Stay Active Saturday - Sports Snacks

Today was our day to bring snacks for Big Sprouts baseball game, and I've been struggling for weeks to figure out what to bring. Normally, we're not at all shy about our eating habits being different, but for some reason, Jim was concerned about Big Sprout being known as "the kid whose mom brought vegetables". My initial idea was to bring baggies of carrot sticks, grapes and mini Larabars, but both my boys were urging me towards something more snack-y (as in, from a package).

Jim suggested homemade cookies or cupcakes, both of which I vetoed. I'd certainly make either for a special celebration or end-of-season party, but I'm not okay with the message that it's okay for kids to eat junk every Saturday just because they've been active. I see too many "big kids" who still justify their food choices this way (I used to be one of them!), and I'm all about doing my (teeny tiny) part to help the next generation realize that the more active you are, the more healthy food your body needs.

We reached a compromise with these Back to Nature graham cracker sticks - definitely not a health food but a special treat I get for my Sprouts every once in a while. I found the individual packages at Whole Foods, and they made both my boys (the little one and the big one) happy. We also brought a small baggie of grapes for each team member, along with a cooler of lemonade made from water, lemon juice and agave nectar.

All the kids seemed to like it, and the team coming in to play the next game even tried getting in on some too! In hindsight, it seems silly to have worried so much about this, but I really wanted to strike the right balance and show that healthy food can be just as fun! And it's a good thing we figured it out since it's our turn to bring snacks for soccer next weekend!