3 Tips sports moms need to make healthy food choices when they’re at the ballfield
One of the hardest thing about being a sports mom, other than having to spend your free time in the car driving everywhere, is spending your whole weekend at the ballfield. It makes finding a even somewhat healthy meal very difficult. As a fellow sports mom, I get it and I have been there. But the good news is, I’ve come up with a few tricks to help busy sports moms make healthy decisions whether they’re at the concession stand or a convenience store!
Over the last eight years, I’ve prioritized my health and wellness and in turn, I’ve prioritized making sure my whole family gets healthy, nutritious meals, no matter where we are. I wanted to put together this simple guide to help you stay on track with your health goals while you fuel your little (or big) athletes so you can all be successful!
The main problem I found was that traditional sports foods aren’t the healthiest. And it’s hard to go out for healthy food when you’re running from game to game. I’ve come up with a few tips on how find food from convenience stores and concession stands that will keep you in alignment with your goals!
Make a plan for you & your athlete
The absolute best thing you can do if you want to stick to your health goals is to make a plan. I say it all the time because it’s always true! On any given weekend, I have 7-10 ball games between my three kiddos. Which usually means we spend our entire weekend away from the house.
I know from experience that if I go into a weekend without a plan I will not stick to my goals. Not because I don’t have the willpower to do it, but because it’s impossible to make healthy choices when you have limited options!
When I don’t have a plan, I’m forced to eat whatever I can find at the ball field for every meal and snack. And while I love a soft pretzel and nacho cheese as much as the next girl, I know that’s not going to help me reach my goals. Plus, I know that crappy food isn’t going to help my kids play at their best either.
Instead, I like to come up with a meal plan for the weekend that helps me stick to my goals and fuels my kids to be able to play!
For some of my meals, I’ll pack food from home, but I also plan to eat out for at least one meal. That meal out can range from grabbing food at the concession stand, hitting up the closest convenience store or going out to a restaurant with the team.
I like to plan out exactly what I”m going to grab or order for that meal out so that I can really enjoy it! Then I plan the rest of my meals around that one. I use my 3-step meal planning strategy, which I talked about a few weeks ago. Go read about it and grab the freebie in my Facebook Group, Busy Mom SImple Nutrition, it will be so helpful!
How to find healthy options at convenience stores
Whether you’re including convenience store or concession stand foods in your meal plan or you’re simply looking for something somewhat healthy to eat when you forgot to plan (no shame mama, that happens to me too!) After spending almost a decade at ballgames, I’ve figured out the best options for busy mamas who also want to eat healthily, and I’m happy to share my knowledge!
I’m not against having an occasional treat but when you’re grabbing something every weekend or multiples times in one weekend, that’s no longer occasional. That’s habitual! Instead of grabbing a candy bar and Diet Coke as a between-games snack. Let’s fuel our bodies and give them the nutrients they need to keep up with our active kids!
When you walk into a convenience store like QT or Circle K, you are probably used to seeing the donuts, candy bars, nachos, etc. And you might think there’s not going to be anything healthy in there so you might as well, grab whatever sounds good. But the truth is there are lots of great options available if you learn how to find them!
Whether you’re at a convenience store or a concession stand you’re probably going to be able to find some of these snacks that will keep you on track with your health goals and stop you from getting hangry and becoming that mom.
String cheese
Peanuts (just be sure you’re aware of how much you’re eating because nuts add up quickly!)
Hard-boiled eggs
Yogurt (opt for greek yogurt that’s higher in protein if you have the option!)
Pretzels and hummus
Protein bars
Beef jerky or turkey jerky
Protein shakes
Electrolyte drinks (Mama needs to stay hydrated too!)
Now, let’s talk real meals because while these are great snack options they’re not going to help you make it through the whole day!
When you go to a convenience store, or even concession stand, look for their fresh or prepared foods. A lot of places will have pre-made sandwiches, salads, burritos, etc. you can usually find something in that section that will fit into your health goals.
When I’m on the go, I like to go to QT and get a sandwich or wrap. They’ll make them fresh to your specifications, so I’ll load up on protein and veggies! It’s basically what I would have packed for myself but it didn’t sit in my cooler and get soggy all day!
The more you look for healthy options wherever you’re at the more you’ll see them! If you don’t see anything readily available, ask someone! Especially, if it’s at a concession stand. If you’re a regular at the concessions they might be willing to stock a few healthy options! Get the other moms to ask too, if they see a need, they’ll fill it!
Don’t forget to hydrate
We’ve talked a lot about food, but let’s not forget hydration! When you’re spending hours at the ball field you have to make sure that YOU stay hydrated.
I know you’re thinking about your kids and making sure they have water and electrolytes but you’re also getting hit by the sun, so you need to be paying attention to your water too!
You should be drinking at least half of your body weight in ounces every day to stay properly hydrated, but if you’re spending hours out in the sun you should be going above and beyond that! There isn’t a magic number to hit since temperatures and UV levels vary, but just make sure that you’re not thirsty and that you’re going to the bathroom a lot.
You can always add electrolytes to your water to help replenish all the minerals you’re losing by being out in the sun. But don’t forget to think about the foods you can also be eating that will help hydrate you!
Foods that have a high water content are great for hydration. You can eat them on their own, throw them in your water or even blend them up into a refreshing smoothie!
Watermelon
Strawberries
Cantaloupe
Peaches
Oranges
Cucumber
Lettuce
Zucchini
Celery
Tomatoes
Bell peppers
Cauliflower
Grapefruit
Coconut water
Infusing your water - and your kids’ water - with some of these fruits are even better for you than processed drinks like Gatorade!
Skim milk, yogurt and cottage cheese are also great for hydration and are higher in protein so you’ll get a lot more bang for your buck with them!
Being a busy sports mama isn’t an excuse to ignore your health. You need to set an example for your athlete! Show them how important their health is now as they’re playing sports and how important it is when you stop by making your health a priority!
If you want to start making your health a priority, but feel like you don’t even know where to start, then let’s talk! I was in your shoes once and having a coach teach me what healthy looked like for ME was a game changer. (Pro tip: dieting is not healthy eating. So don’t think I’m just going to show you how to do another 12-week diet! I know you need more than that!) Schedule your free discovery call today so you can lead your family to health and happiness!
