It’s All About the Snacks! – Michelle

Hi All! It’s Michelle from Fitkittymama Reads, here with your next warm up post. Are you getting excited for the Readathon??

Second only to the books you choose to read, snacks are one of the most important parts of any Readathon experience. And it takes some preparation to make sure that you have the right snacks on hand to help you power through the event.

My first couple of times participating in the event, I focused on fun snacks and junk food and lots of caffeine, but soon learned that was not the best way to go. Here are the things that I have found to be helpful when planning for the food portion of my Readathon.

Hydrate

While the instinct may be to power up on caffeine, you actually want to make sure that you are getting plenty of water to keep you hydrated through the long hours. That’s not to say you won’t be needing some caffeine through the wee hours, but mix it up. I try to go for a mix of caffeine {I don’t drink coffee so go for sodas and green tea}, juices, and water throughout the event, alternating each caffeinated drink with a glass of water to ensure I stay hydrated.

Eat real meals

You should definitely have a real dinner, if not all of your normal meals throughout the Readathon. If you focus just on snacking, you won’t necessarily fuel yourself enough to get through the dark hours of the Readathon {not that you have to read all 24 hours}. I usually plan something quick and easy, like a salad with diced chicken or pizza. Other ideas are to prep something in the slow-cooker so that it’s ready when you are. Or if there are other people at home with you, ask them to do the cooking so you can focus on reading. If none of those options work, there’s always delivery!

Have a mix of healthy and fun treats

For my first Readathon, I focused a lot on the junk food treats and didn’t really think about how my body would feel throughout the day. I’ve learned in future events that a mix of healthy and not-so-healthy treats work best for me. This plan gives me fun, but also doesn’t leave me with a sugar crash or an upset stomach.  I’ve included a list of my favorite treats below for you to check out.

Plan a few extra treats

My philosophy has always been that it’s better to have too much of something than too little, extras can always be shared or saved for later. This goes for treats as well. When I shop for my Readathon snacks, I always buy more than I’m going to eat during the event. This gives me choices, if I want more salty than I originally planned for, or am really craving a piece of fruit, then I have an extra option on hand. It also helps me keep the Readathon spirit alive through the next week, as I enjoy or share any of the extra snacks.

Pick a treat that’s part of your Readathon tradition

Pick out a treat (or a few) that you always have as part of your Readathon tradition. I find that this helps to keep the excitement of Readathon high as you are planning, and keeps continuity through the various events. I have a couple of snacks that I traditionally have during my readathons, they are tater tots, something fresh baked (usually made the day before), and MnMs (Almond, Peanut, or Pretzel).

Snack Ideas from My Past Snack Lists

• Nuts (I like to do almonds, but any nuts will do)
• Crackers with meat and cheese (I love the single serve trays they sell at the grocery store)
• Popcorn
• Chips
• Cookies
• Brownies or cupcakes
• MnMs, Peanut Butter Cups, or other chocolate candy
• Licorice or orange slices
• Apples, Bananas or Melon
• Dried fruit
• Applesauce
• Yogurt
• Salads (green salads, pasta salads, potato salads- I’ve done them all)
• Pizza Rolls (or Bagel Bites, or something similar)
• Tater Tots
• Ice Cream
• Fruit snacks or fruit roll ups
• Granola bars
• Donuts
• Pretzels
• Goldfish crackers
• Beef jerky

What are some of your favorite snacks to enjoy during the Readathon? Share them below in the comments.