Nutrition is extremely important for student-athletes. Not only does it improve their performance, but it helps their growing bodies build muscle. With that said, finding the right balance of food on game day can be a tricky thing to do. For this reason, here is a comprehensive list of healthy meals for any competition.
First: toast with avocado and eggs. This is senior and cross-country runner Julia Ferreira’s go-to meal since she usually has early meets and breakfast is her only time to fuel up before competing.
“This breakfast is chock full of carbohydrates, healthy fats, and all the vitamins and minerals you need to dominate on the field,” explained an article by traceup.com, titled “The Best Gameday Meals For Peak Athletic Performance.” Second: a bagel with turkey and eggs. Dietician and nutritionist Amy Jamieson-Petonic explains in her article, The Best Food For Athletes To Eat Before a Competition, that it could be another great breakfast for early morning games because of its ability to sustain athletes and limit fatigue throughout their game. Track and cross country runner Valentina Miyoshi also agrees.
“That’s a good option for me, and it would definitely fuel me since it has a lot of protein,” freshman Miyoshi said.
Thirdly, pasta with red sauce and a side of bread is another nourishing option for athletes, says traceup.com, specifically for games that are later in the day. This is because of its carbs that act as excellent fuel for any endurance-based sport.
“I always eat pasta the night before every single race that I have,” Ferreira said.
One of the team’s mottoes is “eat pasta run fasta.”
Fourth: chicken with rice and veggies; traceup.com says it has the right amount of carbs for late games so that athletes don’t weigh themselves down in their games.
“A lot of things make my stomach hurt, so I have to be cautious of what I eat so it doesn’t impact my games, but nutritious foods don’t upset my stomach,” freshman and JV basketball player Najwa Rafiqzad said. “I would eat this.”
Lastly: turkey avocado sandwiches. Miyoshi calls this her favorite race day meal along with some pasta from the night before.
This is a great meal because it has the perfect balance of complex carbohydrates, protein and healthy fats and will “boost your energy levels and stamina and lower the amount of time it takes to recover after a game or tough workout,” explained the same site.
Snacks are also necessary for any athlete since games are usually at odd times during the day. Najwa Rafiqzad’s favorite snacks are granola bars, bananas, and a bag of fruit.
Ultimately, “your nutrition is your fuel, so the better food you eat, the better you’ll perform and the more energy you’ll have,” Ferreira said.
