What we eat can greatly affect our athletic performance. I am a registered dietitian and soccer mom, and I have personally seen the impact nutrition has on athletic performance. In fact, when my son decided to change his eating, he saw a huge positive transformation in his endurance, performance, and quick-thinking skills. There is a lot we could talk about in regard to nutrition for the soccer player but for this post let’s look at what to eat before a soccer game for peak athletic performance.
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What to Eat Before a Soccer Game for Peak Athletic Performance
To reduce the chance of overeating to the point of feeling overly full, I recommend eating small mini-meals and snacks if the game is 2-3 hours away instead of eating a big meal.
the closer the game gets the lighter your meals should be. You should have eaten to build up your fuel the night before and/or at least 3-4 hours before the game. Avoid high-fat meat and sauces and fried foods the day of the game.
Before A Soccer Game Snacks and Mini-meals are listed below:
In Nutrition for Youth Soccer: The Travel Soccer Player Diet for Optimal Endurance and Performance, you will learn how nutrition can help you transform on the soccer field. Find out what foods you need to eat before a game for optimal athletic performance. Learn what foods will help you make quick game-changing decisions on the pitch, and learn what foods to eat through the week to promote peak fitness and endurance.
What’s included:
Game-day meal and snack ideas and recipes
Before-practice meal and snack ideas
The night-before-game-day meals and recipes
What meals and snacks to eat for 2-games-a-day tournament weekends.
Registered Dietitian, Lacy Ngo, MS, RDN, not only has professional knowledge but also personal experience as a travel soccer mom. Ngo personally witnessed her son’s fitness and soccer abilities transform with the help of nutrition.
This is a story about my son. You see, I have been a dietitian for 16 years and a soccer mom for 10 years. My interest in nutrition for travel soccer started when my son joined the Charlotte Independence, travel team.
But his story and my journey into nutrition for travel soccer starts before this.
Travel Soccer Transformation Story with the Help of the Soccer Player Diet
My son was a typical child until about midway through kindergarten. One day he seemed to be coming down with a minor cold, but it just wouldn’t go away, even after a round of antibiotics.
One night he seemed to be getting worse, so we decided to take him to the doctor. An hour later, I was following my son in an ambulance. My son was soon diagnosed with pneumonia and remained in the hospital for 5 days.
After 5 days, he was discharged from the hospital, but one of the lobes in his lung was permanently damaged.
For almost a year, we tried different treatments and visited many doctors in multiple cities, but he was still having issues. He was consistently getting lung infections and got winded quickly.
Finally, the doctors decided to remove one lobe of his lung. He was young, so they hoped this surgery would cure him and that his other lobe would completely expand almost as if he didn’t even have a missing lobe.
It worked!
He would have to build up his endurance again, but he would be able to run, play, and excel in sports if he wanted…
But one month after the surgery, he developed HSP. HSP is an autoimmune disease in which your blood vessels leak. This can cause internal leaking in the organs as well as bruising on the outer skin. My son had bruises all over his body. Some were larger than baseballs. HSP usually ends after 4 to 6 weeks. However, since there is a risk of more serious complications, my son had to get his kidneys checked for weeks. There were days he couldn’t even walk due to the pain in his feet. He even had to use a wheelchair to go to his doctor’s visits. It was tough to witness, and I worried constantly, but thankfully, my son’s HSP completely subsided in about 12 weeks.
My son fought through these strange issues for almost 2 years, and he was behind physically. Since he was little, my son had played several sports, including soccer, but now the doctors said playing a sport that involved running was crucial.
Travel Soccer Tryouts
Running would help build up his lungs. With encouragement from the doctors, we decided to encourage soccer more than other sports. He did the best he could, but he had less endurance and energy than many of his teammates. My son loved soccer, and he had improved by the spring, so he decided to try out for a travel team.
He made the team in the lowest division and was not the best on the team. When my son tells this story, he says he was terrible, but he is dramatic and holds himself to high standards.
He still struggled with endurance and energy, and he needed to work on his ball skills. But he was having fun and running…and smiling. I would sometimes cry happy tears when I watched him run and play.
He was having the time of his life, then covid…
Changing as a Soccer Player with the Soccer Player Diet
The soccer season came to a halt, but fire lit in my son. He realized how much he missed soccer, so he started practicing at home for hours every day. He had never had much interest in my job as a dietitian, but for the first time, he started asking about what he should eat to help improve his athletic performance.
I told him about all the positive things food can do. By the end of the COVID hiatus, his body and abilities had transformed.
When he was finally able to go back to practicing with his club, the coaches were blown away.
