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OPEN ICE by Christina Meyer-Jax, MS, RD Fueling for Success Don't let your child head to the rink without a key piece of equipment I 22 minnesotahockeyjournal.com // December.2012 Youth athletes can't run on empty fuel tanks. Backpack and Hockey Bag Snacks. Get the kids involved in pre-packing healthy snack bags for the week. Here are my top favorites: 1. On-the-go smoothies (hydration and nutrition). 2. Trail mix (whole grain cereal, nuts, seeds, dried fruit). 3. Individual nut butter packets and whole grain crackers. 4. Whole grain muffin, fruit, jerky. 5. Veggie sticks and hummus. 6. Whole grain granola bar, cheese stick. 7. Nut butter and jelly wrapped up in a tortilla. 8. Popcorn and dried fruit. 9. Oatmeal raisin cookies and yogurt. 10. Fruit leathers (made with real fruit) and trail mix. The goals of good sports nutrition are to help young athletes optimize strength, speed, stamina and recovery as well as decrease the risk of injury. Healthy pre- and postgame fuel is that one piece of equipment you don't want to be missing! Christina Meyer-Jax is a proud hockey mom and the Principal Nutrition Scientist for Schwan's Shared Services, LLC. photos: Jim rosvold, Istockphoto,com t's 6 a.m., you're at the rink and realize you forgot (once again) a key piece of equipment! Shin guards? Elbow pads? Helmet? No, you amazingly have all the protective gear, but can clearly hear the growling of your hockey player's Good nutrition stomach! is an important Even as a nutritionist, ingredient in this hockey mom of the success of athletes engaged two has been caught in intense missing this key piece of competition. equipment: Healthy fuel for Make meals do double time! my young athletes. We intuitively know that When cooking dinners or lunches, make practicing and training leads to better on-ice twice as much. What was dinner the night performance. The other key to optimizing before can now be a ready-to-go pre-game your player's experience is having them fueled meal for the next day. Here are the basics to properly before and after their time at the a healthy meal that can be customized using rink. Youth athletes can't run on empty fuel the strategy below: tanks. Active bodies also don't work optimally 1. Cook a double/triple batch of whole if fueled on low nutrient choices. grain carbohydrates. The stored leftovers What should the head coach of food and become the template for the next set of fuel (aka parents) know to be prepared? meals. You can choose whole wheat pasta, brown rice or something new like quinoa. Have a Breakfast Plan. It really is the Carbohydrates are the fuel that your most important meal of the day. Make sure muscles and brain prefer, so it's essential to include both protein and carbohydrates in that athletes have it ready to go. the morning meal. Here are some ideas: 2. Cook up extra lean protein, such as 1. Oatmeal with milk, almonds and fruit. chicken, turkey or tofu. Add this to your 2. A smoothie can provide a whole serving of whole grain carbohydrate. To include fruit while hydrating. On-the-go products more plant protein, throw in some beans. allow you to bring them from home, or Protein plays an important role in growth, you can find them as a good choice at the building muscle and immune function. rink concessions for those early-morning, 3. Veggies on hand. I stock my fridge stomach-growling games. with cut up peppers, carrots and snap 3. Breakfast quesadilla of eggs, lean meat and peas. I also love to use frozen veggies salsa in a whole corn tortilla. to help add variety and nutrition to my 4. Greek yogurt and a small bag of cereal, leftovers. Veggies give the fiber, vitamins nuts and dried fruit. and minerals important to active bodies. 5. Banana muffin with peanut butter or Toss these in with Nos. 1 and 2 above. other nut butter and a glass of low-fat 4. Stock up on fun sauces and condiments milk or soy milk. that your kids love. This allows you to 6. String cheese, fruit and a whole grain customize between Asian stir-fry one granola bar (yes, breakfast can be that day and Italian pasta bake the next. simple)!