Things I Can't Say

Tips and Tales from an Introverted Mom

The Trouble with Pinterest: Soccer Snack Edition

snacks for soccerTo be honest, I already had a little bit of a problem with soccer snacks to begin with.

A forty minute game(or even less in the case of the U5s) and they really need a half-time snack and an after-game snack? Especially since games are either right after breakfast, right before lunch, or right after lunch.

But whatever, that’s the norm, the kids can have their snack. Whatever.

I only say “whatever” when I truly don’t care as I seriously HATE that word.

But then, because of Pinterest, not only are there soccer snacks, but there are fancy soccer snacks.

Cookies and cupcakes with soccer ball designs or with each child’s jersey number somehow put onto whatever snack is made.

Or snacks that are constructed to look like a goal.

Constructed, y’all.

Someone stop the madness.

Already, I have to worry about getting three boys to their games, usually on the same day, sometimes at the same time, and sometimes on fields that are a half hour apart from each other. And what the heck with soccer socks? They make it near impossible for me to just yell at my boys to get themselves ready for their games!

This is our go-to snack when it’s our turn: orange slices for half-time and then a juice box and something simple like crackers or granola bars for post-game.

What do you bring when it’s your turn to be snack mom?

*Btw, if you are one of those super crafty snack moms: can you cover my snack day, too? 😉

 

Comments

  1. My “select’ players don’t do snacks.  LOVE IT.  The fancy stuff is saved for year end (not season end) parties.

    As for my 5 year old, they only do after game snacks and most of use bring a packaged drink and a small packaged snack.

  2. I always thought those soccer cupcakes were for soccer-themed birthday parties. I’d never do oranges because my kids can’t eat them without becoming a sticky mess. Then they’d go back to the field and get dirt stuck in the sticky mess on their hands. Nightmare. I stick with little bags of cookies or chips.

  3. We do NOT do fancy–one parent does drinks (Gatorade or Capri Suns) and one supplies the snack (regular granola bars, fruit snacks, or some mini-chip/cookie/pretzel bag). Semi-junk food is allowed, and since they’ve just run around for an hour, no one cares.

    My creative “hit” one season: wrote “Go Team XXX” on the blank space on the rice krispy treat wrapper. Yeah, fancy.

  4. I have never heard of a half time snack, but after game snack seems practical. I say give them smart pop or buy a bag of apples and call it a day. They don’t need the cupcakes unless it’s very their soccer party. Then I would be happy to come make them for you!

    • I don’t mind them so much- but it’s crazy to think it would need to be elaborate for a regular game. Wish I could have you make cupcakes for me. 😉

  5. Okay, now that is overkill. Snack at half time AND after the game? Seriously?
    We don’t play soccer in our house, but we do play baseball, and most of the time, there is an after-game snack. This year, Buddy moved up from t-ball to machine pitch. At the first practice, the coach said, “We aren’t a soccer team. I don’t do snacks. LOL

  6. I agree with kmama, that is overkill! The kids definitely do NOT need two snacks in a 40 minute game.  We do one snack at the end of the game.  I wish though that it was less junk food.  If the idea is to replenish the kids energy and nutrients that they have just burned off on the field, then why are the snacks constantly prepackaged rice krispie treats, fruit loops, scooby snacks, etc?  

    I am really not judging. I know that these snacks are quick and easy for many parents, especially if both work. I also know that not everyone believes about food and food additives the way I do and that is okay.  But I don’t believe we are doing any favours for the kids with those kinds of snacks.  I told my husband that next year I will not be providing those kinds of snacks when it is my turn.  Even if that makes me unpopular. I can no longer push down how I feel and continue to provide something that goes against my food beliefs.

    • I agree with you. They just got some good exercise- why ruin it with a junky snack? There are prepackaged snacks that are on the healthier side- so it doesn’t have to take any more time to get.

