I can testify to the tastiness of the first recipe pesto pasta with chicken, asparagus and peas , and am keen to try the rest soon! You want to find that perfect balance where you eat enough to be full of energy, but not so much that you feel heavy or bloated.

Generally speaking, though, you want to eat your last meal hours before a game. Look for fast-burning carbohydrates, and avoid the fats and fibers that make you feel sluggish because they take so long to digest.

For a game earlier in the day, your pregame meal could be a simple avocado toast , served with an egg scramble with lots of veggies! and a side of fresh fruit. This breakfast is chock full of carbohydrates, healthy fats, and all the vitamins and minerals you need to dominate on the field. Another option and one of my very favorites is to start experimenting with the perfect smoothie.

The banana and peanut butter are such strong flavors that you can add just about anything — like kale, spinach or avocado — without even noticing them in the smoothie!

I usually add protein powder, chia seeds and coconut oil for that extra energy punch. If your kickoff is a little later in the day, you might want a meal that feels a little bit heartier. The same principles are true: fuel up on carbohydrates, avoid too much protein or fiber, and include some healthy natural sugars.

Some easy possibilities: turkey sandwich on wholegrain bread, served with a side of fruit. Pasta with red sauce and a side of bread. Chicken and rice, served with veggies and a cup of juice. Since your last meal is hours before your game starts, you might still be hungry.

Salty snacks like pretzels and crackers are a great choice. So are yogurts, cereal bars or fresh fruits. Apples are some of my favorites: not only are apples a great source of natural sugar and delicious with peanut butter, their skin is full of energizing vitamins and minerals.

After your game, your focus should go from supplying your body with fuel, to helping your body repair, replenish and rehydrate. During the two hours after exercise, your body is its most efficient at absorbing nutrients and repairing muscle.

In those 2 hours, you should be filling it with protein, complex carbohydrates and of course tons of water and electrolytes. High-fat foods will slow that recovery process down. A burrito or burrito bowl is a great choice for post-game recovery. So is this salmon and sweet potato grain bowl , a healthy homemade hamburger or a delicious, decked-out salad.

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How Trace Works Pricing Explore Parents Coaches Club Directors. Nutrition Player Development. Athletes can eat a light snack minutes before game time. The best snacks close to game time are easily digestible carbohydrates with a small amount of protein. The most important nutritional factor during exercise is to stay hydrated.

If exercising for more than minutes, or if exercise is intense or in extreme heat, water alone may not be enough to replace electrolytes, and a sports drink would be appropriate.

When choosing a sports drink, look for products that contain at least mg of sodium per 8oz serving. When extra fuel is needed, especially when exercising more than two hours, products containing g of carbohydrate per 8oz serving will provide an optimal amount of carbohydrates to sustain you during long or very intense training sessions.

Nutrition after competition is just as important as fueling up before and during games. Athletes should eat a healthy snack containing both protein and carbohydrate within minutes after finishing exercise. One to three hours after a game, athletes should eat a balanced meal that contains carbohydrates, protein, vegetables or a fruit.

This helps with muscle recovery and replenishes energy stores after exercise. Athletes headed into a long tournament, which can include multiple games over one or two days, need to make meal planning a priority.

Pack plenty of healthy, balanced snacks to consume between games. Aim for a combination of protein, carbs and fluid to stay optimally fueled. The dietitians at Children's Health Andrews Institute can help athletes reach peak performance through meal planning before, during and after game day — and all season long.

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Sign up for Performance Playbook, the monthly newsletter from Children's Health Andrews Institute. X Facebook Linked In Email. Learn how to develop a game day meal plan that works best for you. Game day meal plan guidelines Test your meal plan ahead of game day. Every athlete is unique and tolerates foods differently.

Experiment with pre-sport meals and snacks ahead of game day to find out what makes you feel best. The day of competition is never the time to try something new. Learn what foods to avoid. Depending on your body's preferences and the type of sport you play, it may help to avoid dairy, high-fat or high-fiber foods on game day.

There is nothing bad about those nutrients, but during exercise, blood is diverted away from the digestive tract to the working muscles, making it harder to digest high-fiber, high-fat meals. This can lead to stomach cramps or other gastrointestinal symptoms during exercise.

Hydration is key.