As a 2012 study1 recently highlighted, one of the biggest nutritional challenges faced by parents of youth athletes on travel teams is seeing that they eat properly away from home. But whether you are traveling to an three-day soccer tournament in a nearby town, or a two-week tournament in a foreign country [1], your child's nutritional needs don't have to suffer.
There are plenty of ways you can ensure that your child will eat the kind of high carbohydrate, moderate protein, and low fat diet [2] which studies show are necessary for optimal performance. Here are some strategies to use in making healthy choices at fast food [3], family-style and ethnic restaurants [4], and grocery and convenience stores [5].
When you are away from home with your child at a tournament or all-day event, time is usually at a premium. But convenience and a shortage of time don't mean your child can't continue to eat right, even at fast food restaurants [3]. While fast food franchises provide quick service, inexpensive food of consistent quality, and are easily accessible, keep in mind the following when you stop:
Click here [6] for some guidelines to help you and your child make healthy high-carbohydrate, low fat menu selections at fast food restaurants.
In general, "family-style" restaurants offer a wider variety of nutritious food than fast-food restaurants. Meals with coaches, players and other teammates before or after an away game or competition are often highlights of a youth sports season.
Healthy high-carbohydrate, low fat meals are available at ethnic restaurants. You just have to know what to look for, what to avoid or watch out for, and what the good menu choices are. For tips when eating at ethnic restaurants, click here [4].If you are having trouble finding a high carbohydrate, low fat item on the menu, remember that most restaurants are willing to accommodate special requests, such as:
If you can't arrange for meals ahead of time, you and your players can often get a pretty good idea about whether a menu item is high fat from the method of preparation:
At all day events or tournaments, stopping at a grocery or convenience store is usually a better bet than the concession stand, which typically offers foods that are high in fat, (e.g. nacho chips, cheese fries, and hot dogs) and are expensive. Most supermarkets have a soup and salad bar with a variety of healthy foods. With guidance from parents and coaches, young athletes can find high carbohydrate, low fat foods in every aisle of the store.
As a general rule, a snack that contains at least 4 grams of carbohydrate for every gram of fat is considered high in carbohydrates and low in fat. For more information on specific foods, read the label.
Click here [5] for some healthy -- and not so healthy -- choices from the grocery or convenience store.
1.Thomas M, Nelso TF, Harwood E, Neumark-Sztainer D. Exploring Parent Perceptions of the Food Environment in Youth Sport.
Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior. 2012;44(4):365-371.
Revised June 21, 2012
Links:
[1] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/272
[2] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/246
[3] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/270
[4] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/268
[5] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/271
[6] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/269
[7] https://mail.momsteam.com/node/247
[8] https://mail.momsteam.com/nutrition/healthy-eating-away-from-home/restaurants/tips-for-healthy-dining-at-ethnic-restaurants
[9] https://mail.momsteam.com/nutrition/healthy-eating-away-from-home/restaurants/choosing-low-fat-items-at-fast-food-restaurants
[10] https://mail.momsteam.com/nutrition/grocery-and-convenience-stores-offer-better-nutrition-than-concession-stands
[11] https://mail.momsteam.com/nutrition/travel-team-nutrition-tips-sports-parents-coaches-managers