It goes without saying that fuelling for a competition is incredibly important to an athlete’s success. We’ve prepared a list of food to help optimize their performance.
The pre-event meal must be high in carbohydrate (65-70% of total calories consumed). Fat and protein, which take longer to digest, should be consumed in smaller amounts.
Breakfast
Cereal — with low-fat milk
Yogurt — low-fat, plain or fruit
Fruit
French toast and/or pancakes – with no added butter or margarine
Egg dishes — not fried
Ham or steak — if lean/not fried (small amounts)
Potato — not fried
Rice — not fried
Noodles, pasta
Toast — with limited amounts of butter/margarine
Muffins — try jam or jelly, not butter
Beverages —Athletes should drink plenty of fluid!
Bottled water
Fruit juice — fresh, canned, cartons
Skim milk, Ovaltine
Lunch
Cheese — in moderation
Fruit and vegetables, fruit and vegetable juices — fresh, canned, cartons
Cold cuts — turkey, chicken, lean beef, lean ham (reasonable portions)
Salads — bean, peeled fresh vegetables, fruit salad, low-fat cottage cheese (small amount of dressing)
Dinner
Meat, fish, poultry — broiled, roasted, baked, barbecued, poached (reasonable portions; trimmed fat; skin from chicken removed)
Meat alternatives — beans, peas, and lentil dishes if these are familiar foods; gas produced when these foods are not part of the usual diet can cause discomfort.
Potatoes — baked, boiled, mashed (without butter/margarine)
Rice – steamed, plain
Noodles – plain
Pasta – plain/tomato/vegetable sauce
Bread- rolls, crackers, all breads
Pre-event nerves may upset the stomach; therefore we recommend that your athletes test the meals before, preferably in pre-exercise or training conditions.
