Do your athletes know what to eat on competition day?

It goes without saying that fuelling for a competition is incredibly important to an athlete’s success. We’ve prepared a list of food to help optimize their performance.

The pre-event meal must be high in carbohydrate (65-70% of total calories consumed). Fat and protein, which take longer to digest, should be consumed in smaller amounts.

Breakfast

Cereal — with low-fat milk

Yogurt — low-fat, plain or fruit

Fruit

French toast and/or pancakes – with no added butter or margarine

Egg dishes — not fried

Ham or steak — if lean/not fried (small amounts)

Potato — not fried

Rice — not fried

Noodles, pasta

Toast — with limited amounts of butter/margarine

Muffins — try jam or jelly, not butter

Beverages —Athletes should drink plenty of fluid!

Bottled water

Fruit juice — fresh, canned, cartons

Skim milk, Ovaltine

Lunch

Cheese — in moderation

Fruit and vegetables, fruit and vegetable juices — fresh, canned, cartons

Cold cuts — turkey, chicken, lean beef, lean ham (reasonable portions)

Salads — bean, peeled fresh vegetables, fruit salad, low-fat cottage cheese (small amount of dressing)

Dinner

Meat, fish, poultry — broiled, roasted, baked, barbecued, poached (reasonable portions; trimmed fat; skin from chicken removed)

Meat alternatives — beans, peas, and lentil dishes if these are familiar foods; gas produced when these foods are not part of the usual diet can cause discomfort.

Potatoes — baked, boiled, mashed (without butter/margarine)

Rice – steamed, plain

Noodles – plain

Pasta – plain/tomato/vegetable sauce

Bread- rolls, crackers, all breads

Pre-event nerves may upset the stomach; therefore we recommend that your athletes test the meals before, preferably in pre-exercise or training conditions.