Parents What and when to feed my girl

[Deleted member 18037]

So Little is in the gym M, T, Th 5-7:30 or 5:30-8. They don't really break or snack.

We get in the house from school about 3:45, and it takes about 30 min each way to get to practice.

I sometimes feel like she is just not eating enough or that she is just not up to heavy meals before or after practice, although that depends on the day.

Lately she has been sucking down smoothies, any idea on how to pump up the nutrition on those. I have been using plain yogurt, fruit, milk, honey, some sugar, vanilla or Ovaltine.

Before we need to get homework done and then I try to get some food into her. After pratice, I try to bring a thermos or something to eat, because when we get home its pretty much shower and reading/bed.

I think I may have to adjust my Italian mindset. I feel like if we are not having an actual meal its not enough.

Thanks
LDW

 

[Faith]

Can she have a hot meal at school? If mine do that they can make do with a sandwich in the car before practice. Sometimes I pick them up from school and we get something in a cafe on the way.

Do you have a slow cooker? Prep in the morning, then it's ready to dish up quickly either before or after practice.

I also have a few freezer ready meals- fish pie etc, that take 5 minutes to heat.

I don't make mine shower before bed. Snack, 10 minutes downtime, bed. Unless she's a sweaty teenager she'll be fine.

Be careful of giving too much food after practice. It can get into a cycle where they eat a full meal, then aren't hungry the next morning, so don't fuel properly. Then a long practice means they don't have the energy to get through it, then are starving after, eat loads, then aren't hungry the next morning... I try and make mine stick to a small portion of a proper meal, or cereal/toast and the like.

 

[COz]

You forgot the "Where?"
The answer to which is "In the car"...

 

[Gymanna]

Add to smoothies - nuts, chai seeds, LSA, even oats !! You will need a good blender!!

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Add to smoothies - nuts, chai seeds, LSA, even oats !! You will need a good blender!!

Sounds good but what is LSA?

She buys lunch at school but you always wonder how much did they actually eat?
She is not a big sandwhich eater

She does eat some in the car on the way home, I do things like pork dumplings, Mac and cheese with some veg, veg/potatoe pancakes, ravioli with pesto, mini burgers or tacos.

I do they slow cooker and freeze stuff I can get ready for her quick. I think I may need to think about feeding her closer to getting off the bus.

I also wonder if she needs more carbs then I tend to think she does? Maybe more things like sweet potatoes/baked potatoe type things.

It seems some days she just barely takes a few forkfuls. Maybe I should try and bump up breakfast.

Remind myself perhaps that some cheese, crackers and turkey is Ok. It is Ok right?

thanks for the ideas, and feel free to keep them coming.

 

[COz]

Sounds good but what is LSA?

I googled it, put chia in with it and Google gives y a bunch of smoothly recipes

It seems some days she just barely takes a few forkfuls. Maybe I should try and bump up breakfast.

I find mine will eat more if I hand feed her. There's a small window where she will feed herself after training, otherwise she just gets too tired. Then it's a fight between tired and hungry...

Remind myself perhaps that some cheese, crackers and turkey is Ok. It is Ok right?

Of course it is!!

thanks for the ideas, and feel free to keep them coming.

Have a look through some of the old threads. There are heaps of good ideas that people have posted in the past, including things that are car friendly.

 

[Judybird]

The 30 minute car ride can turn into the perfect time for eating if you have the right utensils and dinnerware. Get some of those divided, covered travel plates and a lap desk. Prepare any meal ( besides a soup or chili), heat it and cut up any meat right before getting in the car, and let her eat on the way to gym. Then, the smoothie or fruit or nuts or sandwich for the ride home. I totally agree with not eating a heavy meal after practice and before bed. Whatever you choose to serve, think about the protein and nutrient content rather than the portion size. Large portion sizes are bad for all of us, gymnast or otherwise. Good luck!!

 

[Deleted member 18037]

I did a couple of searches, nothing popped

 

[COz]

You might have been searching the parent forum only. The default is to search only within the forum you're currently in.

Snacks: http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/search/3611359/?q=Snack&o=relevance

Meals (including 'on-the-go'): http://www.chalkbucket.com/forums/search/3611385/?q=Meal&o=relevance

Also, don't forget there is also a healthy eating forum here too, It's new, but this would be a great post in there.

 

[strawberries]

My go-to smoothie is Greek yogurt or coconut milk (canned) for a base, raw eggs for a bit more protein (I am very careful about my source), a bit of flax seed oil, coconut oil, raw honey, frozen mixed organic berries (or mango if I'm using coconut milk), and some Gotein powder (sold at Whole Foods). All these items keep well (in freezer or cupboard), and it is super easy when I'm out of fresh ingredients.

 

[Gymanna]

Sorry. LSA is a mix of ground up linseed, sunflower seeds and almonds.

 

[Iwannabemargo]

Mine will eat a monster breakfast, so its a full English (sausage, egg, bacon, baked beans, toast) and possibly porridge as well, she has packed lunch 4 days a week, when we get home if its a gym night I will make a quick meal, maybe pasta, pizza, curry, chilli. If we have time we eat at home (4 pm) if not she will finish it on the way to gym.

She also has a snack to eat at gym, usually a home made cake, then she may snack on the way home, she likes chicken.

 

[auswi]

For optimum preformance all athletes - not just gymies- do well on a snack ( not too bulky ) containing low GI carbohydrates before training.

Interestingly bananas that are slightly tinged with green are low GI whereas ripe ones are high GI.

Within half an hour of finishing exercise some protein is best to help optimum recovery (yoghurt/ smoothie/ choc milk are Dd's favourites.)

We firmly adhere to these guidelines but try to vary the 2 snacks- before and after.

Dd is a very high energy model, and the few times she just hasn't wanted a snack before training she's noticed how tired she is and so now will always eat her snack as she knows it helps her.

 

[Aussiemum75]

The dietitian gave me great recipe for my son who's a non gymnast (swimmer/nipper)but she said my daughter could eat before gymnastics too it's called a magic bean chocolate cake it's made with kidney beans and eggs sounds gross but kids love it

 

[Faolmor]

The dietitian gave me great recipe for my son who's a non gymnast (swimmer/nipper)but she said my daughter could eat before gymnastics too it's called a magic bean chocolate cake it's made with kidney beans and eggs sounds gross but kids love it

Sounds...interesting! I'm curious...could you PM me the recipe, please? (So I can watch DD reject it outright within 3 seconds of me offering it to her lol)

 

[auswi]

I would love a copy of the recipe too please sounds yum!

Maybe post it in the healthy eating forum- might save a lot of PMing LOL

 

[Aussiemum75]

Ok will post soon it's a thermomix recipe but can make it without one

 

[Aussiemum75]

here is the recipe Ive altered it a bit by removing the thermomix instructions

• 420 g kidney beans canned, drained
• 1 tablespoon water or coffee
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 70 g unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 125 g Butter
• 5 eggs
• 180 g sugar

Pre-heat oven to 160c fan-forced
in a blender mix beans water/coffee 1 egg and vanilla until smooth set aside

cream butter and sugar

Add remaining eggs beat

add the bean mixture

Add the cocoa powder, baking powder, bicarb soda, and salt and mix until well combined.

Pour batter into greased ring tin pan or cake tin. Bake 160C fan-forced oven for 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

 

[COz]

I used to make a women's weekly chocolate potato cake. I must dig up that recipe!

 

[Iwannabemargo]

Australian Womans weekly recipes rock !

I have several of their books, they are usually found in the cheapy book shops here, great recipes.