What to eat and drink to ride race of your life

GEAR up, grab your helmets and let’s ride. The Cape Town Cycle Tour Junior is next Saturday and it is important you are fit and healthy for the big day.

When you eat healthily you give your body all the good nutrients it needs to stay strong and energetic. You will need all your energy on the day to cycle your heart out and enjoy all the other fun activities on offer at Youngsfield Military Base.

Some people think healthy food is boring, but it doesn’t have to be.

Pick n Pay resident dietitian Leanne Kiezer has some tasty meal ideas.

“When you are young, you will need to eat healthily so that you develop healthy habits that will last a lifetime.”

Here are some options to keep you healthy and full of energy all day long.

Breakfast: Wholewheat cereal or porridge with milk and half a small pawpaw.

Boiled or scrambled egg on whole wheat toast with a small glass of orange juice.

Peanut butter on whole wheat toast with a glass of milk.

Smoothie: blend full fat Greek yoghurt with fruit, a handful of ice and a dash of honey.

Lunch: Small wholewheat roll filled with either peanut butter and a sliced banana, chicken mayonnaise or ham and cheese, with baby carrots and an apple.

Meatballs and salad sticks with an apple.

Tuna and pasta salad with a mixed salad and mayonnaise.

Cheese wedges and ham slices with a bran muffin and strawberries.

Supper: Beef stroganoff with brown rice and a carrot and pineapple salad.

Wholewheat spaghetti with baby marrows in Napolitana sauce sprinkled with grated mozzarella cheese.

Baked potato filled with tuna, mayonnaise and avocado, served with a slice of tomato.

Snacks: A few pieces of dried fruit, nuts or unsalted peanuts and raisins.

Fruit kebab made with melon, pineapple and strawberries.

Home- made popcorn or a muffin.

High- fibre crackers with peanut butter or cheese wedges.

Kiezer said it is also important to drink lots of water regularly, especially after training, but do not forget to have regular drinks at school and at home too.

“Be sure to drink lots of water in hot weather.”

She had one last message for all children riding the Cape Town Cycle Tour Junior this year.

“Well done to all our budding cyclists. Take care of your body with fitness and healthy eating will help set you up for success, both on event day and in the classroom.”

The Cape Town Cycle Tour Junior will take place on Saturday at the Youngsfield Military Base in Wynberg. There will also be lots of activities for you and your family on the day, with exciting lucky draw prize giveaways.

Make a difference: All kids love to ride bikes, but not all kids can afford them. That’s why the organisers of the event want you to bring your old bikes and trikes and drop them off on event day.

These bikes will be given to underprivileged children.

They also collecting books (there’s a shortage of Afrikaans ones) to drop off at schools that don’t have libraries, so please bring some of these along too.

Number collection will take place at registration from today til Friday, at Canal Walk Shopping Centre’s Centre Court between 9am and 9pm.

Online entries have closed, but you can still enter at Canal Walk until Friday.

For more information on the Cape Town Cycle Tour Junior event see www. capetowncycle tour.com, select the “Cape Town Cycle Tour Junior” event from the list and follow the easy instructions.

VITAL: Drink lots of water.