5 Things Parents Need To Know About Feeding Young Athletes, From A Sports RD
There are so many mixed messages and misinformation about nutrition out there, especially when it comes to fueling young athletes. It's so important to remember that what is considered good advice for an adult working an office job may not apply to your multi-sport athlete who is in the midst of a growth spurt. As a sports dietitian, my goal is to provide tools to use food as a way to support the health, performance, and overall well-being of young athletes now, while setting them up for a successful, active life.
It can feel overwhelming, but there are a few important things to keep in mind as you fuel your growing athlete.
Health first, performance second
No matter how high-level you are as a young athlete, your health should always be your top priority. Anything that offers short-term performance gains but risks your health isn’t worth it, especially when it comes to body weight considerations for young athletes.
And remember: Weight is not a performance metric.
Whenever you notice your athlete debating what to eat or whether to eat, help them work through their logic. Are they restricting themselves from something, or are they not hungry? Are they not eating the donut because they realize they actually have time to make a sandwich that will be more satisfying, or are they skipping it because they’re calorie-counting?
RELATED READ: The Lifelong Impact On Sports For Girls & Women
As training goes up, eating goes up
Your athlete has to fuel their workouts. That means eating before and after practice, and sometimes even during it if practice is hard or over an hour in duration.
It’s common for athletes not to feel hungry and to worry about stomach issues if they eat before practice, so start small with easy-to-digest carbohydrates. Sips of juice, pretzels, or applesauce pouches are a great place to start. Fueling in a workout should be happening during any practice or session that’s over an hour in length.
Much like our pre-workout snack, the goal of in-training fuel is to get some easily digestible carbohydrate for efficient energy to support performance. Sports drinks can also be great to keep your athlete hydrated mid-practice. Other options include fruit chews, bananas, or orange slices.
Post-training, aim for the ‘three Rs’ of recovery: Repair the muscles with protein, replenish with carbohydrates, and rehydrate with fluids and electrolytes. Consider pairing chocolate milk with a granola bar or yogurt with granola and fruit.
Stop counting everything
Get yourself and your athlete out of the calorie-counting mindset. Ideally, your athlete won’t count calories at all.
I like to focus on how their plate looks: Is there a palm-sized portion of protein, some kind of healthy fat, and enough carbohydrates (between one to three fist-size portions) to fuel the work that they’re doing, plus some colorful fruit or veggies?
For those who’ve struggled with diet culture and naturally have that calorie count going in their head, this shift can be hard to make, but so worth it in the long run.
Snacks are opportunities
Snacks give your athlete a chance to catch up, to recover better, and to allow their muscles to do their thing. When building a snack, aim for a mix of protein and carbs, unless it’s within a few hours of a workout, then aim for those easy-to-digest carbs.
Pairing protein and carbs together makes the snack more satisfying while giving your athlete the energy and resources they need to recover, get stronger, and stay healthy. Some convenient options include: Toast with peanut butter, fruit, and a glass of milk, hummus with pita and sliced veggies, or even a smoothie.
Help your athlete view food through a positive lens
Food should be a positive thing, not a cause of stress. Help your athlete develop that mindset: Remind them of all the great ways food can impact us.
Food gives us energy, it can be part of our connection with friends and family, and it allows us to feel satisfied, nourished, energized, strong, and like we can perform at our peak. Not everything your athlete eats needs to be for nutrients or performance; joy counts too!
What does this look like in practice?
Everyone’s fueling needs and schedule looks different. When working with young athletes and their parents, I always consider the athlete and their personal preferences in addition to things like their age, sport, training season/volume, the climate that they’re training in, and any nutritional allergies or special needs.
This helps us formulate a plan that’s tailored to the individual athlete—one that they’re more likely to follow!
Emma
Age: 14
Sport: High school swimmer
Season: Off-season
Living: At home
- 6:30 AM: Homemade yogurt parfait with granola and fruit, bottle of orange juice
- 7:00 AM: Pack lunch, get ready, leave for school
- 8:00 AM: Classes
- 10:00 AM: Granola bar and dried fruit
- 12:00 PM: Lunch break with friends, two slices of pizza from the cafeteria with a side salad
- 3:00 PM: Commute home
- 3:30 PM: Bowl of cereal with a banana and light stretching
- 4:00 PM: Homework/study session and a walk with a friend
- 6:00 PM: Dinner with family: Chicken with roasted potatoes and veggies
- 7:00 PM: Review for upcoming tests/projects
- 8:00 PM: Watch TV, peanut butter toast with honey
- 9:00 PM: Prepare for bed (shower, pack swim gear for the next morning)
Why it works: Emma shared a meal and socialized with friends while still building a performance plate that fit her training level.
Anya
Age: 19 years old
Sport: NCAA D3 Lacrosse
Season: In-season
Living: In an off-campus apartment
- 7:00 AM: Smoothie with frozen fruit, Greek yogurt, and peanut butter
- 8:00 AM: 1-hour lift with the team
- 9:20 AM: Bagel with cream cheese
- 9:30 AM: Class, Human Growth and Development 100
- 11:00 PM: Packed lunch, sandwich with ham and veggies, tortilla chips, and guacamole on campus while studying for a test
- 12:30 PM: Class, Intro to Psychology 101
- 2:00 PM: Snack: Fig bars and an applesauce pouch for mobility work before practice
- 3:00 PM: Lacrosse practice
- 6:30 PM: Team dinner with roommates at home, lasagna (frozen), and steamed broccoli
- 8:00 PM: Study, homework, and a nighttime snack (like a bowl of cereal with milk)
- 10:30 PM: Bedtime
Why it works: Anna had a bagel and a sandwich on campus and lasagna for dinner, which helped her get plenty of carbs. And her breakfast smoothie set her up for a successful morning after training without making her late for class since she could take it with her!
The takeaway
Nutrition can be intimidating. As a parent, you’re likely looking for ways to help your athlete be their happiest, healthiest self.
For a more in depth roadmap to optimal fueling, my book Power Up: A Young Woman's Guide to Winning with Sports Nutrition dives the nutrition basics every young athlete should understand, what to eat before practice to how to recover like a pro, how to build meals that support training, navigate dining hall decisions, and even some cooking basics that any kid can learn.