50 Baseball Snacks: Ideas for Before, During, and After a Game
It is important for baseball players to be equipped with a variety of snack ideas that can provide them with energy on the field.
Here are 50 baseball snacks that athletes can enjoy before, during, and after a game to support their sports nutrition needs.
Baseball Snacks: Ideas for Before the Game
When determining the best snack to eat before a baseball game, it is important to consider the timing of the snack. When there are several hours prior to the start of the game, a larger balanced snack or “mini-meal” can be eaten.
Pre-game “mini-meal” snacks should be high in carbohydrates and contain a moderate amount of protein.
Healthy snack ideas for athletes to enjoy several hours before the start of the baseball game include:
- Fruit smoothie
- Protein overnight oats
- Greek yogurt parfait with mixed berries and granola
- Bagel with almond butter and sliced banana
- Instant oatmeal with raisins and walnuts
- Kodiak Cakes® toaster waffles with hard-boiled eggs
- Breakfast bars and string cheese
- Peanut butter and jelly sandwich with orange wedges
- Turkey and cheese wrap with grapes
- Ham, sliced cheese, crackers, apple slices
Pre-Game Baseball Snack ideas: Less than 2 Hours Before the Game
When there is limited time prior to the start of the baseball game, athletes should focus on snacks that are high in carbohydrates.
The carbohydrates will provide athletes with a quick source of energy as they head into the game.
High-carb pre-game snack ideas baseball players include:
- Applesauce squeeze pouch
- Banana
- Raisins
- Dried cranberries
- Dried tropical fruit: Mango, pineapple, papaya
- Apple slices
- Grapes
- Orange wedges
- Fresh sliced melon
- Fruit snacks
- Fruit leather
- Fig bars
- Bagel
- Low-fat granola bar
- Carbohydrate-based sports bar
- Breakfast bar
- Animal crackers
- Graham crackers
- Dry breakfast cereal
- Pretzels
- Pita chips
- Sports chews
- Sports gels
- Sports drink
Snacks to Limit Before a Baseball Game
Baseball players should limit snack foods that are high in protein, fat, or fiber too close to the beginning of the game.
Eating snacks high in protein, fat, and/or fiber too close to the start of activity may result in an upset stomach during the competition (1).
This includes snack foods such as:
- Dessert type foods (ice cream, brownies, fudge)
- Fried or greasy foods (French fries, onion rings, chips)
- Heavy cream, cheese, or buttery sauces
- Beans and legumes
- High-fiber whole grains
- High fiber vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage)
Some baseball players also feel better when they limit spicy foods or foods/drinks that contain lactose (milk, yogurt) close to the start of a game.
It is important for baseball players to learn their individual tolerances and to determine what foods they feel most comfortable consuming before activity.
Baseball Snack Ideas for the Dugout
During a baseball game, athletes should have snacks available in the dugout that can help them both rehydrate (fluid and electrolytes) and refuel (carbohydrates).
Similar high-carb snacks that are enjoyed before the game are good options for the dugout as well.
In addition, snacks that provide both carbohydrates and sodium, such as pretzels, can be a good choice between innings.
The carbohydrates will help refill energy stores and the sodium will help replace sweat losses. Sodium also stimulates thirst, which can help encourage baseball players to hydrate as well (2).
Note: If baseball players want to enjoy sunflower seeds in the dugout, they should make sure to consume snacks/drinks that help them to rehydrate and refuel along with the seeds.
Rehydrate During a Baseball Game
Baseball players can choose to rehydrate with water or a sports drink during the game.
Drinking a sports drink can help baseball players with replacing the fluid and electrolyte losses from sweat. In addition, sports drinks that contain carbohydrates will help provide athletes with energy for the next inning.
If an athlete chooses to rehydrate with water, they should ensure they are replacing electrolytes and carbohydrates from other snack items.
Baseball Snacks: Ideas for After the Game
Following a baseball game, athletes should plan for snacks that can help them with meeting their recovery nutrition needs.
