7 Fast and Simple Ways to Improve Young Athletes’ Nutrition

 

Providing your young athletes with high quality food choices they’re willing to eat can be a challenge amidst the hustle and bustle of family life.  Kids begin to form their lifelong behaviors and attitudes towards food during these early years, so I think you’ll agree it’s a challenge worth accepting.

 

The good news is that fueling your young athlete with high quality foods they like doesn’t have to be a time-consuming, work-intensive pursuit. With a few simple strategies, it becomes much easier to find, prepare, and provide foods that give them everything they need to develop their brain and body.

 

Below are 7 ways to make finding, preparing, and providing high quality food choices faster and easier for you and your family.

 

1. Stock up on easily prepared, nutritious foods

 

Fill your cart with foods like nuts, cheese sticks, fruit (freeze berries and grapes for a cool snack), low sugar yogurt, and other quick, easy, and highly nutritious finger foods. They take nearly no time or skill to prepare and can serve as a go-to snack for kids. Convenience rules in the modern world, so having these at arm’s length in the pantry and refrigerator makes them an attractive choice for kids.

 

Although some processed foods can have a relatively high nutritional value, try to prioritize foods in their whole form when possible.  Make it a goal for a snack to have at least 5 grams of protein with less than 10 grams of added sugar per serving.

 

Quick rule of thumb: If it has less than 3 non-sugar ingredients and you’re buying it from a refrigerated area of the store, it’s probably a pretty good choice.

 

2. Be aware of unnecessary additives

To make foods taste more “kid friendly”, companies load them up with sugar and other flavor enhancers.  This can take nutritious and palatable foods that kids already enjoy and decrease their nutritional value unnecessarily.

 

The biggest culprits tend to be peanut butter, yogurt, and dried fruit.  Kids eat these without the extra stuff, so why add it? When purchasing these and other similar foods for kids, look for the low or no added sugar options.  Kids will still like them, the foods will just maintain more of their nutritional value.

 

3. Prioritize water

Water is the king of beverages when it comes to optimizing nearly every function of a young brain and body. The problem is that it isn’t as tasty and appealing as juice, soda, sports drinks, and other similar options. While these still bring water into the system, they also bring a lot of unneeded sugar.  If it’s not water, it’s a sugar drink.

 

 

Having a special water cup, molded ice cubes, or fruit slices can make a plain glass of water tastier and more interesting.

 

4. Eat dinner as a family

With the craziness of “sports family” life, it can be challenging to eat together as a family. However, research has found that kids from families who routinely eat meals together eat more fruits, vegetables, and high-quality food choices. Try to eat together whenever possible!

 

5. Don’t make separate meals for your kids

 

Pediatricians and pediatric dieticians agree: Children’s diets will mold to the options presented to them. Typical “kid-friendly” foods like mac-and-cheese and hot dogs are often high in sugar and salt and low in nutrition. If kids know there is an option for these foods every time they eat, they’re going to take it.  Research has shown this can develop their palate to expect food to taste salty and/or sweet throughout their entire life.

 

Additionally, cooking extra meals adds to the complexity of preparation, which decreases the likelihood adults will make high quality nutrition choices. Experts agree that while there may be a short “learning” curve, kids will eventually eat what’s in front of them.

 

6. Involve kids with food preparation when possible

Kids who are involved with the selection and preparation of food tend to eat more varied, higher quality diets compared with kids who aren’t. Having kids pick out the fruits and vegetables they want, then involving them in how these are prepared helps them develop an interest, appreciation, and level of discernment for the food they eat. It also makes them feel like it’s THEIR choice to eat them.

 

Research suggests this can positively impact their nutritional choices throughout their entire life.

 

7. Help kids understand how the food they eat can help them

 

Classifying foods as “good” or “bad” can create a guilt-based relationship with food. It’s more effective to discuss nutritious foods in terms that are relevant to kids. My daughter came home from summer camp last year with a chart for foods that make you “Grow (protein), Go (carbohydrates), and Glow (vegetables).”

 

 

These outcomes are all important to her as a young athlete, particularly the Grow and Go, so she asks where these foods are on her dinner plate. Instead of hiding from “bad” foods, she seeks these more nutritious foods.  This steers the food conversation away from guilt and bodyweight and makes it about how it makes her feel and perform.

 

Overcome the challenge of providing quality nutrition for your young athlete the easy way with these 7 simple tips!

 

 

 

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