NASHVILLE, Tenn. — With over a decade of experience in nutrition education and counseling, Middle Tennessee State University lecturer Sarah Harris recently offered Midstate television news viewers some insights for parents considering snack and meal options to fuel their children and their bodies during a busy sports season.

A 2010 alumna of the Nutrition and Food Science program in the university’s College of Behavioral and Health Sciences, the state-licensed and registered dietitian stopped by the WKRN-TV News 2 studios for their “MTSU on 2” segment.

“As a parent myself of two growing kids in sports, it can sometimes feel like a daunting task figuring out what to feed them during those long days on the field when they are playing two to four games in one weekend,” she said.

She continued, “As the instructor of sports nutrition at MTSU, I teach my students about the goals of nutrition and hydration for athletes, and that’s what kids are — athletes! First of all, you want to make sure they are eating an adequate amount of calories to fuel their activity level.”

You can watch the segment, part of the station’s Local on 2 programming, with program co-host Laura Schweizer below. It’s part of an ongoing collaboration between the station and the university to provide viewers with tips and insights from subject-matter experts from across the university.

Harris said kids need more calories in general during high performance practice and games. 

“Sometimes this looks like a couple of extra snacks during the day, or an extra helping at meals. Besides making sure that they are taking in adequate calories, you want them to be nutrient-dense calories –— meaning the calories, or energy, they are taking in has a high amount of nutrients like vitamins and minerals such as calcium and iron for their growing bones and bodies.”

She added that hydrating and balancing electrolytes is also important whether it’s hot or cold out while they’re playing.

“One hundred percent fruit juices or sports drinks are a good choice when your child is practicing or in games for longer than 60 minutes,” she advised.

For quick, easy and nutrient-dense options, Harris recommends:

• Rice cake with peanut butter
• Greek yogurt with berries and honey
• Oatmeal sweetened with applesauce and diced apples
• Cheese omelet with whole-grain toast

Harris also offered these snack suggestions if your child is a picky eater:

• Low-fat chocolate milk
• Hydrating fruits like cantaloupe, honeydew, and watermelon
• Trail mix

Harris received her master’s in clinical nutrition from the University of Memphis in 2011 and returned to her alma mater as a full-time instructor in the spring of 2021.

To learn more about the programs offered in MTSU’s College of Behavioral and Health Science, visit https://cbhs.mtsu.edu/.

— DeAnn Hays (deann.hays@mtsu.edu)