Skip to main content Show The ideas and suggestions written below are provided for general educational purposes only and should not be construed as medical advice or care. Always seek the advice of a physician or other qualified health provider before beginning any physical fitness or health- and nutrition-related activity Nutrition and staying energized can impact the enjoyment kids get out of sports. There’s nothing like a grumbling belly to sap energy and ruin an otherwise fun practice. It’s important to provide the right kind of fuel for kids’ bodies and imaginations during play and activities like sports. Kids’ bodies and minds are constantly in motion — from racing around at recess to learning complex new math concepts to absorbing a new skill in their favorite sport. Our nutrition tips for kids will give you ideas for getting the right fuel into those growing bodies so they can do their best out there. You’ll find fun facts and easy ideas for an overall nutritious diet as well as game-day nutrition. Everyday FuelBetween meals and snacks, active kids can eat up to five or six times a day. A balanced diet with things like carbohydrates, protein, fiber, fruits, and vegetables will help keep them going and growing. Specifically, whole grains are important for keeping those little budding athletes energized. Examples of energizing whole grains are:
For kids, it’s most important to make sure they are eating healthy, balanced meals in the days leading up to competition. And you want to be sure they are getting enough to eat to support their sport. Kids participating in endurance-focused sports like swimming or running may need to eat more than those who participate in more sprint or stop-and-go sports like BMX racing or gymnastics. Teach kids how to listen to their bodies so they know when they’re hungry and when they’re full. In the days leading up to competition, make snacks easily available to active kids. Kids welcome the freedom to satisfy their hunger themselves (and these young athletes seem like they’re always hungry), so it’s a great idea to have a snack station at home or in the car where kids are free to grab an energizing snack like peanut butter crackers, whole-grain pretzels, or a CLIF Kid Zbar energy snack bar before the game. Another major factor in pre-game nutrition is hydration. It’s important for kids to drink water all day long, not just while practicing and playing. So be sure to fill up those water bottles! Pre-Game SnacksSometimes a snack is all kids need before a game or match. For shorter-duration sports like basketball or volleyball, a small snack might do the trick. For longer-duration sports like golf, baseball, softball, or gymnastics meets, a larger snack may be needed to fuel their bodies for an extended period of time. Pre-game snacks should be a source of carbohydrates to provide energy. Beyond that, a small amount of protein can help satisfy hunger for the longer-duration sports listed above. Be aware of the fat content of pre-game snacks as this can slow digestion. Choose snacks that are lower in fat, or rather, not high in fat like pastries or fried foods. Here’s a list of ideas to try for a pre-game snack with your little athlete:
Many young athletes will find themselves at tournaments, playing multiple games or matches in one day. In these situations, it can be challenging for them to eat enough between games to replenish their energy and prepare for the next event. If your little athlete only has 30-60 minutes between games, a smaller, easy-to-digest snack is a great choice. Foods like a CLIF Kid Zbar energy snack bar, dried fruit, pretzels, fruit, a yogurt drink, or fruit snacks could work well. With that said, if a child can eat a larger quantity of food and still feel OK to compete, this could be helpful in getting more needed energy. When there is more time between games, such as one to two hours, encourage kids to eat a balanced meal that includes carbohydrates and protein. Sandwiches are a great option because they’re portable and balanced. Smoothies, burritos, or bowls are also great choices. Consider packing a cooler with a variety of sandwiches to keep with you all day or plan ahead where you can pick up a quick meal for your athlete. Competition EssentialsEspecially if your player had a lighter meal before competition, you’ll want to have easy-to-digest snacks with energizing carbohydrates available during the game. Halftime snacks like orange slices are always a kid favorite. Staying hydrated is also important. Water is the best option and should be the primary hydration source for kids.1 Sports drinks in combination with water and coconut water are also good choices for games lasting over an hour, as they contain fast-acting carbohydrates and electrolytes. Post-Game SnacksKids need protein for their growing bodies, especially after a game. Kids love our CLIF Kid Zbar® Protein bars in Cookies ’n’ Creme, Chocolate Chip, Chocolate Mint flavor and Cinnamon Crunch. These protein bars can help quiet rumbling tummies after a game and curb their hunger until mealtime. For post-sport mealtime, give your athlete a balance of carbs, protein, and fat to support their growing body. If it’s not quite mealtime, or you need something fast and easy, a balanced snack can be a good option too. Post-Game Snack Ideas:
All these nutrition tips for kids combined with a good night’s sleep each night can help your budding athlete take on the world. Reference
 Endurance athletes who need to perform for long periods use meal strategies, such as glycogen loading, to accumulate glycogen in their muscles. Before a game, some athletes also avoid fatty, foods that are slow to digest and try to eat mainly familiar, easily digested, high carbohydrate foods. High-fiber foods such as raw vegetables, seaweed, and mushrooms tend to cause a buildup of gas, so athletes have to avoid eating too much of them. Avoid eating raw foods before a game. On the day of the game, you should ideally finish eating 3-4 hours before it begins. To keep your energy up during the game, it is also a good idea to have an easily digestible light snack (such as a jelly drink) about 1-2 hours beforehand. It is also important to replenish the fluids and minerals you will lose through sweating with an ion drink (sports drink) just before the game.
