Tournament foods supply energy and fluids and can come from a number of sources, but not all of them are beneficial to your health. There is an increasing number of people using energy drinks as a source of dietary energy, but they don’t realize that they are a very poor source. Comprehensive nutrition will always be the best source of energy and fluids for competition or training. These are my top ten sources of food energy when heading to your tournament weekend.
fruit
Bananas: A great source of potassium, manganese, fiber, vitamins B6 and C. They provide carbohydrates for energy to fuel muscles.
Oranges: Tournament foods must be easy to eat quickly and oranges fit the bill. Loaded with 110% of your daily vitamin C requirement, these are very popular with kids who eat them like orange wedges for a quick snack.
Strawberries – This tournament food packs a lot of flavor and healthy carbs without the high sugar content of drinks. Surprisingly, 8 strawberries have more vitamin C than an orange.
Watermelon: Pre-cut without the rind as a finger food snack that helps keep athletes hydrated. Watermelons are 92% water. They are a great source of lycopene, vitamins A, B6 and C, as well as potassium.
Dairy products
Cream Cheese Spread – If you choose wisely (low-fat versions), flavored cream cheese is a great snack when paired with whole-wheat or multigrain bagels.
Greek Yogurt – Easy to find in the dairy aisle in single serve cups that provide 10g protein and 12g carbs but with fewer calories (less sugar too!) than regular yogurt (about 90 calories). There is a wide variety of fruits that are added or you can add your own.
Babybel White Cheddar: Tournament foods should be easy to transport and eat. Cheese packets fit nicely. These are cool little packets of cheese that are wrapped in wax and peeled off to eat. They are fun for kids to eat and are 75 calories with 4g of protein. Just like Greek yogurt, they also come in different flavors.
Grain
Peanut Butter – Another spreadable topping that can be used on whole-wheat crackers, bagels, and breads, as well as apple slices. You can be like Elvis and eat in a sandwich with bananas.
Pretzel Crisps: Pretzel crackers are great as a snack since they have salt which adds sodium to your diet to replace what was lost in sweat.
Whole Wheat Bagels: For breakfast or as a snack between games, have these with spreads like those listed above. “Thins” are available in stores and have 6 g of protein, 5 g of fiber and about 110 calories of energy.
other
Baby Carrots: Carrots are a great tournament food that don’t make a mess. Baby carrots provide nutrients and are low in calories. They are a great source of immune-boosting beta-carotene and over 15 minerals, phytonutrients, and vitamins.
Oven Roasted Turkey – This is the best source of protein with 11g and only 1g of fat and 60 calories per 3 slices. Avoid red meat as it is slow digesting and should only be eaten late in the day to supply protein for a long night of fasting while sleeping.
This is by no means a complete list of potential tournament foods, as there are a number of good options that are easy to digest and fun for kids to eat. Stick to whole foods as part of a complete and balanced diet. Supplements are not a necessity for young athletes.
