Healthy Lunches and Dinners for Kids Who Play Sports

Though it is important for every child to eat a well-balanced diet, a child athlete will need the right nutrients to give his best performance. If your child participates in sports extracurricular activities, you will need to know the kinds of foods and drinks to prepare for him. Create healthy lunch and dinner meals that will help him stay strong for his practices and games.

  1. Precautions

    • It is important for your child athlete to eat properly on the day of his game or practice to enhance his performance. Your child's pre-game meal should include plenty of carbohydrates like whole-grain products and a moderate amount of protein like lean poultry. Foods low in fat like egg whites should also be eaten. High fat foods like cookies and cake are best to avoid as they can cause digestive issues, like upset stomach, for your child.

    Meats

    • Lean cuts of meat are essential to your young athlete's health due to their low fat content and are protein-rich to help build and repair muscles. For a lean meat lunch option, make a simple turkey, ham or tuna sandwich with whole wheat bread. Spread the bread with low-fat mayonnaise or mustard and add a slice of low-fat cheese. Pile on lettuce and tomatoes. For dinner, create grilled chicken bean burritos. Simply grill chicken breasts and slice them. Wrap cooked brown rice, black beans, shredded cheese and chicken slices into whole wheat tortillas. Place mild salsa on the side of your child's plate for easy dipping.

    Salads

    • Fruit and vegetable salads will provide the nutrients and vitamins your young athlete needs and can accompany a lunch sandwich or dinner main course. For lunch, make a simple strawberry and peach salad. Place one cup sliced strawberries and one cup sliced peaches in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, stir together one cup low-fat vanilla yogurt, one tablespoon of sugar and a dash of cinnamon. Pour the mixture over strawberries and peaches. For a dinner salad, make vegetable salad on a stick. Slide cucumber slices, cherry tomatoes, sliced carrots, sliced mushrooms and broccoli tops onto skewers. Give your child low-fat ranch dressing as dipping sauce.

    Drinks

    • Along with a healthy lunch or dinner, make sure your child athlete is well-hydrated with a beverage. Every part of his body needs liquids to function properly. Plain water is the best option to replenish his body. If your child would like a flavorful taste to his water, add a lemon or lime slice. You can also dilute juice as another option. Pour out half of a bottle of fruit juice and replace with water. Sports drinks are also appropriate for your child athlete if he does not like to drink water or diluted juice.

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