How to Create an Athlete-Friendly Kitchen

If you're a parent of an athlete, you understand how important it is to fuel their bodies with the proper nutrients. As a parent, the last thing you want is to feel overwhelmed by your kitchen when preparing meals before your kids' games or competitions! Here are a few helpful tips to make feeding your athletes a breeze during a busy sports season.

1. Meal prep on Sunday (or any day that works for you!)

Meal prepping makes healthy eating easy because it removes some guesswork in cooking healthy meals. It also ensures that you have healthy food ready when hunger strikes — at 5 p.m., after practice, or just before bedtime.

Find easy go-to foods that will last in the fridge and are nutrition-packed. 

The options are endless, from chicken and rice to overnight oats, to marathon lasagna. You and your athlete can grab and go with ease. 

READ MORE: Here are five grab-and-go recipes from TrueSport.

2. Understand supplement use

You've heard about supplements, and now your athlete is asking about using a new supplement, protein powder, or pre-workout. Is it necessary for their age? Let's answer some questions first:

What are supplements?

Supplements are any product taken in addition to a person's regular diet to provide nutrients that may be missing from the diet. These can include vitamins, minerals, herbs, or other substances that contain one or more nutrients.

What do athletes need most?

Athletes need many of the same essential vitamins and minerals as non-athletes. However, some extra nutrients may help them recover after workouts and competitions. These include:

• Vitamin C – helps with muscle recovery
• Potassium – helps with muscle cramps and fatigue
• Calcium – helps with bone strength
• Magnesium – helps with muscle relaxation and nerve function

Learn more about what supplements are with this series from TrueSport, and consider consulting with your child's physician before starting any new supplements. Already decided on a protein powder or a new supplement? Consider keeping some pre-dosed amounts on the counter in a shaker bottle or Ziploc so your athlete can grab and go each day of the week without worrying about missing a dose. 

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3. Create a hydration plan

So, how much water should your athlete drink?

The answer is: it depends.

There must be a way to know exactly how much water each athlete needs daily. With varying levels of activity, it can be quite a guessing game.

But some guidelines can help. The Institute of Medicine recommends that women consume about 91 ounces (2.7 liters) per day and men consume about 125 ounces (3.8 liters) per day. This can be in addition to other fluids such as juice or milk. The amounts are similar for children, but it varies based on age and activity level.

For example, if your athlete exercises for more than an hour or is sweating heavily during exercise, you may need to drink more than these recommendations suggest. Knowing when your athlete is overhydrated and dehydrated for sport is critical. It is essential to have sports drinks on hand like Gatorade or Liquid IV and a fun water bottle they can grab on the way out the door. Create a complete plan for your athlete with these guidelines so they're always prepared, no matter the scenario.

Looking for more ways to keep your kitchen prepped for a busy sports season?

Consider signing up for a meal kit like Home Chef. Home Chef allows you to create and customize your weekly menu while skipping the line for groceries. With meals delivered directly to your door and prep cut to under 30 minutes, it's no wonder this is America's #1 rated in customer satisfaction for meal kits. Learn more at HomeChef.com

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