I am about to confess something that some of his coaches don’t know; so if any coaches read this, now they will know I was accidentally eavesdropping.
Taking Notice
I was walking towards the fields to pick my son up from soccer when I overheard the coaches talking about my son. They talked about how they can’t believe he is the same kid, and they said they didn’t remember him playing that well. They shook their heads in disbelief. The following year his coach wrote in his evaluation that he was one of the most technically gifted players on the team.
I share this not to brag, but to say effort, determination, and nutrition can transform you as an athlete. My son is living proof. My son can see the difference in his playing when he eats for athletic performance vs. when he doesn’t. We won’t all go pro or even all get athletic scholarships, but when we consistently practice with effort and focus on nutrition, we can all become the best athlete we can be.
With that being said, I wanted to share a few Travel Soccer Player Diet Tips with you.
Travel Soccer Player Diet Tips
1. Eat the Mediterranean Diet
One recent study looked at the Mediterranean diet, specifically. This study found that the participants became 6% faster after they followed a Mediterranean diet. (Before the study began, they ate a more Western-style diet). These improvements were seen in as little as 4 days (2).
2. Hydration should be your main focus before, during, and after the game.
Dehydration can decrease endurance and performance faster than anything. Hydration shouldn’t start after you feel dehydrated, but before the game even starts. Be intentional about getting in fluids in the hours leading up to the game as well as during and after the game.
3. Your meal the night before the game should be about 60-70% carbohydrates and 10-25% protein.
A high carbohydrate diet is needed to maintain glycogen stores and blood glucose. Muscle glycogen is used for energy during exercise, and liver glycogen stores are used to maintain stable blood glucose levels during athletic performance.
4. Meals closer to game time should be smaller and mostly about providing carbohydrate fuel and hydrating.
The closer the game gets the lighter your meals should be. You should have eaten to build up your fuel the night before and/or at least 3-4 hours before the game. Avoid high-fat meat and sauces and fried foods the day of the game.
In this book, I will share all the ins and outs of nutrition for the travel soccer player. These recommendations are backed by science, and I can personally attest to their effectiveness as a dietitian mom of a travel soccer player.
Learn how nutrition can help you transform on the soccer field. Find out what foods you need to eat before a game for optimal athletic performance. Learn what foods will help you make quick game-changing decisions on the pitch, and learn what foods to eat through the week to promote peak fitness and endurance.
What’s included:
Game-day meal and snack ideas and recipes
Before-practice meal and snack ideas
The night-before-game-day meals and recipes
What meals and snacks to eat for 2-games-a-day tournament weekends.
I love, love, love Spanish Rice, but I was curious if Spanish Rice would taste just as delicious if it was made with brown rice. I am happy to report, it does. I like this Spanish Brown Rice version because brown rice is loaded with nutrients and fiber, making this rice extra nutritious and filling.
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What to Eat with Your Spanish Brown Rice
YOu can add so many toppings to your Spanish Brown Rice, some of my favorite toppings are:
I love, love, love Spanish Rice, but I was curious if Spanish Rice would taste just as delicious if it was made with brown rice. I am happy to report, it does. I like this Spanish Brown Rice version because brown rice is loaded with nutrients and fiber, making this rice extra nutritious and filling.
1 tablespoon avocado oil
1 tablespoon butter
4 cups chicken broth
1 cup tomato sauce (no sugar added)
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon oregano
4 cloves garlic (minced)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups instant brown rice
Add all the ingredients to a large pot.
Bring the ingredients to a boil; then, reduce the heat to low heat, cover, and simmer for about 10 minutes.
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The Benefits of Salmon
Salmon is a fantastic source of DHA Omega-3. Omega-3s, promote brain health and may help with mood disorders like depression, anxiety, ad bipolar disorder as well as symptoms of asthma. It’s a good idea to try to eat cold-water fish, like salmon about 2 times a week to get adequate intakes of DHA omega-3s.
Classic Lemon Lime Salmon
Serves 3
Ingredients
3 small salmon fillets
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon Montreal steak seasoning
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 tablespoons butter
Instructions
Combine the lemon juice, lime juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
Baste each salmon fillet with the lemon-lime juice using a basting brush
In a medium skillet, melt the butter on medium-high heat.
Once the butter is melted, place each salmon in the skillet, skin side down.
Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on medium high heat; then flip the salmon to the other side.
Cook the other side on medium high heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until the salmon is fully cooked.
Combine the lemon juice, lime juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Baste each salmon fillet with the lemon-lime juice using a basting brush.
In a medium skillet, melt the butter on medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, place each salmon in the skillet, skin side down
Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on medium-high heat; then flip the salmon to the other side. Cook the other side on medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes or until the salmon is fully cooked.
