for this classic on my blog, link in profile. Here I’ve made it on my homemade rye pizza dough (also on the blog). But you could also pick up some ready-made dough at the store.

One of the best parts of making your own pizza is that everyone in the family can add their own favorite toppings. 🥦🍅🍆🧅🧄My husband generally eats anything I make 🤣 but my kids are more selective. One loves onions but not mushrooms and one prefers just cheese (and red sauce).

Does your family have a pizza night? Do you sometimes make your own or stick to take out? 

#mushroompizza #onionpizza #arugula #flatbreadpizza #recipeontheblog #pizzanight #familypizza #makeyourownpizza  #halsanutrition
I love whipped cream. I'm talking homemade, no sug I love whipped cream. I'm talking homemade, no sugar added, plain whipped heavy cream. It's the way my mom made it growing up.⁠⁠
⁠⁠
It's not a food I eat very often, but that means that when I do have it I savor it even more. ⁠⁠
⁠⁠
For example, in these Swedish "semlor". These traditional lenten buns are eaten from January through Easter in Sweden. The sweet cardamom yeast dough is baked until golden and then filled with almond paste and whipped cream. ⁠⁠Dreamy. 😍
⁠⁠
I made a couple of batches last month. I ended up freezing several unmade buns to have on hand for future "fikas" (Swedish-stye coffee breaks). ⁠⁠
⁠⁠
I finally pulled out the last of them from the freezer today. It turns out my 12-year old really loves to eat these buns plain, he simply takes it out of the freezer and pops it in the microwave for a bit. 🙂 So alas, there are only 4 left, but they are now ready to go for our afternoon fika. ⁠⁠
⁠⁠
While I haven't written up the recipe for these (it takes time to translate my Swedish metric recipes into English!) you can do a search and find many good recipes online. 

Happy Thursday! 💗⁠⁠
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#semlor #semla #swedishlentenbun #swedishbaking #homemadesweets #nordicbaking #nordicinspired #homemadewhippedcream #whippedcream #almondpaste #cardamombun #fikatime #slowdown #savorfood #fikatime #fika #coffeebreak #enjoylife #bepresent #todayfood #intuitiveeating #allfoodsfit #foodisculture #foodistradition #foodtography @foodtographyschool #replicasurfaces @replicasurfaces #foodtographyschool #halsanutrition⁠⁠
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Happy Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day!💫 Happy Registered Dietitian Nutritionist Day!💫 

I’ve been a dietitian for 22 years now (but who’s counting!?) Over the years, I have learned that health is about more than nutrition and that nutrition is about more than the food that you eat. Yes, nutrition is important but so are the other reasons that we choose food, such as culture, family, celebration, preference, accessibility, and availability. 💫

These days I take a I take a non-diet, intuitive eating approach in my work. I help people let go of diet culture, improve their relationship with food, (re)discover the joy of eating, get inspired in the kitchen, and feel confident in the choices they make. 💗

Here’s to my fellow RD/RDN’s! I feel grateful to be part of this smart, supportive, and inspiring community. ✨

📷pic of me in my sun-filled ☀️office this afternoon, taken by my 12-year old before he borrowed my phone to film a science project! 😁

#RDNday #rdday #dietitiansofinstagram #nationalregistereddietitianday #intuitiveeating #intuitiveeatingRD #nondietdietitian #antidietculture #registereddietitiannutritionist #halsanutrition
Happy Tuesday my friends! Took a little two week h Happy Tuesday my friends! Took a little two week hiatus from IG to rest and refresh (and grade papers!), but I am back at it. ❤️Excited to bring you more nourishing family food recipes, non-diet tips, and positive inspiration. 

The weather here in New England is warming up ☀️but there is still a chill in the air. I have been making chili, soups, and stews to have on hand for quick and satisfying lunches. Pictured here is a turkey, kale, and  barley soup that is delicious and easy to vary based on the ingredients you have on hand. Recipe coming to the blog soon. 💫

#turkeysoup #kalesoup#barleysoup #halsanutrition #nondietapproach
So I tried to make an impromptu video on how to ma So I tried to make an impromptu video on how to make a chocolate banana smoothie. As you can see it did not go too well. 🤣Seriously, there are several takes like these. My 14-year old was manning the camera and couldn’t keep himself from laughing, which meant that I could not stay serious either. 😂(So then I tried filming myself, but holding your phone with one hand and trying to pour a smoothie into a glass with the other is not so easy.) It might be time to invest in a phone stand. (Or stick to photos!)

