Sample meals to eat in match day

Here are some sample meals that you can prepare for your child in a competition day:

Before match

Breakfast (ex: eaten at 7:oo a.m. for a game played at 10-11:00 a.m.):

Option 1

Whole wheat toast with low fat cheese

Low fat milk/yogurt

Fresh fruit or fruit juice

Option 2

Breakfast cereal with low fat milk/yogurt

Fresh fruit or fruit juice

Option 3

Pancakes

Low fat milk/yogurt

Fresh fruit

Lunch (ex: eaten at noon for a game played at 3-4:00 p.m.):

Option 1

Chicken breast

Rice

Stir-fried vegetables

Jello

Option 2

Pasta with poultry kabobs (chicken, turkey, tomato, green peppers)

Fresh salad (lettuce, tomatoes, cucumber, etc)

Fruit Sorbet

Option 3

Rice with raisins, cinnamon, and applesauce 

Turkey burger

Grilled vegetables

Chicken noodle soup

Sliced fruit with vanilla yogurt

Afternoon snack (ex: eaten at 5:00 p.m. to play at 8:00-9:00 p.m.):

Option 1

Crackers with jam

Low fat yogurt

Fresh fruit

Option 2

Whole wheat bagel with jam and low fat cheese

Fruit juice

Option 3

Oatmeal with raisins and brown sugar

Low fat milk

Lighter snacks (to eat 1h before a game):

Option 1

Toast with honey

Option 2

Raisins or other dried fruits

Option 3

Banana/grapes/figs/mango

Option 4

Granola bar

Option 5

Pretzels

Option 6

Crackers

During match

Provide sports drinks during the whole match.

Provide at interval:

Option 1

Fresh and/or dried fruit

Option 2

Crackers or pretzels

Option 3

Energy bar/sports gel

After match

Lunch (ex: eaten at 1-2:00 pm, after a match that started at 10-11 a.m.)

Option 1

Pasta with spinach, tuna and feta

Sautéed mushrooms

Jello

Option 2

Turkey meatloaf

Mashed potatoes

Steamed vegetables

Sliced fruit with yogurt

Option 3

Thick-crust Pizza with low fat cheese, tomato sauce, ham, pineapple, yellow peppers, oregano

Fresh fruit

Afternoon snack (ex: eaten at 5-6:00 p.m., after game at 3-4:00 p.m.)

Option 1

Low fat milk

Muffin

Fresh fruit or fruit juice

Option 2

Chocolate-milk

Graham crackers with jam

Fresh fruit

Option 3

Low fat yogurt

Cereal

Fruit juice

Dinner (ex: taken at 22-23h, after game at 20-21h)

Option 1

Seafood Lasagna

Minestrone soup

Salad (lettuce, beets, tomato, etc)

Fruit Sorbet

Option 2

Spaghetti with meat sauce

Steamed vegetables

Fruit salad

Option 3

Lean pork chop

Rice with almonds and raisins  

Stir-fried vegetables

Salad

Custard

Hope you enjoy my suggestions!

Learn more at:

• Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook (http://www.nancyclarkrd.com)
• Food Guide for Soccer: Tips & Recipes from the Pros   (http://www.nancyclarkrd.com)

Don’t hesitate to ask your questions!

You may leave it in the form of a blog comment or you can contact me directly through my e-mail: diogoalvercaferreira@gmail.com

Wishing you the best performance ever,

Diogo Ferreira, RD

Sports Nutritionist, Lisbon, Portugal

“Promoting best health and performance through nutrition”