Health & Nutrition
We encourage and promote healthy eating and good nutrition on every course and ask parents and carers to only provide non fizzy drinks for their children during coaching sessions.
Health and nutrition is also used as part of the “play at home” theory as discussed in the link. Please provide children with an adequately sized water bottle clearly marked with their name. Recipes can also be provided for scrumptious healthy snacks, these will be posted on the forum goals page from time to time so keep a look out for them.
Easy Peasy Pizza
This pizza is a firm favourite in our family being a healthy alternative to the usual pizza and is super easy to make, great for the children to be actively involved in the preparation. The beauty of this recipe is you can add as little or as many of your favourite toppings as you would like – experiment and have fun. Homemade pizzas are a great way for us parents to unknowingly get some fresh veg into those fussy eaters' tummies.
YOU WILL NEED
For the pizza base
- 225g (8oz) Self Raising Flour
- 1⁄4 tsp Salt
- 50g (2oz) butter
- 50g (2oz) cheddar cheese – grated 1tsp mixed herbs
- 150ml (1/4 pint) milk
You will need tomato puree as a base sauce, or you could swap the traditional tomato base for something more exotic such as a barbeque sauce! Then grate on as much or as little cheese as you fancy and add on some toppings such as, peppers, onions, etc – go crazy with lots of healthy options.
WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO DO
- Pre heat oven to 180c/350f. Sieve together flour and salt. Using finger tips, rub in the butter so that it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
- Stir in grated cheese and herbs. Stir in the milk until the mixture forms a soft dough.
- Turn on to a lightly floured surface and knead for around 1 minute until smooth.
- Roll the dough on to a large, well greased rectangular tin (or circular if you are clever enough to roll it this shape!).
- Add base sauce, cheese and chosen toppings and bake for around 20 – 25 minutes.
Fruit Smoothies
Making your own smoothies are super easy and children generally love being involved in the making and the decision making as to what is going to go in them. The best thing is you can use whatever fruit you fancy, the combinations are endless, but nutritionally rewarding.
Ideal fruits and combinations to use are:
Mixed berries – fresh or frozen, bananas, kiwis, peaches. All mix well with either milk or yogurt or cream and definitely some ice, a straw and if you are feeling extra fancy a paper umbrella! Make the afternoon an exotic day to remember. These are great for re fuelling after sporting activities.
Traffic Light Ice Lollies
Ice Lollies are simply a food that children (and adults) cannot resist. However, shop brought ice lollies are mainly full of sugar, artificial colourings and flavourings. Making your own is a perfect way to pack fresh fruit into a diet. You can be assured that your child is getting a great source of energy boosting nutrients and they are great as a refreshment on a summers afternoon.
YOU WILL NEED
- 9oz Strawberries
- 4 1⁄2 tbsp runny honey
- Fresh orange juice
- 5 Large ripe Kiwi fruit, peeled and sliced
WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO DO
- Using a blender, puree the strawberries, then sieve to get rid of the seeds.
- Stir in 1 1⁄2 tbsp of the honey into the strawberry puree. Then pour the puree into ice lolly moulds, only filling one third up then freeze until firm.
- Then add 1 1⁄2 tbsp of honey to a large cup of orange juice and repeat the process.
- With the remaining honey, mix together with pureed Kiwi fruit and for the last time repeat the above process.
Trail Mix Bars
Trail mix is a snack food which is often used for outdoor recreational activities such as hiking and mountaineering due to its high vitamin content, it is a great source of energy boosting yumminess. Trailmix is a great healthy snack for children on the go and perfect for lunch boxes.
YOU WILL NEED
- 55g (2oz) Butter
- 3tbsp golden syrup or clear honey 100g (3 1⁄2 oz) quick cook oats 80g (3oz) soft brown sugar
- 30g (1oz) cheerios
- 40g (1 1⁄2 oz) raisins
- 40g (1 1⁄2 oz) pumpkin seeds
- 55g (2oz) dried cranberries
- 40g (1 1⁄2 oz) sunflower seeds
- 1⁄4 tsp salt
WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO DO
- Pre heat oven to 325f/170c. Grease a small tin approx 20cm x 20cm.
- Put the butter and golden syrup (or honey) in a small pan and cook over a low heat until melted. Set aside to cool.
- Place the remaining ingredients in to a large bowl and give a good mix together. Add the cooled butter mixture, and stir again until thoroughly combined. Transfer the mixture to the greased tin and press down firmly.
- Bake for around 30 minutes or until the centre is slightly firm to the touch.
- Allow to cool slightly and either cut in to bars, make approximately 8 or spoon out from the tin and place in an airtight container as a quick finger food snack.