Meal Prep 101 for Busy Athletes

One of the biggest roadblocks athletes report in their journey towards healthier eating is simply not having enough time in the day to cook or prepare meals and snacks.

Many busy athletes and their families have tight schedules, where they might be eating meals at strange hours, on the road and in the bleachers, and sometimes get so busy that they resort to stopping for fast food or relying on convenience bars and shakes for too many meals.

Fast food and convenience snacks are fine once in a while, but what if we all had a strategy for making sure we had healthy snacks and meals prepared ahead of time? What if we could throw together said snacks and meals during the week in a matter of MINUTES? I'm sure all busy families and athletes would be on board.

This is where a food preparation (or meal prep) plan comes in! 

By spending some time ONE day of the week washing, cutting, baking, cooking, and portioning food into containers, athletes and their families will not have healthy food to eat during the busiest timesof the week - they'll also save time by not having to cook so much, and save money by not eating out or buying pre-packaged snacks.

There are many of resources online for "How to Food Prep" - Lindsay from the Lean Green Bean blog writes about food prep every week and is a great source for easy-to-make, healthy recipes.

Having a plan is the hardest part of meal prep. The first time you meal prep, it's important to start out small and let your meal prep game plan change each week in a way that fits your schedule. 

1. Decide which day works best for you! Many people choose to make all their food on one day (like Sunday, before the week starts!), while others might choose two days (maybe by preparing half on Sunday, and a new batch of foods on Wednesday).

It usually takes at least one hour (usually more if you do it all on one day), to prepare your meals, so keep that in mind. 

2. Make sure you have plenty of storage containers. Storage containers with lids are essential for easy storage and transportation of meals.

3. Choose which meals you want to prep. Some people just want to prepare lunches for the week to bring to school or work, while others make breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks and a random assortment of throw-together foods. One easy way to start preparing EXTRA food at dinner meals to bring for lunch the next day or the next several days. Many people also start out by preparing some "basics" that you can make throw-together meals throughout the week. Some good examples include:

• Washed and cut fruits and vegetables - You're much more likely to eat these healthy foods if they're all washed and ready-to-eat. Some suggestions are: grapes, salad greens, carrots, diced vegetables for salads/omelets/stir fry.
• Roasted vegetables - These can be easily thrown onto a salad or sandwich for more flavor! Toss some sweet potatoes, butternut squash, carrots, broccoli, or any other vegetables in olive oil, salt, pepper and any other seasonings you like and roast them in the oven until tender. 
• Cooked grains - You can prepare whole grains, such as rice and quinoa ahead of time to throw into salads or for easy grain bowls.

Check out some easy whole grain bowl recipes!

• Protein options - Having some protein options ready can be a huge life-saver for athletes. Keep it simple by making chicken breast, hard-boiled eggs or scrambled egg muffins, lean ground beef, bacon, or have some lunch meat on hand. 

• Breakfast foods - If you're typically a breakfast-skipper, preparing some easy breakfast options can be a huge time saver.

4. Make a list and go shopping - This may be the most dreaded part of meal prep for people who don't go into the grocery store weekly (or more than once per week!), but this part becomes easier each week as you figure out what works for your schedule, and which basics you KNOW you need to get you through the week.

Make a list of ingredients you would need for specific recipes you want to make, and a list of "basics" you want to have at hand (grains, vegetables, fruits, nuts, dairy, etc.)

If you're a beginner, don't be overwhelmed! It will get easier, and you can take satisfaction in knowing you will have healthy options to eat throughout the week. Good nutrition can have an immediate impact on sports performance - if you eat well and fuel your body with healthy foods, you will feel better and perform better, so start today!

