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Eat Well, Play Better
Feeding Your Child Athlete
By Lisa Marie Metzler
Should we feed our children before the game or after? Would a light meal be sufficient? Do they need snacks during half time or after the game? According to Anckaitis, child athletes will have different reactions to eating before events, so after the first event you'll want to take note of a child's performance and how he or she felt after the game.
"Based on the feedback, you can then adapt the timing and/or type of food they eat the next time," he says.
Dede Nugent of Benzonia, Mich., has a 9-year-old daughter who participates in a variety of sports. Nugent quickly learned that if her daughter didn't eat before a game it resulted in a poor performance. "She also gets grumpy if she doesn't eat before a game," Nugent says.
Most experts agree a meal should be consumed two to three hours before a game. "It is imperative they eat prior to a game or practice so that they have enough glycogen to fuel their muscles," says Cynthia Lair, nutrition expert and author.
Carbohydrates should be a large part of the child's dinner, as well as fruits and vegetables and a small portion of protein. However, if you're short on time, you can still feed your child a nutritionally sound meal. "Fresh fruit plus a carbohydrate food, like a bagel, half-sandwich, crackers and cheese or a muffin, makes a great quick meal," Lair says.
Nugent's daughter prefers chicken or turkey wraps with cheese and a side of yogurt and fruit when they are rushed for time. If you do have to eat on the run, try stopping at your neighborhood deli instead of a fast food restaurant. Soups, pasta salads, rice dishes, wraps or even sushi rolls are far better alternatives than a greasy burger and fries.