  7. As a former coach, Orange slices during half time, a drink and small snack (something that doesn’t require a degree in ‘cupterior design’) were the norm. In addition, I would ask someone to bring a small garbage (or grocery) bag and, box of wipes. (Following the oranges.) Never had a parent or kid complain. 🙂

  9. Oh my goodness, constructed?! Those are the kind of things that are more for birthday parties (that sounds over the top for that too). Soccer snacks should be granola bars, fruit, etc. I think you should bring your iwn snacks and feed your own kid. But we avoid soccer and baseball leagues like the plague. My son is into MMA and my daughter wants to do it when she gets bigger. Nothing like that at our classes. 😉

    • I’m actually sort of surprised they haven’t gone to everyone with their own snack with all the food allergies out there now!

  12. A Capri Sun and fruit snacks are my favorite way to go. Cheap and easy. That said, some of the moms do go a little crazy. A couple of weeks ago the kids all got sugar cookies shaped and decorated like little footballs.
    Sandy

    • I think that’s fun… for a party. Just not for a regular game. It sort of defeats the purpose of the healthy exercise they just got.

  13. I’m gonna be THAT mom and caution against any fruit snacks with peels, like oranges or bananas. Having been both a team mom, and coach’s wife for many years, I’ve seen discarded peels draw flies and even bees. Not good for some kids with allergies. Better would be seedless grapes or apple slices. Sugary snacks are the worst, but the ones the kids love to get.

  14. I am 100% right there with you.  I have 3 kids in a zillion different activities. Soccer snacks?
    I. Can’t. Be. Bothered.

    We do fruit, raisins, almonds, bagels, or if I am feeling REALLY fancy, I will bring some of my home made granola if I had time to make it that week.  Oranges slices rock, by the way.  

    • It just seems like one more thing to have to do. And truly- the kids are okay without any of it. Someone forgot to bring snack to one of the games this year and you’d have thought the world was ending.

  15. That’s ridiculous!  Like you, I’m lucky to get my kids to their games every week.  And soccer socks are stupid!

    I usually do juice boxes and a prepackaged snack, like crackers.  Homemade treats aren’t even a possibility for my daughter’s team because she has a teammate with a peanut allergy.

    • Soccer socks are such a pain!!!

      We haven’t heard anything about allergies on any of my boys’ teams so I’m assuming none, but that’s a good point.

  16. My strategy (you may borrow it but please give credit where it’s due):

    1)  Sign up at the beginning of the season to bring the snack on a given day.
    2)  On the day of, completely forget that it’s your turn until the fourth period.
    3)  Dash out to the nearest Walgreen’s, make a hasty purchase, and high-tail it back for the conclusion of the game with Slim Jims and Red Bull for everyone.

    You’re welcome.

    • Love this. Though I might have to go with a slightly different drink since I don’t think I’d want to deal with my kids after Red Bull.

  17. Not a mom yet but I can totally see how mother’s would try to outdo each other with their snacks on their day, etc.  

  18. If only it were taking over sports. It seems like all of this craftiness is taking over every aspect of my life. A simple gift card for teachers doesn’t even suffice anymore because I don’t have anything cute to go with it. Someone needs to stop the madness!

  19. Okay, um, first of all?  They’re lucky they’re getting snacks at all.  I’m all about throwing a capri sun at them and calling it done.  Second?  Pinterest snacks?  That are constructed??  Oh heck to the no.  Hi, my name is Slacker Mom.  Nice to meet ya.  But see?  I feel like a slacker because I don’t bring a three-tiered cupcake stand full of personalized snacks?  This is what’s wrong with the world.  Pinterest snacks at soccer games.  Okay maybe I’m a bit grumpy today.  Need more coffee.

  22. I hate bringing snacks… because mine are always the lame pre-packaged ones & a drink. Nothing spectacular that’s for sure! They need to stop making the rest of us look bad….

    • The funny thing is that the kids really don’t seem to even have a preference. Just as long as there is a snack.

  23. I did away with snacks for my teams. I can’t stand them. The kids are so focused on what kind of treat they are getting that they don’t listen to me at the end while I’m going over the positives and what we need to improve on. I also know that it is hard to juggle everything and I don’t want to add another thing to my parents’ to do lists when they already have to get them to/from practices and games with all of their equipment on time.
    I wish I could say that I thought fancy snacks were a great idea and people may not like that I’m saying this…but save other for a party or playdate. Make treats special not everyday ordinary.