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Is Your Snack Holding You Back? Tips for Packing a Snack Made for an Athlete

Athletes love to snack, but when speaking with young athletes about snacking, the first foods that come to mind are pre-packaged salty snacks and sweet treats. Instead of wanting to know which foods are healthy, which foods they should avoid, and what the healthier alternatives to their favorite snacks are, young athletes often get stuck in the habit of reaching for junk foods in-between meals - that's what everyone is doing! Most active people and young athletes know which foods aren't necessarily healthy without being told. When they're asked what snack foods they reach for, they're usually laughing over Poptarts or Cheetos, but even if that's what everyone else is reaching for, those junk foods aren't made to fuel an athlete's body. Putting the right fuel in our bodies helps us push harder and get stronger in our sport, so even though fruit and nuts aren't cool, those foods are going to make you a better athlete, while those junk foods might be holding you back.

Unhealthy snacking isn't uncommon - snacking has become much more popular and widely accepted, and many people (not just athletes) have moved from eating 3 main meals a day to 5-6 mini meals throughout the day or eating several smaller meals and several snacks per day.

An online poll found:

• Snack food sales are increasing globally, not just in the U.S. 
• Many people are snacking at least once per day, and the most popular snacks globally are chocolate and fruit
• The most popular snack in North America is chips and chocolate
• People are snacking to satisfy that between-meal hunger they get from 3 square meals...AND people are also eating more snacks to replace meals - instead of regular meals, they might just be grazing throughout the day.

Many athletes, people training for a certain event or race, and very active people may have higher calorie needs and snacking can help those people meet their calorie and nutrient needs...but they shouldn't be replacing a well-rounded vegetable-protein-starch meal with chips and chocolate candy. If athletes are hungry between meals, snacks should be more than just a package of junk foods - snacks are an opportunity add nutrition. Athletes should ask themselves, "How can I make this snack or meal more nutrient-dense?" because every eating opportunity is an opportunity to fuel your body for practice, competition, or recovery.

One athlete asked, "When does a healthy snack become unhealthy?" (Such as adding caramel to apple slices). 

This snack isn't necessarily unhealthy, but caramel, just like any sweet/candy/sugary treat is a "sometimes food". You could lower the amount of sugar in the snack and add some protein and healthy fats (which would make the snack a healthier option) by swapping out the caramel with a healthier side.

For example, you could make your own cinnamon dip with Greek yogurt, peanut butter and cinnamon. You could dip the apples in almond butter or have some cheese slices or hard-boiled egg on the side.

Snacking tips for athletes:

1. Pairing carbohydrates with protein can increase satiety and keep blood sugar levels even.
2. Eating protein throughout the day (including that post-workout snack) can help promote muscle protein synthesis. Don't forget the carbs, though! Adequate carbohydrate intake allows your body to spare the protein you eat to promote recovery and build muscle. 
3. If there's several hours between the snack and your next meal, choose a larger snack with several different food groups, containing protein and healthy fats to hold you over, plus some carbs to give you energy.  
4. If you just need to be held over for a short time before your next real meal (60-90 minutes), choose a smaller snack (100-200 calories). 
5. For athletes with a weight  gain goal, larger snacks can act as "mini meals" to help them add calories to your day. Add high-calorie foods such as nuts/nut butter and full fat dairy to snacks and meals. 
6. For athletes with a weight loss goal, eating smaller snacks and choosing crunchy vegetables and fruit, which have a high water and fiber content can help keep them full.
•  Crunchy foods usually take a little bit longer to eat, too, so instead of reaching for a 100-calorie bar or packet of snacks, choose vegetables and/or fruit paired with some protein. 

PROTEIN	CARBS
½ - 1 cup Greek yogurt	Apple or banana
1 – 2 Tbsp peanut or almond butter	½ cup oatmeal
2 Tbsp – ¼ cup hummus	1 – 2 slices whole grain toast
10-30 almonds, cashews, walnuts, etc.	½ - 1 bagel
1 piece of string cheese	1 cup raw baby carrots
½ - 1 cup cottage cheese	Wheat crackers (Triscuits, Wheat Thins)
Beef jerky	1 cup berries
¼ - 1 cup edamame	Corn  tortilla
Hardboiled eggs	Sweet potato
Lean deli meat (turkey, chicken, ham, roast beef)	Raisins/Craisins
Milk	Whole grain cereal
Cheese	Graham crackers
	Pretzels

For more ideas, check out these smart snacking ideas from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics!

