Pre & Post Match Nutrition for Young Athletes

Making sure that a young athlete is nutritionally sound should have daily focus.  When they are eating properly, especially pre and post match, their performance will be better, they will recover much faster afterwards and they will have a reduction in the possibility of injury.

It may seem like having the right nutrition wouldn’t be able to ensure all of those things, but fueling the young athlete properly is very much like taking care of your prize car or show animal.  Have the right food going in at the right times, and it will show in how they play and how they feel. 

Educating young players about nutrition is essential in their athletic development

The Best Pre Match Nutrition

It’s important to eat the right foods in the right amounts before a match as well as to eat at the right time.  A young athlete who is uncomfortably full will not perform well during the match and it could result in upset stomachs, cramping, heartburn and sluggishness during the activity as well.

Because carbohydrates are the easiest to digest and provide energy, make sure your pre game meal consists of carbohydrates that are not high in processed sugars. Whole grain choices are the best and include foods such as bagels, 100% fruit juices, low fat yogurt, bananas, cereals, and even pancakes.  Anything fried or greasy is NOT a good choice due to the extended time it takes to digest these foods, so avoid those quick hamburger stops.  

Take care to ensure that whatever you have them eat contains some low fat protein as well.  One egg or a piece of baked plain chicken, are excellent choices but don’t overeat.  Pre match is not the time to indulge in a big meal.

It is best to eat your pre match meal about 2-3 hours before the match.  The closer to the match you’re eating, the less carbs the meal should have, so if you only have an hour or so before a match and your young athlete is hungry, opt for a fruit smoothie or a banana and juice.

Hydration is also important pre match as much as it is during and after the match.   About 30 minutes or so before the match, give your child 1-2 cups of water or better yet, a high quality sports drink. Since many youth don’t like plain water, giving them a lightly flavored, sports drink will ensure that they drink enough to be properly hydrated before the match begins.

Continue to provide hydration during the match about every 15-20 minutes or so to avoid becoming dehydrated.  Usually ½ a cup or so is plenty, but it depends on the size of the youth.  Don’t let them over consume fluids as this will result in a sloshy feeling that could cause problems during the match.

The Best Post Game Nutrition

After the match is over, the best way to ensure a speedy recovery from the energy and water lost during their match is to make sure they have a carb/protein snack within 30 minutes of the match ending. Follow that up with a full meal within two hours of the match ending.

Some excellent post game snack choices can be wheat crackers and cheese, apples and peanut butter or trail mix of some kind.   Don’t let your child gorge during this post game snack; it’s just a time for recharging and getting the body back into balance. 

Once they sit down to a full meal, some good choices may include cheese or veggie pizza, spaghetti, a sandwich with lettuce and tomato, and some healthy vegetables.  Many times you’ll see post game teams pile into McDonalds and while this is fun for the child, sadly enough for them, it isn’t the best choice when it comes to refueling the body properly and rebuilding energy stores and aiding the muscles in healing from any breakdown they experienced from the activity if it is intense.

Again, it is important to make sure that your child is properly rehydrated after a match. Water loss can be significant, depending on the time of day they played and how long they played.  Ensuring that their bodies are rehydrated as well as refueled will keep their bodies in shape and running at a good pace even when you may not be there to govern what they eat and drink.

What You Teach Them Now, They’ll Continue

By making pre and post nutrition an important part of your child’s daily eating routine; you are building habits that will be carried with them throughout their lives into adulthood.  As they grow and get older, they will already know how important it is to fuel the body properly and the importance of hydration as well, which will keep their performance in tip top shape even as they go from youth sports to adult sports.