Main Course
Mediterranean
Nutrition Facts
Serves 3
Calories: 274
Total Fat: 14.9 g
Sat. Fat: 4 g
Cholesterol: 89 mg
Sodium: 349 mg
Total Carbohydrates: 0.9 g
Dietary Fiber: 0.1 g
Total Sugar: 0.3 g
Protein: 34.7 g
Vitamin D: 3 mcg
Calcium: 66 mg
Iron: 1 mg
Potassium: 701 mg
Recipes that Pair Well with This Lemon Pepper Salmon
This Creamy Black Bean Soup is such a cozy, comforting soup to make in the fall and winter months. It’s a great plant-based protein meal, full of fiber, and super filling and nutritious.
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To make this Creamy Black Bean Soup…well, creamy, I use tomato bisque. To make it less creamy, use cans of tomato soup instead. You can also garnish with a dollop of light cream cheese avocado and tortilla chips. I use whole grain or chia seed tortilla chips. For this Creamy Black Bean Soup, my favorite tortilla chips are the Beanito Hint of Lime Bean Tortilla Chips.
Other Healthy Crackers and Chips to Garnish Your Soup
1/2 cup cilantro leaves (leave a few out for a garnish)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon lime juice
2 Tablespoons taco seasoning
1 Avocado, peeled and sliced
Optional light sour cream and tortilla chips (I look for whole grain, bean, or seed tortilla chips)
Instructions
Add all the ingredients except the avocado slices into a large pot.
Bring the soup to a boil then reduce the heat to low.
Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Serve the soup topped with avocado slices. You can also add broken up tortilla chips and/or a dollop of light sour cream.
How to Make Black Bean Soup: Demo Video
Recipe Card
Creamy Black Bean Soup
This Creamy Black Bean Soup is such a cozy, comforting soup to make in the fall and winter months. It's a great plant-based protein meal, full of fiber, and super filling and nutritious.
3 cups black beans, canned (do not drain the cans)
2 cups tomato bisque
1 white onion (chopped)
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoon taco seasoning
1 cup vegetable broth
1 cup cilantro leaves (leave out a few leaves to use as a garnish)
Add all the ingredients except the avocado slices into a large pot. Bring the soup to a boil then reduce the heat to low.
Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes.
Serve the soup topped with avocado slices. You can also add broken-up tortilla chips and/or a dollop of light sour cream.
If you are looking for an easy low-carb salmon recipe then this Easy Canned Salmon Salad recipe is for you. It’s packed with omega-3s and protein and requires absolutely no cooking!
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About the Omega-3s in Salmon
Salmon is a fantastic source of DHA Omega-3. Omega-3s, which are known as anti-inflammatories may help improve cognitive function, memory, and focus. Adequate Omega-3 consumption may also reduce the risk of depression, anxiety, ad bipolar disorder as well as symptoms of asthma. For adequate omega-3 intakes, eat cold-water fish like tuna or salmon about 2 times a week, and include plant-based ALA omega-3 foods like chia seeds, flaxseeds, and walnuts in your diet as well.
Look for Wild Caught, Mercury Tested
When purchasing salmon in a can or pouch, look for wild-caught, mercury-tested salmon. Some salmon can contain mercury, so look for brands that insure low-mercury salmon through 3rd party testing like the Wild Planet No Salt Added Cans.
Easy Low Carb Salmon Recipe
Ingredients
1/2 cup wild-caught salmon, canned
1 Boiled egg, chopped
1 tablespoon Dill Relish
1/2 cup white onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
Combine all the ingredients and keep in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
This salmon salad tastes great on a green salad.
How to Boil an Egg
Gently place the eggs in a pot of cold water. Make sure there is enough water in the pot to cover the eggs.
Bring water to a boil, then remove the pot from heat.
Cover the poot with a lid and let the eggs sit in the pot for about 12 minutes.
Easy Low Carb Salmon Recipe
If you are looking for an easy low-carb salmon recipe then this Easy Canned Salmon Salad recipe is for you. It's packed with omega-3s and protein and requires absolutely no cooking!
1/2 cup salmon (canned)
1 boiled egg (chopped)
1 tablespoon dill relish
1/2 cup white onion (chopped)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Combine all the ingredients and keep them in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
This Greek Yogurt Tuna Salad is super easy, required no cooking (if you get pre-boiled eggs), and is ready in minutes. The stars of this recipe are tuna and Greek Yogurt. Tuna is a great source of Omega-3s and Greek Yogurt is a fantastic source of probiotics.
