Parents — do you feel like practices for your young athlete are always at inconvenient times? Sometimes, we all draw the short stick and have practice times that are right in the middle of dinner time and there is no good option for meals. Your child is either eating dinner super early or super late. Here’s what you should know about nutrition for evening practices.
Nutrition for Evening Practices
There are plenty of factors that will help you make a determination for how to plan your kid’s nutrition in the evening.
Your Child’s Sport is Important
Your kid’s sport of choice will be a huge factor in what they can and should eat before practice. For kids who play in a team sport, such as basketball, baseball, volleyball, or lacrosse, they may be able to tolerate a more substantial snack closer to practice time. Those in sports like swimming, cross country, and track need more time between their snack and practice start time, due to the nature of the sport. This doesn’t means the pre-practice snack needs to be different, but the timing might be.
If you are helping your kid plan out pre-practice snacks, it’s a good idea to ask them what their warm-up is like. If there is a lot of running or conditioning at the beginning of practice, you will also need a little more time for digestion.
Focus on Energy
Before practice, the focus should be on getting enough energy to have a productive practice. That means carbohydrate foods such as fruits, vegetables, grains, or dairy. Pre-practice is not the time for loads of protein or fat, as these can slow down digestion, so carbs are king before practice.
Eat Before and After
Making sure your child eats before practice is equally important as fueling AFTER practice. This meal is so important for their recovery. This is where you want to get MORE carbohydrate foods and ADD in protein and healthy fats. This meal could be as easy as reheating leftovers that the rest of the family had for dinner or helping your young athlete make their own balanced dinner.
Meal Options for Evening Practices
Pre-Practice Snack Options
- Cereal with milk
- Smoothie
- Apples and nut butter
- Hummus and chips or crackers
- Turkey Sandwich
- Avocado toast
- Yogurt and granola
After Practice Meal Options
- Best option: Family dinner or reheat what the family had for dinner!
- Roasted Baby Potatoes with Tuna and Avocado
- Healthy One-Pot Taco Skillet
- Roasted Sweet Potatoes with Vegan Chili
- Sandwich with baby carrots and strawberries
- Tacos with refried beans and rice
