Best snacks for swim meet

Swim meets are sometimes more tiring than practice itself. It is extremely physically demanding, and emotionally draining as well. Swimmers must keep up high levels of adrenaline and energy for the meet, and withstand mental pressure from coaches when competing at important meets.

So they need a good supply of snacks for a swim meet.

A good way to keep energy levels high during meets (or even during practice) is by eating healthy snacks throughout. You need to have your pre-swim snacks as usual.

So in order to keep up your energy, we have made a list of snacks and food that swimmers should keep in their bags for competitions. This list has been compiled based on the following:

Easy to make: Competitions happen very early in the morning and require a great deal of travel. You also need food every 2 hours. Therefore, snacks that you prepare before the competition should be easy and efficient to make.

Easy to carry: Snacks should be travel-safe. They should not spoil quickly, leak easily, or mix with other food in your bag. The food cannot be refrigerated during a meet, and needs to be small enough to fit in your bag.

Easy to eat: Meets involve a lot of running around, and there is not much place to sit. Participants are also wet for a large duration of the meet. Therefore, the food that you bring should not be messy or difficult to eat or require a fork and spoon.

Easy to digest: During a competition, you need quick, easily digestible energy, or you may feel heavy. Greasy, fat-rich, or spicy food should therefore be avoided.

With all these in mind, here are a few snacks that as a swimmer or as a swim parent you should bring to your next event. For a detailed diet plan, you should always consider talking to a nutritionist.

Sandwiches

Sandwiches are a healthy, tasty, and filling snack. This can be had during longer breaks, as a source of protein and carbohydrates.

Whole Wheat and Multigrain bread are very good for your health, and the filling should ideally be a good protein-fat balance.

Try not to use fresh vegetables, as they can make the bread soggy when kept for long periods of time. To keep sandwiches fresh and soft, you can wrap them with aluminum foil.

Some sandwiches that you can pack easily are egg sandwiches, peanut sandwiches, chicken or paneer, and mashed potato sandwiches.

Also, see that you have a drink like smoothies along with your snacks.

Wraps Or stuffed parathas

Another alternative for a quick filler is wraps. Using fresh rotis or tortillas, you can add different fillings, that can be eaten quickly while providing different nutrients.

Rotis or chapatti can be rolled into a wrap with fresh and healthy ingredients inside. For example, you can make an egg roll with chicken pieces, or paneer rolls with capsicum and onion.

Fresh Fruits

For quick boosts of energy and good hydration, fresh fruits should be your go-to. They are easy to consume and digest while being a great source of glucose and nutrients.

Oranges, guava, banana, or apples can be easily consumed and remain fresh throughout the day. Cut fruits like watermelon or melon are also recommended, but are messier to carry.

Nuts

Nuts are a great source of healthy fats, protein, and fiber, and are helpful as a small snack to munch on quickly. They can help swimmers feel full and provide sustained energy throughout the meet.

They are also the easiest to transport. It is easiest to pack trail mix, which is a mix of nuts, seeds, and dry fruits.

Yogurt with granola

Granola is a good source of carbohydrates and is very filling. Yogurt is a great source of protein and calcium, which are important for muscle and bone health.

The snack is very easy to make, and delicious. You can even buy pre-packaged granola with yogurt. However, try to keep your granola and yogurt in a food bag to keep them fresh.

Boiled eggs

Boiled eggs are a swimmer’s favorite. An excellent source of protein, and very easy to digest, boiled eggs can be had anytime, anywhere during a meet.

They have essential amino acids necessary for muscle repair and growth, ensuring you do not feel physically fatigued during a competition.

Energy bars

Energy bars are the staple snack for competitions. They have all the necessary food groups and are a great source of energy. Energy bars can be bought according to your preference, being either all-natural, or sports-formulated. They are easy to carry along or buy at competitions. All swimmers should keep at least 3 bars in their bag during the swim competition.

Ragi Dumplings

Ragi dumplings are similar to regular dumplings, except they are made with ragi dough. They are an excellent source of protein and can be made according to preference. They can be had as substantial filler in between longer-spaced events. Although ragi dumplings are not famed for their taste, they are extremely beneficial for health.

Crackers with Hummus

Crackers with hummus are a good filler. Although it does not contain a lot of energy, it is still a very healthy snack that is easy to digest. They are also easy to pack. You can have crackers with hummus as lunch during a meet, and pack this with ease.

In any normal competition, multiple events over all age groups take a long time. Competitions can be anywhere from 12 hours long to 3 days long. Having events that are placed consecutively, or events that require a lot of waiting time means that your energy becomes depleted quickly. This makes food and hydration even more important. The more energy an athlete has during a competition, the better they will perform. This includes both physical and mental.