This site contains affiliate links (See full disclosure here.)
About the Omega-3s in Tuna
Tuna is a fantastic source of DHA Omega-3. Omega-3sm which are known as anti-inflammatories may help improve cognitive function, memory, and focus. Adequate OMega-3 consumption may also reduce the risk of depression, anxiety, ad bipolar disorder as well as symptoms of asthma. For adequate omega-3 intakes, eat cold-water fish like tuna or salmon about 2 times a week, and include plant-based ALA omega-3 foods like chia seeds, flaxseeds, and walnuts in your diet as well.
About the Probiotics in Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt is a well-known source of gut-healthy probiotics. Probiotics and gut health have been linked to reduced risk of chronic diseases, autoimmune diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases. Gut health also appears to play a role in mood and mood disorders.
Look for Wild Caught, Mercury Tested
When purchasing Tuna in a pouch, look for wild-caught, mercury-tested tuna. Some tuna can contain mercury, so look for brands that insure low-mercury tuna through 3rd party testing like the Wild Planet, No Salt Added Tuna Pouches.
This Low Carb Tuna Salad is super easy, required no cooking (if you get pre-boiled eggs), and is ready in minutes. It is a perfectly healthy option for a quick on-the-go meal, and the tuna is a great source of Omega-3s.
This site contains affiliate links (See full disclosure here.)
About the Omega-3s in Tuna
Tuna is a fantastic source of DHA Omega-3. Omega-3sm which are known as anti-inflammatories may help improve cognitive function, memory, and focus. Adequate OMega-3 consumption may also reduce the risk of depression, anxiety, ad bipolar disorder as well as symptoms of asthma. For adequate omega-3 intakes, eat cold-water fish like tuna or salmon about 2 times a week, and include plant-based ALA omega-3 foods like chia seeds, flaxseeds, and walnuts in your diet as well.
Look for Wild Caught, Mercury Tested
When purchasing Tuna in a pouch, look for wild-caught, mercury-tested tuna. Some tuna can contain mercury, so look for brands that insure low-mercury tuna through 3rd party testing like the Wild Planet, No Salt Added Tuna Pouches.
Ingredients
2.6 oz. wild-caught Tuna Pouch (1/2 cup), I like the Wild Planet, No Salt Added Tuna Pouch (You can also use salmon pouches instead of tuna pouches)
1 Boiled egg, chopped
1 tablespoon Dill Relish
1/2 cup white onion, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
Combine all the ingredients and keep in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
This Low Carb Tuna salad tastes great on a green salad, sandwich, or crackers.
Some of my Favorite Healthier Crackers and Chips Include:
Gently place the eggs in a pot of cold water. Make sure there is enough water in the pot to cover the eggs.
Bring water to a boil, then remove the pot from heat.
Cover the poot with a lid and let the eggs sit in the pot for about 12 minutes.
How to Make Low Carb Tuna Salad: Video Demo
Low Carb Tuna Salad Recipe Card
Low Carb Tuna Salad
This Low Carb Tuna Salad is super easy, required no cooking (if you get pre-boiled eggs), and is ready in minutes. It is a perfectly healthy option for a quick on-the-go meal, and the tuna is a great source of Omega-3s.
1/2 cup wild-caught tuna in a pouch (ready-to-eat pouch)
1 boiled egg (chopped)
1 tablespoon dill relish
1/2 cup white onion (chopped)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Combine all the ingredients and keep them in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
This Low Carb Tuna salad tastes great on a green salad, sandwich, or crackers.
My potato-loving husband absolutely loved this Turnip Hashbrown Bowl made with absolutely no potatoes. This is a delicious hashbrown bowl similar to what you would get at Waffle House except the hashbrowns are made of turnips instead of potatoes and the “sausage” is made with turkey.
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I also wanted to “beef” up the nourishment quotient so I added a few more vegetables like mushrooms, onions. sweet peppers, and scallions. The hot sauce gives it that extra kick. You can add a little more or a little less depending on your heat preference.
Other Substitutes for Hashbrown Potatoes
Sometimes turnips are hard to find, especially in the off-season, but you can use Palmini pasta in place of the turnips. Palmini has about 20 calories and 2 grams of fiber per serving. Palmini is made from the hearts of palm, which is a vegetable that comes from the core of a palm tree.
Ingredients for Turkey Sausage
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon Montreal steak seasoning
Ingredients
4 cups turnips, peeled and shredded
1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup scallions, chopped
1/2 cup white onion, chopped
1 pound turkey sausage
1/2 cup red, orange, and yellow sweet peppers, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon hot sauce
4 eggs
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup avocado oil
Nonstick cooking spray
Instructions
Cook the ground turkey, fennel seeds, and Montreal seasoning in a medium skillet on medium-high heat for about 9 minutes or until the turkey is no longer pink. While the turkey is cooking, use a spatial to break up and stir the turkey into small bite-size pieces. Remove from heat and drain the excess fat. Set the turkey aside.
