19 big snack ideas athletes can prepare

If you head off to school, university or work around training times it’s important to plan ahead and make sure you have the right foods packed, that way the fuel needed to prepare and recover from training will be available when you need it.

Most of the snacks below contain both carbohydrate and protein so they are great before and after training – they don’t require much preparation so they are easy to pack and take with you.

Here are 19 snacks you can prepare at home for a quick lunch or snack. You can even pack them in a lunch box and take with you for the day. These examples can be used as a guide for the combinations that make a balanced snack.

19 bigger snacks which are good around training

1. Whole meal or grain toast with 140g tin baked beans

2. Whole meal toast with 1-2 eggs your way

3. Two egg omelet with cheese served with toast

4. Toasted sandwich with ham, low fat cheese and tomato

5. One cup wholegrain flaky cereal or ½ c muesli and light milk

6. Low fat or natural yoghurt and fruit salad

7. Fruit smoothie made with milk, fresh fruit or vege, ice, and low fat yoghurt – blend and serve

8. One cup pasta with a tomato pasta sauce and low fat cheese = tasty cheese or low fat ricotta

9. One slice toast with 140g tin spaghetti and slice low fat cheese

10. Mini pizzas on English muffin with ham & low fat cheese

11. Homemade custard with sliced banana

12. Low fat cheese sandwich on grain bread with avocado

13. Homemade fruit muffins or banana/fruit loaf

14. Two slices regular raisin toast with low fat ricotta

15. Homemade creamed rice custard or sago

16. Peanut butter sandwich on grain bread

17. Jacket potato or sweet potato with creamed corn or baked beans and some low fat cheese

18. One take away container of leftovers from the night before

19. Half a packet 90 sec microwave rice with a 95g tin of flavoured tuna stirred through and some frozen vegetables