In case you are curious about how to make this smoothie, here is the recipe:

Chocolate Banana Smoothie 🍌🍫

1 cup milk
1 banana (frozen for a thicker and colder smoothie) 
1 tablespoon cocoa or cacao powder (we love @flavanaturals which is delicious and extra high in antioxidants )

(Optional add in: 1 tablespoon peanut butter)

Simply combine everything in a blender until smooth. Pour into a glass & enjoy! It’s perfect snack for hungry, growing tweens and teens....and hungry, busy mamas too! It’s especially great for refueling post-exercise. 

#videobloopers #chocolatebanana #chocolatebananasmoothie #snackideas #familynutrition #halsanutrition
Mix up your usual breakfast or snack by adding a v Mix up your usual breakfast or snack by adding a veggie or two. 🌱Sure, eggs on toast are delicious alone, but they really make you pause and slow down when they are presented in as colorful of a way as here.⁠⁠ 💛
⁠⁠
Veggies not only add beauty, but they also add flavor, texture, and, of course, nutrients. ⁠(Microgreens are one of my favorite additions. I also love radishes and need to remember to buy them more often!)⁠⁠
⁠⁠
It's easy to get in a rut with our meals. It's also easy to mindlessly eat while scrolling or typing away on our devices. ⁠⁠
⁠⁠
Put the screen away and carve out a little extra time to make your meal. Add a little extra color to your plate in the form of veggies or fruit and then give your food the full attention it deserves.⁠⁠ 🌈
⁠⁠
Sure, it takes a little more work to wash and slice up some produce, but the effort is well worth it. ⁠⁠💫
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#halfplateveggies #moreveggies #eggsontoast #satisfyingsnack #nourishingsnack #mindfuleating #mindfulsnacking #colorfulplate #halsanutrition #snacktime #familynutrition #momnutrition #spiceupyoursnack #mixupyoursnack #nourishingfood #nondietapproach #intuitiveeating #registereddietitian
Happy Weekend! 💫It’s snowing here again, but Happy Weekend! 💫It’s snowing here again, but it’s winter after all. ❄️ I find it absolutely beautiful but that said, I admit I am also looking forward to warmer days and being outside without my fingers & toes getting cold so easily! (hello #reynauds)

I did get my boys out for a dog walk in the snow this afternoon. Grateful for these moments. ❤️ Also grateful for our dog who gets us out of the house even when it’s cold out. 

Hoping we get enough fresh snow for cross-country skiing this weekend. And perhaps an outdoor fika. ☕️What are your weekend plans? 

#stillwinter #marblehead #weekendmood #getoutside #snowflakes #halsanutrition
More snow is coming ❄️❄️❄️here and to More snow is coming ❄️❄️❄️here and to say that temperatures have been cold throughout most of the US lately would be an understatement! 💨So why not warm up with a hot bowl of soup or stew. 🍲

My latest blog post features a round up of 11 delicious vegetarian soup and stew recipes from some of my favorite food bloggers. Best of all, they can all be made with the help of an instant pot or slow cooker.

Included in the round up is my slow cooker black bean, sweet potato, quinoa chili pictured here. 🌶 

Get the link in my profile. ⤴️ 

What’s your favorite soup or stew?

#slowcookerrecipes #vegetarianrecipes #plantforward #halsanutrition #familyfriendly #instantpotrecipes #familyfuel #souprecipes #stewrecipes #vegetarianchili #foodtographyschool #foodtography #meatlessmonday
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I'm a Swedish-born, New England-raised dietitian with a love for good food and baking. Follow my blog for nourishing recipes, non-diet nutrition advice, and a touch of Swedish inspiration. Read More…

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