Gluten-Free Snacks and Quick Dinners for Your Athlete

Jack in Summer 2016

As a mother trying to balance busy schedules and the pressure of making healthy meals, it can be challenging to say the least.

I'll be the first to admit, we won't be the healthiest on the block, but I will do my best! I mean, we're doing pretty good...Jack eats spinach leaves and hard boiled eggs every day!!

As spring baseball practice begins, I'm back to whipping up quick meals and making sure Jack gets energy before the game and isn't starving afterwards.

Depending on how much time we have, I may just have Jack eat a filling snack before his game. A heavy meal before a game is just not a good thing. So, here are some snack options below that I will suggest before game time.

"Before the Game" Snacks

• Favorite Gluten-Free Bars - really, whenever you need a healthy bar, grab one - Pamela's, Van's, Enjoy Life Foods and so on.

Jack's 1st season of T-ball in Fall 2011

• Peanut Butter and Banana - like, mini banana sandwiches. 

• Yogurt - add his or her favorite fruit

• Hard Boiled Eggs - Jack loves them!

• Almonds, Walnuts and Pumpkin Seeds

• Apple Slices and Peanut Butter

• Chex Cereal Trail Mix - variety of chex cereal, add pumpkin seeds, dried fruit, sunflower seeds, GF pretzels and a variety of nuts.

• Ham/Turkey and Cheese Roll-Ups with strawberries 

• Pretzels (gluten-free of course) and Peanut Butter   

• Hummus and Vegetables/Tortilla Chips

"Quick" Dinners

Whether before or after the game, these dinners will satisfy your athlete's taste buds and make your life a little less stressful with easy prep and minimal time to prepare.

• Hot Dog / Turkey Hot Dogs 

Don't forget the ketchup - Jack loves ketchup!!

• Cheeseburger - Jack's favorite - he loves it cut up with some ketchup on it. It will give him some protein for the game - serve with veggies and fruit.  

• Baked Potatoes - Top them with cheese, sour cream, bacon, broccoli...

• Scrambled Eggs/Omelet 

• Pizza - serve with carrot sticks and pears

• Grilled Cheese with apple sauce and veggie  

• Pizza Roll-Ups

• Your favorite GF Chicken Tenders with Ore Ida French fries, fruit and/or veggies  

  

And don't forget, make sure your athlete drinks plenty of water and stays hydrated! Always have a couple of bottles of water handy for before and after the game.

Enjoy watching your athlete play this season and don't stress about dinner!

PLAY BALL! :)

EASY Gluten-Free Easter Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

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A couple of years ago, I had fun baking and decorating these Easter Egg Sugar Cookies. Pamela's Sugar Cookie Mix are so easy, you simply add a stick of butter, and 1 egg, mix together, roll out dough and that's it! Then you're ready to cut out your Easter cookie shapes.

The tulip cookies are so cute, but sadly, my frosting skills failed. BUT, they were still deliciously edible. Better luck next time!

Be for you read any further, I'm not being paid to promote this product. I've been using PAMELA'S baking mixes for 9 years now. I'm a HUGE fan. You can do a SEARCH (top right corner) of my blog - just ENTER "Pamela's" or "Cookies" and you'll see, I am a dedicated Pamela's consumer. I LOVE her products.

Easy Gluten-Free Easter Sugar Cookies

We made tulip cut-out cookies too!

Tulip cookies ready to frost!

My daughter helping...

    

    Egg cut-out cookies fresh out of the oven!

See how easy it is? It's so easy, especially for non-bakers like me. And I'm very pleased EVERY time I bake with Pamela's mixes. I have used this sugar cookie mix numerous times now and I couldn't be happier with it. 

Don't worry, you still have time to get your Sugar Cookie Mix before Easter! You have plenty of time to run to the grocery store (should find it in the "Gluten-Free" or "Organic/Health" sections) or more conveniently, order from Amazon - it'll be at your door in just a couple of days.