concession stand

The often unhealthy food choices youth athletes are offered at concession stands can be replaced with healthier items without a loss of revenue or profits or customer satisfaction, says a first-of-its-kind study.

With summer tournaments having long since replaced family vacations for many sports parents, it's easy to get in a "vacation mindset" when it comes to nutrition.  But, says one sports dietitian and mom, the fact is that kids can't 'out-train' a bad diet, especially if it includes unhealthy food from concession stands every weekend.

Parents know that food offered at youth sports concession stands is unhealthy and are skeptical that real change is possible, but there may be more support for more healthy concession stand fare than some realize.

At all day events or tournaments, stopping at a grocery or convenience store is usually a better bet than the concession stand, which typically offers foods that are high in fat, (e.g. nacho chips, cheese fries, and hot dogs) and are expensive. Many supermarkets have a soup and salad bar with a variety of healthy foods. With guidance from parents and coaches, young athletes can find healthy, high carbohydrate, low fat foods in every aisle of the store.