In this article, we will discuss the Nutrition for Athletes: Best Foods to Eat and When to Eat Them. You’ve worked hard in the gym, you’ve been eating right, and you’ve been killing it in practice all week—now it’s time to get into the game. But just because you’ve been fueling up correctly and training at your best doesn’t mean you can just eat whatever you want on game day. No matter what sport you’re playing, your body needs to have the proper athlete nutrition to power you through any competition—especially the big ones. “As an athlete—professional or amateur—nutrition is a full time gig,” says Ryan Turner, R.D., C.S.S.D., C.D.N., sports dietitian at New York University and Top Balance Nutrition in New York City. “Pre-game nutrition should be viewed as supplemental to the fueling you do throughout the rest of the day. Depending on your sport, you should be able to enter the game with enough stored energy for a full 60 minutes.” Two big points of focus when it gets close to game time? Carbs and water. “Depending on how much time you have before you step into the game, this is a great time to ‘top off’ your energy stores,” says Turner. But what’s really the best way to get your nutrients? And when exactly should you chow down before a game so you don’t get a stomach cramp? Here’s Turner’s play-by-play timeline for optimal pre-game nutrition. Don’t eat everything on the list before the game, of course—it’s intended as a guide to food choices depending on how much time you have and how hungry you are. Nutrition for Athletes Before Game Time“Eat a bigger meal with plenty of fluids, especially water,” says Turner. “An athlete’s plate should be half full of starch, a quarter protein, and a quarter non-starchy vegetables. With more than 2 hours before game time, I suggest having a more substantial meal. You have more time to digest and relax. I always suggest Mexican food or a sandwich—but without high-fat dips and spreads like guacamole, sour cream, or mayo.” Meal Options:
“Starch-based meals should be the focus, says Turner. “Foods like lower fiber rice, pasta, and breads are good options.” But don’t pig out—you want enough food to give you energy, but not so much that you feel that burrito bowl sloshing around in your guts during the first quarter of the game. Meal Options:
Quicker Options:
“Focus on quick-digesting snacks,” says Turner. “Foods like peanut butter, nuts, fruits, and low-fat Greek yogurt can be tolerated with closer to 60 minutes before game time. Fruits can be incredibly helpful in regards to hydration at this point, including:
Here are some of the options that Turner recommends when you’ve got one hour between practices/games/events:
30 Minutes Before Game Time“There are a number of food options recommended to top off your energy,” says Turner. “Rapidly digesting foods that leave the stomach quickly are good when you have 30 minutes or less before your event or game is going to start. You should focus on quick-digesting carbohydrates and hydration.” But be careful with what you pick, because if you eat the wrong thing, you could hinder yourself once you get out onto the field or onto the court: “Foods high in protein, fat, and fiber—including vegetables, fruits, and whole grains—will digest a lot slower than low-fiber carbohydrates, and should be avoided with less than 30 minutes before a game,” says Turner. While this may be an obvious one for most athletes, the importance of hydrating cannot be overstated, especially when it comes to performance. If you don’t have enough water before you get on the field, you’ll put yourself at an increased risk for injury, plus you could suffer from muscle cramps and fatigue. “Water is necessary for performance, says Turner. “If an athlete loses more than 2% of their body weight from sweat, decision making and reaction time is slowed, perceived exertion is increased, and lean muscle is compromised. The average person loses 2.4 pounds from sweat per hour—it’s important to hydrate throughout the day and well before competition so you aren’t overloading your stomach.” Sports Drink – 8 oz. serving“Sports drinks and watered down juices can be helpful for energy,” says Turner. “Although they are not necessary before a game if you’ve eaten appropriate meals leading up to it. Too much at once, or a drink too concentrated in sugar can upset the stomach and cause cramping.” Quick Options:
“Low-fiber carbohydrates like pretzels, saltines, and bagels are great choices to top off energy with less than 30 minutes to go before a game,” says Turner. “It’s true that some active people still may have trouble tolerating these, so if you’re one of those people, small amounts of sports energy chew or even Swedish fish can be eaten instead.” For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube! |
What to eat on game day
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