Recovery nutrition is particularly important when there is limited time between baseball games. For example, when the team has a double header or is competing in a tournament competition.
The three goals of recovery nutrition include:
- Rehydrate – Replace fluid and electrolytes lost in sweat
- Refill Energy Stores – Consume carbohydrates to replace energy stores used during activity
- Build and Repair – Consume protein to help build and repair lean muscle mass
Rehydrate After a Baseball Game
Quick and easy beverage ideas to add to a baseball player’s post-game snack include:
- Low-fat chocolate milk
- High-protein milk
- Tart cherry juice
- Post-workout smoothie
Why Drink Chocolate Milk After a Baseball Game?
Chocolate milk is frequently recommended as a recovery drink that baseball players can enjoy following a game to help meet their nutrition needs.
Chocolate milk is 90% water, which can help baseball players with rehydrating following activity. In addition, a 1-cup serving of chocolate milk provides ~8 grams of complete protein and ~26 grams of carbohydrates (3).
Thus, chocolate milk checks all three boxes when it comes to recovery nutrition. It can help baseball players with meeting their fluid, carbohydrate, and protein needs following a game.
Why Drink Tart Cherry Juice After a Baseball Game?
Tart cherry juice is another beverage commonly recommended for baseball players to consume following exercise.
Tart cherry juice contains high levels of antioxidants and anti-inflammatory compounds. Thus, when consumed after exercise, tart cherry juice may help reduce inflammation and support muscle recovery from activity (4, 5).
What About a Protein Shake After a Baseball Game?
A protein shake can also be a convenient option for helping baseball players meet their recovery nutrition needs after a game.
When selecting a protein powder or protein shake, baseball players should choose a product that is third-party tested.
Supplements are not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration in the same way that food is. Thus, they may contain banned substances that could be harmful to an athlete’s health or make the athlete ineligible for competition (6).
Supplements that are third-party tested have been evaluated by an outside organization for accuracy of ingredients. NSF International Certified for Sport and Informed Sport are two companies that evaluate and third-party certify sports supplements.
Recovery Nutrition Snacks After a Baseball Game
When planning snacks for after a baseball game, athletes should pair carbohydrate-rich foods with foods that provide protein.
The high-carb snacks shared previously, can be combined with one of the protein-rich items below to create a great post-game snack for baseball players.
Snack Foods Containing Protein to Combine with High-Carb Foods
- Beef or turkey jerky
- Nut butter (single-serving packets can be thrown into a baseball bag)
- Mixed nuts
- Hard-boiled eggs
- String cheese, cheese stick
- Sliced cheese
- Deli meat: Turkey, ham, chicken, roast beef
- Tuna fish (individual tuna pouches are convenient)
- Hummus
- Greek yogurt
- Cottage cheese
- Protein bar
Baseball players following a plant-based diet can get additional ideas on protein-rich snack items from my blog: High-Protein Vegan Snacks for Athletes.
Baseball Snacks: Ideas for Before, During, and After a Game
You are now set with a variety of baseball snack ideas for before, during, and after a game.
I encourage baseball players to plan their snacks in advance to ensure they are fueled to perform at their best through the final inning of the game.
For additional nutrition recommendation for baseball players, check out my blog: 5 Baseball Nutrition Tips to Support Training and Competition.
Join the Nutrition By Mandy Email List & Get a Free Healthy Eating Out Guide
Click HERE to join the Nutrition By Mandy e-mail list. When you join you will receive a free Healthy Eating Out Guide for Athletes.
About the Author
Mandy Tyler is a Sports Dietitian Nutritionist in the San Antonio, TX area. She is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian, a Board-Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, a Licensed Athletic Trainer, and is a Certified Exercise Physiologist through the American College of Sports Medicine. Mandy has experience working with athletes at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels. She believes the key to reaching one’s full potential, both in everyday life and in sports performance, relies on a healthy nutritional foundation.
If you are looking to take your performance to the next level, make sure to check out my new Sports Nutrition Game Day Guide. This downloadable guide is written to help athletes develop an individualized plan to achieve peak performance on game day.
