Your kids don't need a snack before and after sports practice, according to a new public awareness campaign led by Advocates for Health in Action and the Wake County Council on Health and Fitness.

The two local groups evaluated snacking habits of kids in sports in Wake and found that snacks are rarely necessary. Practices are typically before or immediately after dinner and you don't want your kids filling up on snacks instead of dinner.

If your kids really need something, then you shouldn't load them up on sugary snacks and drinks, they say. Instead, let them eat fresh fruit or vegetables, dried fruit or no sugar added applesauce or canned fruits packaged in their own juice.

"We found that children participating in multi-game tournaments or high endurance sports may have additional caloric needs, but the majority of children participating in sports are not exercising at a level that would require snacks on a regular basis - especially snacks and drinks laden with unnncessary sugar," said Laura Aiken, director of Advocites for Health in Action and a community health specialist at WakeMed, in a release.

The groups say that only endurance athletes or athletes in high intensity sports in high temperature need "sports" drinks. Ice-cold water is just fine for everybody else.

Look for fliers about all this coming from your kids' pediatricians or coaches. CASL, Wake public schools and Raleigh parks and rec are all handing out information. Advocates for Health also will be making snack recommendations to other youth programs, including summer camps, before- and after-school programs and track-out camps.

And if you're providing snack for your kid's team, the groups say it's cheaper to opt for the healthy alternative for a team of 12.

A bag of bananas, oranges or apples costs between $3 and $4. And 15 bottles of spring water costs about $3.30. That adds up to $7.29.

Compare that to 12 mini bags of cookies for $4 and two boxes of Capri Suns (10 in each pack) for $6.25. The total: $10.25.

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