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Swim Meet Snacks….

Our kids seem to have a lot of weekend swim meets as of late and snacking is at the top of the priority list.

At some point in the swim meet planning and packing, the focus shifted from; towels, caps, goggles, flip flops to “What kind of snacks am I bringing?”

The snack bags have become the focal point of the weekend.

If my kids forgot their caps, goggles, suits, flip-flops, towels they would survive, but the absence of cracker crumbs in a container at the bottom of a Speedo backpack has become a game changer.

More so even than the competitive school lunches, “Jenny has minced lamb cubes with rosemary & sage puffs grown in her garden–Snackimals suck Mom!” The swim meet snacks have become their life line. Currency for trading up, I am well aware my kids have bargained at least once, “My entire bag for a sip of your Gatorade!”

But the swim meet really should be about the free babysitting  time with friends, the fun and heart-pounding moment when you see the cheering crowd and oh right, the swimming.

I guess I’m to blame for making fresh spring rolls for Hanna four years ago when she first joined the club. I had no idea that 80 swim meets later, I would still be rolling rice noodles, carrots, cilantro and green onions in an early-morning assembly line each and every time she left the house to race.

It seemed harmless and loving and thoughtful and oh-so-very-Martha at the time but those 4-6 spring rolls quickly became, “Hey Mom, my friends all like my spring rolls so instead of 4 or 6 could I bring like 1000?”

I have had to explain to the kids the purpose of a swim meet is not the speed at which you dig into your snack bags and trade treats with your friends, it’s the speed at which you swim that matters.

I’m not sure Ellie knows what her fastest 50m free time is but she is very aware that cheese is served on the lido deck at Ritz-o’clock.

So I asked Ellie last night if there was anything I should pick up at the grocery store today that she would like to have as a snack this weekend for her meet.

I told her she would be eating a meal at home before she left so aside from water she should really only need a couple of easy, quick snacks should the session run long.

I told her I didn’t want to be fussing over snacks that might not get eaten or that might be traded for magic beans.

I suggested things like; apples, pears, grapes, yogurt, protein bar.

She said, “Mom, do you know what I would really like to take this weekend that are super easy and really good for you?”

What?

“Chocolate covered strawberries.”

I feel like I’m catering a wedding.

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