For those that work with teen athletes, we know it's not just about performance: It's about growing properly. As their sports dietitian, this can be challenging for you, as you work to balance their carefree attitudes, their desire to excel at their sport, and the special nutritional needs of a growing teen athlete. PowerBar administered a brief survey to teen athletes that revealed that they may be getting the calories they need to maintain weight, but as you might suspect, they could use a boost in good nutrition. Three sports were surveyed: soccer, swimming, and football. The results showed that each of the groups shared a couple of common traits: They all like fast food, and they could definitely use improvement in the variety of their nutrient choices. The following tables are an analysis of what the teens reported, and provide some ideas to add to your toolkit for working with each of the groups. These are not intended to be complete menus, just tips on how individual meals and snacks can be improved. As you know, eating healthily can often result in taking in fewer calories, (due to the reduced fat content), so increasing portion size of the healthier options as needed should be encouraged to help meet your teen athletes' caloric needs. For teen athletes under 18 years of age, it is important that they work with their doctors to develop appropriate diet and/or nutrition plans.
Also included are some pre- and post-game snacks, along with their nutritional information, to use with your teen clients.
Football food
Football players do well with getting the calories they need, but it was found that they often do it by eating more of the same. They lack variety. Here is an analysis of what they are doing and some ideas for making simple switches. You can build on these ideas to help your young clients come up with their own daily meal plans.
| Meal | Instead of this… | Try this! | Nutrient composition — original meal | Nutrient composition — better choice |
| Breakfast | 1 cup sweetened cereal with ½ cup 2% milk, 1 piece banana bread, 12 oz sports drink | 1 ½ cups of cereal (aim for low-sugar) topped with 1 cup of 1% milk, 1 banana, 8 oz of 100% fruit juice | Total calories = 466
Carb: 85 g
Protein: 9 g
Fat: 10 g
Calcium: 255 mg
Iron: 5.5 mg
Fiber: 2 g | Total calories = 530
Carb: 104 g
Protein: 15 g
Fat: 6 g
Calcium: 470 mg
Iron: 13 mg
Fiber: 8 g |
| Lunch | 6 fried chicken fingers, medium fry, 12 oz sports drink, 1 granola bar, 1 pear, 1 oz BBQ chips | 4 grilled chicken tenders, 1 medium baked potato topped with low-fat chili, 16 oz of water, 1 granola bar, and 1 pear | Total calories = 1100
Carb: 144 g
Protein: 25 g
Fat: 50 g
Calcium: 55 mg
Iron: 2.7 mg
Fiber: 13 g | Total calories = 625
Carb: 103 g
Protein: 38 g
Fat: 9 g
Calcium: 100 mg
Iron: 5.5 mg
Fiber: 14.5 g |
| Dinner | Chinese take-out: 1 cup chow mein, 1 cup fried rice, 1 order orange chicken (fried) | Chinese take-out: 1 cup grilled beef or chicken and broccoli, 1 ½ cups brown rice, 1 cup wonton soup or egg drop soup, 2 fortune cookies. | Total calories = 1013
Carb: 113 g
Protein: 36 g
Fat: 47 g
Calcium: 45 mg
Iron: 5 mg
Fiber: 6 g | Total calories = 356
Carb: 95 g
Protein: 32 g
Fat: 15 g
Calcium: 80 mg
Iron: 3 mg
Fiber: 7 g |
| Snack #1 | Chili-cheese fries, 16 oz chocolate milkshake from McDonald's® | 8 oz low-fat chocolate milk, 1 chef salad topped with 2 tbsp low-fat French dressing, 2 breadsticks | Total calories = 1341
Carb: 157 g
Protein: 40 g
Fat: 63 g
Calcium: 575 mg
Iron: 4 mg
Fiber: 15 g | Total calories = 600
Carb: 71 g
Protein: 29 g
Fat: 22 g
Calcium: 438 mg
Iron: 3 mg
Fiber: 4.5 g |
| Snack #2 | 2 pieces of deep-dish pizza, 16 oz regular soft drink | 2 pieces hand-tossed cheese pizza, ½ cup steamed veggies, 16 oz sports drink | Total calories = 840
Carb: 111 g
Protein: 26 g
Fat: 33 g
Calcium: 314 mg
Iron: 5.6 mg
Fiber: 4 g | Total calories = 685
Carb: 107 g
Protein: 25 g
Fat: 18 g
Calcium: 315 mg
Iron: 6 mg
Fiber: 5.5 g |
|
Swimming satiated
As we know, swimmers are often trying to balance their performance with their desire to maintain weight. The survey revealed that, like their football friends, they often lack variety and like fast food, but swimmers often don't eat enough of the nutrients they need.
