Eat for the Heat!
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by Jeni Tackett, Registered Dietitian, Trinity Medical Center
The heat is on, and you may find most of your meals and snacks come from the concession stand at the pool and sports fields. Before you spend all of your money at concession stands on sports drinks and nachos, consider these 5 tips for summertime nutrition:
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Water is best: Sports drinks were created for high-intensity endurance events that last longer than 90 minutes (such as a marathon). Sports drinks contain carbohydrate and small amounts of sodium and potassium. If your child is playing one baseball game, water is sufficient for hydration. However, if your child plays back to back soccer games all day in the heat then alternating water and
sports drinks may be beneficial for hydration and adequate electrolytes. If there are breaks between games, water is sufficient. For days spent lazying around the pool, water is best.
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Planning is essential: If you are headed to the ballpark or pool for the day, pack a cooler with water and healthy snacks. Bring baby carrots, cut up melon, almonds, and string cheese. Having some healthy snacks available will reduce how much junk food you and your children consume from the concession stand.
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Make better choices: At the concession stand, make better choices. For example, a grilled chicken sandwich with ketchup (hold the mayo) provides protein and is a lean choice. Popcorn is a healthier choice and provides fiber (fiber is lacking in most concession stand offerings). Ask for no butter on the popcorn, and you have a satisfying snack at the game.
Here are some calorie counts from concession stand foods:
Nachos and Cheese: 1100 calories
8 oz. Bag of Peanuts: 700 calories
6 oz. Hamburger: 490 calories
5 oz. Bag of Cracker Jacks: 420 calories
5.5 oz Pretzel: 400 calories (no cheese)
Slice of Pizza: 300-400 calories
Regular Hot Dog with Mustard: 290 calories
Grilled Chicken Sandwich: 280 calories (no mayo)
Bag of Cotton Candy: 210 calories (note: all the calories are from sugar)
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Split Snacks: If you really want nachos or a pretzel with cheese, buy one and split it amongst your family. You will cut the calories and fat grams in half or more.
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Eat Mindfully: Do not view eating at a game or the pool as
a free-for-all. I spend half my summer at the ballpark, so if I ate whatever I wanted then my diet would be very unhealthy. Focus on eating and be aware of how many snacks or treats you eat during the day.
Enjoy your time in the heat with plenty of water and healthy foods. You will look and feel better come fall!
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Jeni Tackett is a registered dietitian at Trinity Medical Center and the Two Rivers YMCA. Jeni majored in Nutrition and Dietetics at East Carolina University in Greenville, North Caroline. She lives East Moline with her husband, Nathan and their two children, Noah and Lily and two dogs. Jack and Lola.For a listing of all of Jeni’s blog posts on MVHNews, click here. |
For goodness sakes, you are going to the ballpark. Enjoy the darn snacks for once without worrying about the calories. It is not as if you are eating the junk food for every meal!
We are going too damn far dumping guilt on people because they enjoy something once in awhile. Kids do not want carrots at the ballpark.
People who do not make healthy choices are going to ignore this article, so you are wasting your breath. Those that do make the healthy choices already know how to eat.
I am sick to death of reading these stupid articles telling people what they already know.