Strive for excellence in each meal - if you're putting in the work at practice and competition, put some thought into what goes on your plate throughout the day. 

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3 Summer Nutrition Goals for Offseason Athletes

During the summer, athletes can go from having a hectic, crazy-busy schedule, to having more time off and less hours spent training. Summer is a great time to relax and recover from a hard year of training, but it is also a great time for athletes to pay closer attention to their diets, getting into a routine of healthy eating that will stick with them throughout the rest of the year.

1. Enjoy different foods by eating seasonally

Summertime fruits and vegetables are readily available at your local farmer's market, and they taste even better when they're in season.

Shopping at the farmer's market is also a great way to branch out and try a new vegetable this summer - pick out a new vegetable, find a recipe utilizing that recipe and make it! The offseason is the best time to do this, because you have more time to branch out and try new foods and recipes.

Athletes tend to fall into habits, eating the same foods during the season day in and day out, so it's important to add some variety to your diet while you can, trying out some new recipes you can fall back on when you're busier during the season.

2. Get in a habit of "food prepping"

One of the biggest complains busy athletes have is that they just don't have enough time to eat healthy throughout the week. Doing some "food prep" one or two days a week is one of the best ways to always have healthy meal and snack options on hand. Take one day to gather ingredients at the grocery store and a few hours to wash and cut vegetables, make grains, cook proteins, and bake will leave you with plenty of healthy options to make meals throughout the week.

Check out this beginner's food prep guide by Lindsay at The Lean Green Bean.

3. Set an off-season body composition goal: maintain, lose, or gain weight without sacrificing performance.

Summer is the off-season for many athletes, so many use this time as a vacation from their training and their  normal healthy diets, leaving them feeling a little sluggish and/or heavy once training starts up again.

The off-season should be a time for rest and recovery, but it's also a good time to make body composition goals without sacrificing training. Even those who just want to maintain weight shouldn't use the summer as an excuse to eat whatever they want, as a decrease in activity and an increase in food can result in unwanted weight gain.

Follow these offseason fueling tips for maintaining weight or making body composition changes, such as adding lean mass or losing weight, during the summer:

Maintaining weight

• Less activity in the summer means you don't need as many calories or carbohydrates during this summer to reduce weight gain:
• Reduce carbohydrates on off days, and eat a higher carbohydrate diet on high intensity days. 
• Decrease portion sizes, especially from desserts, fast foods, creamy sauces and salad dressings
• Hydrate with water instead of juice or sports drinks

Weight Gain

• Gaining 0.5 to 1 pound per week is a realistic goal.
• You add lean mass by increasing calories and providing an adequate training load, meaning you should have a plan to strength train throughout the summer.
• Eat often throughout the day (every 2-3 hours)
• Add calorie-dense foods, such as nuts, trail mix, peanut butter, granola, olive oil, avocado, full fat dairy and include beverages with calories, such as milk during meals to add calories to your day.

Weight loss

• Losing 1-2 pounds per week is a realistic goal.
• Including protein-rich foods (20-30 grams per meal through lean meat, eggs, Greek yogurt, cottage cheese, beans) is a good way to stay satisfied throughout the day and maintain lean muscle mass
• Avoid refined carbohydrates and sugary drinks like sports drinks, soda and juice
• Don't skip meals to cut calories - instead, front load your diet by eating a substantial breakfast, lunch and snacks during the day when you're most active vs. limiting calories during the day. You may get over-hungry by the end of the day and end up eating more at night than if you stayed satisfied by fueling yourself throughout the day. 

Meeting with a dietitian can help you meet your body composition goals, make a plan for during the season, brainstorm food prep ideas, and perform better during the season. 

Make an appointment to speak with a Sports Dietitian today by calling the Sanford Sports Science Institute Dietitian at 605-312-7878

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