Road trip snacks are half the fun of traveling, but for Olympic athletes, bringing food on-the-go is about way more than getting snacky. An Olympian's diet requires some specific ingredients to keep their energy up and their health in check, and chances are a visit to McDonald's in the Olympic Village isn't going to cut it as fun and necessary as that may be for them sometimes!!

To be clear: We very much support them in this! Find out which staple snacks Team USA members always pack when they're traveling for a competition. To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, visit TeamUSA.

Watch the Tokyo Olympics beginning July 23 rd and the Tokyo Paralympics beginning August 24 th on NBC. Almost every Olympian we've interviewed has mentioned protein bars as a crucial part of their trainings and regular diets, but Paralympian Mallory Weggemann was one of very few who got specific about her preference: "When I'm late to training and need something quick, I love their peanut butter chocolate [flavor].

The protein-packed snack is a go-to of MyKayla Skinner 's, particularly while she's flying to and from competitions. We're racing for 30 minutes as hard as we can, and if you upset your stomach that morning it can set you back.

I bring my own Instant oatmeal, bananas and peanut butter. We've recently been to China, France and Japan, and every time we bring a few boxes of chocolate soy milk. We bring the ingredients to make protein balls — you can just mix them up in the ice bucket at the hotel and roll them up.

I love waking up and making an Aeropress of Peet's coffee — all the girls on our team do the same thing! I bring freeze-dried Mountain House meals that replace some of the dinners that were either not enough or just hard to touch. At one hotel in Germany, our lunch was literally only boiled potatoes with sour cream Each athlete has to listen to their body when it comes to the timing of meals and snacks.

Some athletes are too nervous to eat before a game while others rely on the energy boost from their pre-game snack. A general guide is to eat a meal at least hours before physical activity and choose a snack between calories within an hour before go time.

You may need to eat less or adjust the timing if you experience GI symptoms. If you find that you are low on energy halfway through a game, consider eating more calories beforehand or having a snack on the sideline.

Mini-pretzels can replenish sodium lost in sweat and supply you with carbohydrates. Always do what works best for your body! For more information, contact us today at KellysChoice. Still looking for tips to get the most out of your athletic performance?

Our scouts can help you on your way through the recruiting process to play in college. To help you choose healthy snacks, I created a list of easy snacks that you can pack and take with you on the go.

These are items that you can eat at home, or pack with you between classes in school, or quickly eat after-school and before practice. They all provide a combination of protein and carbohydrates, as well as vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients to support training, performance and health.

Hard-boiled eggs are a great portable protein option for those on the go. One egg provides between grams of protein, depending on the size of your egg. Smash your hard-boiled eggs into a flour tortilla for a quick carbohydrate plus protein packed snack that you can take with you on the go.

Smoothies are very easy to make and — when made right — offer a great snack for between meals. This simple blueberry protein smoothie is made with only three ingredients — Greek yogurt, frozen blueberries and skim milk.

Try this basic blueberry protein smoothie. Beef jerky is a convenient and portable protein powerhouse. It comes shelf-stable great to keep on-hand in your pantry! and is easy to grab-and-go. is available just about anywhere and comes in a wide range of flavors and options.

The teriyaki flavor beef jerky pictured provides 11 grams of protein per ounce, and also provides a small amount of carbohydrates to support energy needs. Pair a protein-packed snack like these with a cup of grapes for a quick, portable carbohydrate.

Whole grain breads are a great way to add fiber and flavor to your diet and is a great energy source for exercise. The turkey provides the protein source, and you can top with lettuce, tomato and other vegetables for added nutrition.

Put your bread in its own bag and pack your turkey and vegetables in a separate container. That prevents your bread from getting soggy and it helps to keep your vegetables crispy. Add a side of strawberries for nutrition.

For a quick balanced snack, put plain or flavored Greek yogurt in a bowl and top with granola and fruit. Greek yogurt is a great source of high-quality protein, and the granola and fruit add carbohydrates, fiber and a wide variety of vitamins and minerals.

Another great snack combination is hummus paired with veggies and Naan bread. A ¼ cup serving of classic hummus provides ~5 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber.

It also provides iron, phosphorus and a variety of other vitamins and minerals that athletes need. Pair it will raw vegetables and Naan bread for a great snack. Try this homemade classic hummus recipe.

Sandwiches, wraps and pitas make eating healthy on the go easy. They also make a great vehicle for adding vegetables to your snack.

Just 2-ounces of albacore tuna fish provides ~ grams of protein.

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Eating healthy helps prevent injuries and improve muscle development. Junk food is calorie rich, sugar loaded and nutrient poor — it provides no nutritional value to the body. Focus On These Points: Emphasize food as fuel: Your body needs quality fuel in the form of food to keep it running properly and maximize performance!

Be a role model: Young athletes admire no one more than you; their parents, coaches, and other adults that influence their daily choices. Sports drinks should be used after 60 minutes of moderate physical activity.

Empower them to make their own health decisions and help inspire their teammates! Fruit salad: Slice or buy pre-cut fruit salad. Bring a serving spoon and individuals bowls to serve to the athletes.

For a fun twist, make fruit kabobs! Fun trail mix: Make a mixture of a dried fruits, nuts, seeds, pretzels, and one sweet. Want more dipping options? Add whole grain crackers or crisp breads. Mini yogurt parfaits: Divide granola into individual snack baggies and serve with prepackaged individual yogurt cups and spoons.