| Meal | Instead of this… | Try this! | Nutrient composition — original meal | Nutrient composition — better choice |
| Breakfast | 1 bakery iced cinnamon roll | 1 cinnamon-raisin bagel topped with 2 egg whites and 2% low-fat cheese and 8 oz of 100% fruit juice | Total calories = 813
Carb: 117 g
Protein: 15 g
Fat: 32 g
Calcium: < 50 mg
Iron: < 2 mg
Fiber: < 1 g | Total calories = 395
Carb: 73 g
Protein: 20 g
Fat: 3 g
Calcium: 230 mg
Iron: 2 mg
Fiber: 1 g |
| Morning Snack | 1 cup cinnamon instant oatmeal | 1 cup plain instant oatmeal made with skim milk and topped with 2 tbsp dried fruit | Total calories = 171
Carb: 35 g
Protein: 4 g
Fat: 2 g
Calcium: 110 mg
Iron: 4 mg
Fiber: 3 g | Total calories = 202
Carb: 37 g
Protein: 10 g
Fat: 2 g
Calcium: 334 mg
Iron: 9 mg
Fiber: 4 g |
| Lunch | 1 cup Goldfish® crackers, 16 oz regular pop | 1 cup vegetable soup, ½ cup Goldfish crackers, 10 baby carrots, 1 small piece of fruit, 16 oz water | Total calories = 334
Carb: 73 g
Protein: 4 g
Fat: 4 g
Calcium: 20 mg
Iron: 1 mg
Fiber: < 1 g
Sugar: 54 g | Total calories = 255
Carb: 41 g
Protein: 7 g
Fat: 7 g
Calcium: 119 mg
Iron: 3 mg
Fiber: 7 g
Sugar: 18 g |
| Dinner | 6-inch Quiznos® honey mustard chicken sub, 16 oz sweet tea | 1 grilled chicken salad topped with 2 tbsp low-fat honey mustard dressing, 2 breadsticks, 1 cup low-fat frozen yogurt | Total calories = 524
Carb: 98 g
Protein: 26 g
Fat: 5 g
Calcium: 80 mg
Iron: 4.5 mg
Fiber: 4 g
Sugar: 57 g | Total calories = 550
Carb: 75 g
Protein: 34 g
Fat: 13 g
Calcium: 430 mg
Iron: 2.5 mg
Fiber: 3.8 g
Sugar: 45 g |
| PM Snack | 2 oz potato chips, 2 tbsp French onion dip, 16 oz sports drink | 1 cup fresh fruit salad, 6 oz low-fat yogurt, 12 animal crackers, 12 oz sports drink | Total calories = 490
Carb: 63 g
Protein: 4.7 g
Fat: 26 g
Calcium: 13 mg
Iron: 1 mg
Fiber: 2.5 g
Sugar: 33 g | Total calories = 380
Carb: 90 g
Protein: 9 g
Fat: 4 g
Calcium: 366 mg
Iron: 1.3 mg
Fiber: 5 g |
|
Soccer savor
Similarly, the soccer players showed that they are getting the calories they require, but could benefit from some variety.
| Meal | Instead of this… | Try this! | Nutrient composition — original meal | Nutrient composition — better choice |
| Breakfast | 1 cup sugar-sweetened cereal with 1 cup of 2% milk | 1 ½ cups of low-sugar cereal with 1 cup of 1% or skim milk, 1 medium apple | Total calories = 240
Carb: 36 g
Protein: 10 g
Fat: 6 g
Calcium: 385 mg
Iron: 4.6 mg
Fiber: 1 g
Sugar: 25 g | Total calories = 340
Carb: 64 g
Protein: 13 g
Fat: 6 g
Calcium: 450 mg
Iron: 12 mg
Fiber: 8 g |
| Morning Snack | 1 medium banana | 1 toasted whole-wheat English muffin with 2 tbsp jam or preserves, 1 banana | Total calories = 105
Carb: 27 g
Protein: 1 g
Fat: < 1 g
Calcium: 6 mg
Iron: 0 mg
Fiber: 3 g | Total calories = 343
Carb: 80 g
Protein: 6 g
Fat: 1 g
Calcium: 108 mg
Iron: 2 mg
Fiber: 5 g |
| Lunch | Subway® sandwich on white bread, turkey, cheese, mayo, and 16 oz lemonade | Subway sandwich on whole-wheat bread with turkey, cheese, lettuce, tomato, extra veggies, and mustard, 2 oz pretzels | Total calories = 560
Carb: 96 g
Protein: 17 g
Fat: 15 g
Calcium: 81 mg
Iron: 3.5 mg
Fiber: 2 g | Total calories = 500
Carb: 90 g
Protein: 23 g
Fat: 6.5 g
Calcium: 81 mg
Iron: 7 mg
Fiber: 5.5 g |
| Dinner | Burrito, chalupa, and taco from Taco Bell® (all beef), 12 oz fruit punch | Bean burrito (skip the cheese and sour cream), 2 soft tacos with grilled chicken, lettuce, tomato, and extra salsa, ½ cup Mexican rice | Total calories = 1245
Carb: 161 g
Protein: 41 g
Fat: 50 g
Calcium: 529 mg
Iron: 10 mg
Fiber: 16 g | Total calories = 900
Carb: 117 g
Protein: 47 g
Fat: 32 g
Calcium: 500 mg
Iron: 8 mg
Fiber: 12 g |
| Snack | Hot dog with bun, sports drink 16 oz | 1 PowerBar® Performance Energy bar, ½ cup canned fruit, 16 oz sports drink | Total calories = 363
Carb: 47 g
Protein: 9 g
Fat: 15 g
Calcium: < 50 mg
Iron: 5 mg
Fiber: < 1 g | Total calories = 420
Carb: 92 g
Protein: 9 g
Fat: 2.5 g
Calcium: 225 mg
Iron: 5 mg
Fiber: 1 g |
|
To add to your toolkit
Dietitians often provide our clients with ideas and tips, as well as lists of snacks to choose from. The following tables can be added to your toolkit to use with clients for pre- and post-game snacks!