Whisk the eggs in a small bowl until the yolk and whites are well blended. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
Heat nonstick cooking spray in a medium skillet on medium-high heat for about 1 minutes.
Slowly pour the eggs onto the skillet. Continuously stir the eggs until they are light and fluffy. Remove the eggs from the skillet and set aside.
In a skillet, heat 1/4 a cup of avocado oil for 1 minute.
Add the mushrooms, scallions, peppers, and 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper to the skillet. Saute the vegetables by frequently stirring them while they cook.
Heat 1/4 cup of avocado oil in another skillet for 1 minute. (You can wash your original skillet and use it again if you would like). You just want to make sure the oil used to cook the vegetables is either cleaned out for not overly cooked or close to burning.
Place the shredded turnips in the skillet. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 tablespoon of hot sauce; then, evenly spread the turnips out in the skillet. Make sure the turnips are covering the skillet so that as much of the turnip surface area as possible is coving the skillet. Heat for about 3 minutes.
After 3 minutes try to flip the shredded turnips so that the other side has a chance to brown. Heat the other side for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Combine all the other ingredients (vegetables, cheese, and turkey sausage) with the turnips and serve.
How to Make The Turnip Hashbrown Bowl: Demo Video
Turnip Hashbrown Bowl Recipe Card
Turnip Hashbrown Bowl
This is a delicious hashbrown bowl similar to what you would get at Waffle House except the hashbrowns are made of turnips instead of potatoes and the “sausage” is made with turkey.
1 pound lean ground turkey
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 teaspoon Montreal steak seasoning
4 cups turnips (peeled and shredded)
1 cup mushrooms (sliced)
1/2 cup scallions (chopped)
1/2 cup white onion (chopped)
1/2 cup red, yellow, & orange peppers (chopped)
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1 cup cheddar cheese (shredded)
1/2 cup avocado oil
nonstick cooking spray
Cook the ground turkey, fennel seeds, and Montreal seasoning in a medium skillet on medium-high heat for about 9 minutes or until the turkey is no longer pink. While the turkey is cooking, use a spatial to break up and stir the turkey into small bite-size pieces. Remove from heat and drain the excess fat. Set the turkey aside.
Whisk the eggs in a small bowl until the yolk and whites are well blended. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
Heat nonstick cooking spray in a medium skillet on medium-high heat for about 1 minute.
Slowly pour the eggs onto the skillet. Continuously stir the eggs until they are light and fluffy. Remove the eggs from the skillet and set them aside.
In a skillet, heat 1/4 a cup of avocado oil for 1 minute.
Add the mushrooms, scallions, peppers, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of black pepper to the skillet. Saute the vegetables by frequently stirring them while they cook.
Heat 1/4 cup of avocado oil in another skillet for 1 minute. (You can wash your original skillet and use it again if you would like). You just want to make sure the oil used to cook the vegetables is either cleaned out or not overly cooked or close to burning.
Place the shredded turnips in the skillet. Stir in 1/4 teaspoon of salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 tablespoon of hot sauce; then, evenly spread the turnips out in the skillet. Make sure the turnips are covering the skillet so that as much of the turnip surface area as possible is coving the skillet. Heat for about 3 minutes.
After 3 minutes try to flip the shredded turnips so that the other side has a chance to brown. Heat the other side for about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
Combine all the other ingredients (vegetables, cheese, and turkey sausage) with the turnips and serve.
This Mango Pico De Gallo is flavorful and refreshing. It tastes great with tortilla chips, in tacos and burritos, or in a Naked Burrito Bowl. It’s also full of nourishing mango as well as vegetables and is a perfect addition to a healthy meal.
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Mangos
Mangos are a prebiotic. You have probably heard that probiotics help promote a healthy gut and that a healthy gut plays a role in reducing chronic inflammation and chronic disease. Prebiotics feed the probiotics and help those probiotics thrive in our GI tract. Mangos are also a good source of antioxidants, vitamin C, fiber, and Beta-carotene.
Healthy Crackers and Chips for your Mango Pico De Gallo
This not only makes a great topping to your favorite Mexican and Southwest dishes, but is also a super nourishing low calories snack, especially when you pair it with whole-grain, seed, or black bean crackers or chips.
Some of my favorite Healthier Crackers and Chips Include: