Game Day Nutrition
Night before the game
Fueling and hydration for game day should always start the night before. A high carbohydrate meal is encouraged to have the fuel tank in muscles completely filled up. But also fruits, vegetables, and proteins must be included.
Recommended to consume one large meal around 6-7 pm, and another small meal one hour before bed.
For example, the night before have a meal at 5 pm, and another small meal at 9:30 pm before bedtime.
Here are some ideas to consume:
Pasta dishes:
● Spaghetti with meatballs – Whole grain spaghetti is ideal, but not required.
● Ravioli with chicken
● Homemade Pita Pizzas – with marinara sauce, mozzarella, meat and vegetables toppings (chicken, spinach, peppers, corn, etc)
● Lean Beef Lasagna
● Foot long subs - with whole grain breads, lean meats (turkey or chicken), and baked chips with one piece of fruit.
● Breakfast for dinner – Pancakes, waffles, breads, eggs, turkey sausage.
● Homemade Burritos - with large flour tortillas: chicken and rice, beans, vegetables, and mild sauces.
Breakfast on game day (sometimes this could be the pre-game meal)
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, particularly on game days. It becomes even more important when the team has early games (Noon – 3 pm). A premium athlete breakfast will have 2-3 carbohydrate options, 2--3 protein options, fruits, plenty of fluids (water, juices, etc.), and a To-Go station for athlete to take snacks with them.
See sample menu below:
Scrambled Eggs/Boiled eggs
Turkey Sausage
Pancakes (regular) Whole grain bagels
Oatmeal/Oatmeal packets (brown sugar, cinnamon, dried fruit on the side)
Bananas/apples/oranges
Fruit Salad
Water
Juice (100% Juice)
Propel/Gatorade G2
Milk (skim or 1%)
Dessert: Greek Yogurt (flavored)
Others: Peanut butter /Jelly
Pre-game meal/snack
If kickoff is at a later time (4--8 pm), a pre-game meal after breakfast is ideal. This could be boxed lunches with half sub or sandwich, a fruit, water, and baked chips.
Game time nutrition
This is another important part of the proper fueling of your athletes. After first warm ups I encourage all players to have a granola bar, or a watery fruit (orange slices, or cut-up watermelon) before kickoff. This will prime the body with energy to start strong.
Half-time Refueling
This is an ideal time to focus on rehydrating and refueling to continue to perform 100% in the second half. Here are some ideas for half-time snacks:
Watermelon/grapes/orange slices
Half bananas
Fig Newtons
Gatorade Chews
Half granola bars
Fruit gels
Water/Sports Drinks
Recovery
Just because it is the end of the game does not mean athletes should not recover. A Protein shake is recommended
Post-Game Meal
This meal is flexible and whatever makes the athlete happy. Usually pizza, or restaurant foods are ok. Eat something!
Meal Timing for Male Athletes
Do you want to turn your body into a fat-burning,high-performance machine? It is important to eat throughout the day. The best athletes eat 3 meals and 2-3 snacks daily.Check out the timeline below to get an idea.
Off-season Nutrition Plan
The off season is the right time to lose the right type of weight while also packing up muscle mass to prepare you for a successful football performance. Nutrition alone can’t accomplish that; training alone cannot accomplish that either. It is only a combination of both that makes
your personal sports goals more attainable.