Add some berries for an extra boost of flavor and nutrients! Mini deli sandwiches: Whole wheat roll, 1 small slice cheese, and 1 piece of turkey—done! Veggies with dip or hummus: Divide pre-cut veggies into snack bags and bring individual containers of hummus dip.

Kids love dipping! Nuts or seeds Peanuts, almonds, cashews, sunflower, pumpkin Dried fruit Raisins, cranberries, cherries Cheese Cheese sticks, slices, cubes, squares Whole grain crackers or pretzels Look for the whole grain symbol on the front of the box Hardboiled egg Make a few dozen and keep them in a cooler during the game Popcorn Aim for a little salt; avoid the loaded butter or strong flavorings Hummus Most stores offer small pre-packaged containers for convenience Granola bars Watch those covered in chocolate or other sugary coatings Yogurt For extra hot days, freeze the yogurt for a cool treat after the game.

Fuel and Focus Helps keep your muscles energized and brain focused on the game. Today, if I feel like having a chocolate chip cookie, I have one, just not every day. I hydrate and allow myself time to recover.

And I listen to and communicate with my body so that I can be the best version of myself. In the end, you are in control of how you see, treat, and respond to your body. Be a true sport athlete. Love who you are in this moment and get excited for all the places your body will take you.

Today, I want to talk to you about being a good sport. First, real winners act the same toward their opponent, whether they win or lose.

Second, follow the rules and be a gracious winner and respectful loser. And third, sportsmanship reveals your true character. I started competing in Modern Pentathlon eight years after my older sister and three-time Olympian, Margaux Isaksen, began competing. I soon realized that people often compared the two of us.

I know that it would have been easy to let our hyper competitive mindset affect our relationship, but instead we decided to support and cheer for each other, regardless of our own performance. My experience of competing against and being compared to my older sister, taught me to focus on how to perform at my best, rather than putting wasted energy into wishing for others to fail.

I believe that sportsmanship reveals true character. Remember, be a fierce competitor, find grace in all your victories and losses.

And I hope to see you out there. Maybe what you want is very simple, for everyone to just run in the right direction, score for their own team, to try and try again and again.

Maybe you want your athletes to become all stars. You want them to earn trophies, medals, win titles. You want them to reach the highest height their sport allows. But as every great coach discovers, developing a great athlete means nurturing, nurturing the even greater person within.

Truth is, you have even more influence than you know. You can be both the coach who provides the skills needed to win the game and the coach who helps them learn and succeed beyond the sport, to become all stars wherever they land in the future, and to enjoy their lives more now, because the confidence and courage they find working with you will stay with them when they need it the most.

There are games to be won, lives to change. Coaches have the power to do both. What kind of coach do you want to be? At first glance, dietary supplements look the same. Most vitamins, minerals, fish oil, and other supplements containing nutrients are probably just fine, but supplements are not evaluated or approved by FDA before they are sold.

Although it is rare for vitamins or minerals to be contaminated with drugs, there has been at least one case of a vitamin containing an anabolic steroid.

At the other extreme are products that contain drugs, stimulants, anabolic steroids, or other hormones. Even though these are not technically dietary supplements, many of them are labeled as supplements. For example, body-building products sometimes contain anabolic steroids or Selective Androgen Receptor Modulators, known as SARMs, or other hormones.

Some pre-workout or energy products contain illegal stimulants like DMAA, ephedra, or other amphetamine-like stimulants. Weight loss products might contain prescription drugs like sibutramine, or hormones, like human chorionic gonadotropin, also known as hCG.

All natural or herbal sexual enhancement products might contain hormones or Viagra-like drugs. After all, two products might look the same, but one might contain just amino acids and other legitimate ingredients, while the other also contains anabolic steroids.

Because of this, FDA has issued a warning about certain categories of supplements: body building products, weight loss products, and sexual enhancement products. Be extremely careful when considering a supplement in one of these categories.

We strongly recommend that you avoid products in these categories. Even when FDA tests supplements and finds dangerous ingredients, companies sometimes refuse to recall them.

Sometimes, they simply repackage their product and continue selling it under a new name. You need to do your research and be an informed consumer. The dietary supplement industry is enormous. Supplements that appear to be safe could actually be dangerous products in disguise.

If you use dietary supplements without doing your research, you may be taking serious risks with your health and your career. Skip to content. Search Close this search box. Facebook X. com Logo formerly Twitter. Youtube Instagram Linkedin Pinterest.

Facebook Twitter Youtube Instagram Linkedin Pinterest. July 1, Nutrition. Coaches Educators Parents. Ingredients: Almonds — Even a few almonds a day have been shown to improve overall diet quality, possibly thanks to their high fiber, protein, magnesium, and vitamin E content. Dried blueberries — An uncommon addition to trail mix, blueberries boost fiber, vitamins, minerals, fructose, and antioxidants.

Dried tart cherries — Packed with antioxidants and they have even been linked to increased recovery for athletes. Pumpkin seeds — Get a unique blend of protein, fiber, manganese, magnesium, and phosphorus by adding these seeds.

Banana chips — For a more endurance-based trail mix, banana chips add a hefty dose of carbohydrates. Hard-Boiled Eggs with Apple Slices or a Banana For a shorter or easier effort, your athlete may not need a hefty snack, and this simple option provides healthy protein, fat, and carbohydrates without overdoing it.

The calorie serving is a quick-hit for pre or post-practice to tide an athlete over if dinner is happening soon. Related Content. REDs: The Role of Nutrition in Prevention. February 1,