Most team snacks are a drink, a chip and something sweet. A good one does four jobs: carbohydrate, protein, healthy fat, and hydration with a dash of sodium when the day calls for it. Here's what the bag is missing, what to buy, how to keep the cost down, and the one change that sticks all season.

How much electrolytes does your athlete need? Sodium is the one that counts — 3 to 4 grams a day at ages 10 to 18, and 2 to 3 grams at ages 6 to 9, spread across five blocks. Potassium, magnesium and calcium matter for health, but they are not what holds fluid in. Sweat carries roughly nine times more sodium than potassium. Food first, the salt shaker second, a product only where the schedule breaks