    • I think that’s great! Really, it’s such a short period of time that they don’t need a snack for it. And if any parents really want one- then they can have one in their car!

  25. I am with you I don’t get the whole snack thing – esp halftime but yea… Whatever… And mine are always simple like yours too

    • It’s funny especially with the 4y/os- they don’t want to go play again b/c they need more time to finish their halftime snack.

    • I do it b/c that’s what’s expected… but yeah, some people need to chill out. Or just take over my turn. LOL

  27. my kids are much, much older and we’re out of the snack phase.
    I dreaded signing up for snack! I hate to cook or bake and don’t have a crafty bone in my body. I always volunteered to bring in paper goods!

  28. I’d heard of this when my oldest was in soccer last year. I think it’s nuts. We only had to provide snacks for our own kids and that’s how I like it.

    I’d actually be a tad perturbed if a dish of cupcakes were presented to my son as a mid-game snack. (Or after game snack for that matter.) In our family, things like that are considered treats, not snacks.

    The fanciest I’d get if I had to provide snacks for the team would be fruit kabobs. More often than not, I’d opt to throw a bag of cheese strings and a box of crackers into the middle of the field and run like hell.

    • I really like the idea of everyone bringing for their own kid. Makes a lot of sense to me.

      LOL @ run like hell.

  29. I remember those days. All we were allowed to bring were oranges. I can only imagine the competition now. The kids want snicker bars, but snacks have to be healthy… the whole thing is a distraction. There are probably rules that the kids have to have something, but I bet a lot of moms would happy to eliminate the whole thing.

    • No official rules about having to have snacks. I know the kids get excited about the snacks, but it seems silly to make a physical activity about what treat you get after.

  30. People who do this are trying to prove something to the world.  What, I am not sure.  Keep bring fresh fruit and juice and whatever you have time for.  You have nothing to prove.  You are a mom on the move.  I would not be wasting my time on fancy schmancy snacks anyway.  If it was my turn…it would fruit, or worse fruit snacks and gold fish! hahaha!  I still am flashing on that episode of Everybody Loves Raymond…I will have to figure out the name of it and season it is from so you can check it out.  

  31. With my kids now being in the “Under 10” and “Under 12” leagues, snacks are a thing of the past… yippee! Fortunately it was only a half time stack and nearly always prepackaged. Once in a while a parent would bring in cut up fruit. One of the great thing about living in a town that is less-than-affluent is no one has time to mess with Pinterest inspired snacks 🙂

    I never minded snacks with soccer. They’re running for the whole time. I thought it was absurd in t-ball or baseball because they spend most of the time standing around.

  34. I have nine children and five of them are in soccer this year.  Thankfully, two of them are on club teams and they do not “do” the snack-thing (yay!)  but the other three are AYSO players and *sigh* we must do the half-time oranges and after-game snack with drink.  When I sign up for our day to bring snack for each team, I sign up for the SAME DAY.  It makes for a crazy day…but it’s so much easier than having to remember each separate snack day per team.  So one day it is!  I do frozen grapes in separate baggies for the half-time, then a juice box and either a bag of Cheeze-its (individual mini-bag for each player)  or granola bars.   I cannot compete with the over-acheiving mom who packs a brown lunch bag for each player, complete with a drink, one mini-box of cookies, one bag of chips, a lollipop and some fun stickers or a pencil inside.  Obviously “that” mom doesn’t have five others in soccer.  (ah, just kidding – who knows what situation that mom has at home?  maybe she’s just a better planner than I am, or maybe she just loves her kid more.  Who knows!)

    • I did get snack day the same for two of my kids. Hubs signed up for the third one, so that’s why it was on a different day. 😉 

  37. One mom, who is a veterinarian and barely around (always “on call”) brought homemade fruit kabobs to a WEDNESDAY night game. The tip was complete with a chocolate dipped strawberry. GIVE ME A BREAK! 🙂
    Just kidding. I’m just jealous.

  39. No fancy snacks here! Juice boxes and fruit or granola bars. Seriously who has time and why would you give a child sugar when they are outside playing sports. 

    • At the four year old game this weekend, the snack was FOUR chocolate chip cookies for each kid. FOUR. 

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