There are an abundance of snacks that taste good. And one of the points of food is to eat things you enjoy! But in drum corps, you’re working so hard that everything you put into your body should serve a purpose. Your bus box should be filled with foods that taste good AND that provide you with nutrients to help you repair and refuel your body. See below for a list of what to look for when building your bus box!
Meaningful Carbs
Carbohydrates are essential for refueling, but make sure you choose carb-filled snacks that will make the most impact! Snacks made with whole grains mean lots of added fiber, protein, and vitamins and minerals. Don’t over-do it on the carbs that are mostly simple sugars – like Sour Patch Kids, and Oreos.
My top choices: whole grain pretzels, whole grain crackers or pita chips, popcorn, whole grain cereals.
Protein
Proteins are used in the body for muscle repair and growth. Nuts and peanut butter have lots of healthy fats and fiber to go along with their protein. Choose snack bars with less added sugar and more protein. Also, these chickpea snacks are crazy good AND full of fiber.
My top choices: peanut butter crackers, snack bars, roasted chickpea snacks, mixed nuts, beef jerky.
Dried Fruits and Veggies
Fruits and veggies might not seem like the most obvious bus snacks, but there are a few travel-friendly options that you should absolutely add to your stash. Fruits and vegetables have tons of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to help your body refuel after a long day.
My top choices: pea snack crisps, applesauce pouches*, raisins, dried fruits, veggie crisps
*Note: To avoid grossness, after opening an applesauce pouch, either eat the whole pouch, or throw away what you don’t finish.
Treats
Again, there are a ton of treats out there; chips, cookies, candy, and more. These all taste great, but aside from saturated fat, salt, and added sugar, these treats don’t offer a lot of nutrition and won’t help you to refuel your best. Enjoy your treats occasionally when paired with your favorite, healthier snacks to get the best of both worlds! When putting together your bus box, limit your treats to just 1 or 2, and fill the rest with your favorite nutritious snacks!
Recap:
Drum corps is hard work, and that means you need great nutrition! Great nutrition should also taste great! Choose nutritious and delicious snacks that you love that will give you the nutrients you need in order to be successful, and enjoy treats on occasion.
Marching Health Bus Box GIVEAWAY!
One 2019 active drum corps member will win the bus box we created for this blog! See our instagram @marchinghealth for details of how to enter and win!