Learning how to eat at a swim meet takes a bit of practice. As a swimmer advances from a young kid to a teenager, you might see changes in their eating habits.
When my 16 year old started swimming at age 9, a swim meet didn’t mean much and all the snacks packed by mom was the best part of the meet. Fast forward almost 9 years into swimming and we have done a complete 180 and I find myself reminding her to eat during the meet to keep her energy up.
Summer swim is unique because of the time spent in the heat, with warm-ups, cool-down laps, swim events, and hanging out with friends. This means that they need to time their snacks so that they aren’t full when they are ready to swim, but they also have enough energy to sprint their race — eating during meets is all about the correct balance.
Make sure your swimmer has a good meal 2-3 hours before warm-ups and have a plan for a post-swim meet meal.
Here are my top 5 summer swim meet snacks for all swimmers and why.
Top 5 Summer Swim Meet Snacks
1. High Water Content Whole Fruits and Veggies
My top summer fruits and veggies for swim meets are
- Grapes
- Strawberries
- Cucumber
- Watermelon
- Oranges
This will always be my top pick for snacks overall because they serve a double purpose – natural sugar and water. During summer swim, fluid and hydration are number one. If a swimmer gets dehydrated, you can bet that their performance will suffer. The natural sugars in the fruit, especially, will help give a continuous supply of energy as they swim multiple individual races and relays.
2. Applesauce Packets
This could have been grouped in with number one above, but since it’s not a whole fruit, it gets its own category. Applesauce packets get a nod for the same reasons as above, but I like them because they are convenient and quick.
Applesauce packets can be kept in the pantry and are a quick out the door grab to throw in a swim bag for quick energy. Also, you won’t have to worry about these getting smashed, as you would with a whole fruit. They can also be eaten super fast or taken right to the marshaling station if the kids are marshaled well ahead of their swim.
3. Energy Bites
Some people may call them protein bites or energy balls, but they are all essentially the same thing. It’s a ball made with a nut butter base, oats, and a variety of other ingredients like flax seeds, chocolate chips, or raisins.
If you’re still not sure what they are, here’s an example of what I make: Peanut Butter and Oat Energy Bites
I like these for meets because they are, as advertised — a quick burst of energy. Most of the time, they also will force hydration as well, because well, peanut butter makes you thirsty.
4. Yogurt
Depending on the type of yogurt you choose, this could be a good option for kids who don’t like to eat during the meet. Let me break it down for you:
- Yogurt drinks: Yes! Keep these in a cooler for a quick and cooling shot of sweetness. A couple of caveats with this though — if you’re buying probiotic yogurt shots, you need to be sure your kids are accustomed to drinking these, otherwise you might sent them running to the bathroom in a couple of hours.
- Yogurt tubes: Yes! Sure, there are some with quite a bit of sugar in them, but these are great for keeping energy levels high, with a bit of protein to keep them from getting hungry again too quickly. For summer swim, freeze these the night before the meet. When the temps hit 90°F, your kid just might eat.
- Container yogurt: Maybe. Steer clear of the high-protein Greek yogurts for swim meets. While they may be great for everyday yogurt eating, they are not the best for meets. You don’t want to overload with protein – it digests slower than simple carbohydrates and having a full gut is the last thing you want when you’re swimming.
5. Sports Drinks
If you have a kid who doesn’t like to eat solid food during a meet, you have to meet them where they’re at. When all else fails, go for electrolyte drinks – the full sugar kind. Yep, none of this sugar-free nonsense. If there is isn’t any food being consumed for 3-4 hours during a swim meet, it’s time to get some calories and some hydration in your swimmer. This is so important if the temperature and humidity are high. They will be sweating.
The 8-ounce Gatorade size is perfect for putting in a cooler and ensuring a minimal amount of waste. If you buy a bigger size, your swimmer may not drink all of it once it gets warm, all bets are off for finishing that up during the meet.
There are some rules to electrolyte drinks – they are not all created equal. For it to be considered a sports drink, it has to contain electrolytes, such as sodium, potassium, chloride, magnesium, and/or calcium. Sodium is one I look out for the most. Some “hydration” drinks do not have significant amounts of sodium to be considered sports drinks, so beware of that.