Pre-Game Snacks
| Snack item | Total calories | Carbohydrate (g) | Protein (g) | Fat (g) |
| 1 oz pretzels with 1tbsp caramel dip | 245 | 50 | 3.5 | 4 |
| 8–16 oz sports drink | 65/130 | 16/35 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 cup of low-sugar cereal and ½ cup skim milk | 150 | 28 | 6 | 2 |
| ½ of a sandwich (aim for a few slices of lean meat or a tablespoon of peanut butter and a tablespoon of jelly) | Sandwich with lean meat: 175
PB&J: 280 | 24
39 | 13
8 | 4
10 |
| 1 PowerBar Performance Energy bar or 6 PowerBar® Gel Blasts™ energy chews | PowerBar Performance Energy bar Vanilla Crisp flavor: 240
6 PowerBar Gel Blasts energy chews: 130 | 45
30 | 8
2 | 3.5
0 |
| 6 oz of fat-free yogurt with a handful of granola and raisins | 190 | 38 | 10.5 | 1.5 |
| 1 piece of fruit with 1–2 tbsp peanut butter | 260 | 25 | 8 | 16 |
| Snack pack of low-fat pudding with 4 graham cracker squares | 200 | 40 | 4 | 3 |
| A handful of trail mix made up of raisins, salted pretzels, and cereal | 250 | 40 | 5 | 8 |
| 1 small bagel with 1 tbsp light cream cheese | 100 | 15 | 4 | 3 |
| 1 English muffin with a slice of 2% milk cheese | 175 | 28 | 11 | 3 |
| 1 ½ cups spaghetti with marinara sauce | 370 | 70 | 12 | 5 |
| 1 flour tortilla topped with 1 slice of 2% milk low-fat cheese and salsa | 250 | 30 | 12 | 9 |
| 8 oz of fruit smoothie made with fat-free yogurt and fresh or frozen fruit | 230 | 47 | 6 | 2 |
|
Post-Game Snacks
| Snack item | Total calories | Carbohydrate (g) | Protein (g) | Fat (g) |
| 2 oz pretzels dipped in 2 tbsp peanut butter | 402 | 50 | 14 | 17 |
| 1 oz lean beef jerky, 1 piece of string cheese, a piece of fruit, and 6 saltine crackers | 390 | 44 | 20 | 15 |
| 1 pita filled with fresh veggies and 2 tbsp hummus | 330 | 65 | 8 | 4 |
| 8 oz low-fat chocolate milk and 1 medium banana | 265 | 53 | 9 | 3 |
| Fast food: grilled chicken sandwich on whole-wheat bun (skip the mayo and add mustard instead) | 220 | 16 | 29 | 5 |
| Fast food: whole-wheat sub sandwich with lean turkey and roast beef, topped with extra veggies and mustard | 450 | 62 | 30 | 9 |
| Fast food: vegetarian burrito (skip the extra cheese and the sour cream) | 430 | 45 | 18 | 20 |
| Fast food: bean burrito with extra salsa | 350 | 56 | 13 | 9 |
| Fast food: chicken noodle soup with saltines | 190 | 18 | 19 | 4 |
| Fast food: veggie burger topped with ketchup and mustard | 275 | 30 | 20 | 8 |
| Fast food: fruit and yogurt parfait topped with granola | 160 | 31 | 4 | 2 |
| Fast food: low-fat chili and saltine crackers | 285 | 34 | 18 | 8 |
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