Nutritional Strategies for Big Tournament Days

You know, I was standing there by the volleyball court the other day, watching my daughter head into her third game. It was late afternoon, and I was just wondering, do they have anything left in the tank? I feel the same way watching my son on the soccer field. These long tournament days are just brutal. They’re running for hours, and you can see them start to fade. It’s not just their bodies, but their heads get tired, too. And as their mom, I’m always trying to gently remind them that what they eat actually, you know, matters.

It’s tough. Kids can be so picky, and half the time they just want the greasy burger from the concession stand. And look, sometimes that’s just how it’s going to be, and that’s fine. But I've been trying, little by little, to get them to see how food can help them play better. It's their game, their success, really. I’m just on the sidelines trying to give them a little boost.

Our tried and true:

Prep the Night Before: Lots of hydration, carbs & sleep.

Honestly, I think we all forget how much hydration starts the day before. I used to think as long as they had a water bottle, they were fine, but now I’m pretty sure that’s not right. By the time they say they're thirsty, it's already a little too late. So we try to push liquids the day before. We’ll usually do a big pasta dinner or something with chicken and rice. One thing we learned the hard way is that not all carbs are the same for every kid. You kind of have to see what works for yours. We definitely stay away from fried stuff or heavy desserts the night before a game… in our house, that just seems to weigh them down.

Size Matters:

If you’ve got one of those crazy 8 a.m. games, a huge breakfast is probably a bad idea. This is why that dinner the night before is so important. We just do a small, light bite as early as we can before they have to play. I read somewhere that big meals should be like, 3 or 4 hours before a game. When is that ever possible on a tournament day? So yeah, we’ve found that smaller snacks all day long is the way to go. It keeps their energy up without making them feel bogged down and sluggish.

The Tower of Power:

Over the years, I've kind of developed this little snack system to help my kids get through the day without crashing from low blood sugar. I once bought this silly thing, it was like five plastic containers that all screwed together into a stack. It's long gone now, probably in a landfill somewhere, but my kids started calling it the “Tower of Power,” and the name just stuck. I’d fill each little container with something easy they could grab on the sidelines. My choices change depending on which kid I'm packing for, but I generally stick to plant-based things that are easy to eat and digest.

Here’s a list of some of our favorites over the years.

• Pistachios: These have such a great, salty flavor, and they're packed with all the stuff athletes need. I read somewhere that people have been eating them since like 7,000 B.C., and they’re technically a seed, not a nut, which I thought was interesting. Just a small handful has about 160 calories, a good amount of protein, and lots of potassium and other good things.

• Pumpkin Seeds: We get the sprouted organic ones. I think they just feel a little lighter and seem easier to digest. It’s wild how much good stuff is in just one ounce of these things—like 9 grams of protein, a bunch of healthy fat, and magnesium. They’re kind of an underrated snack, I think.

• Honeyed Slivered Almonds: Okay, I love these. The slivered cut is just lighter and easier for the kids to chew quickly. Sometimes I just pack them plain, but if I have a minute, I’ll toast them with a little honey. I don’t really have a recipe, I just kind of do it the Italian way—by feel, you know? But it’s something like this:
  My very unofficial recipe:

• 2 cups of almonds

• ¼ C of organic butter or a light cooking oil

• ¼ C of organic honey

• Salt to taste

• I just melt the butter, stir in the honey, and then toss the almonds in it until they’re coated. I spread them out on a baking sheet, sprinkle a little salt, and bake them at 400 degrees for maybe 4 or 5 minutes. You have to watch them like a hawk because the honey can burn really fast. I usually toss them around halfway through.
  These are always a huge hit with the kids and even the other parents. And it turns out they're actually a superfood for athletes. A quarter cup has around 170 calories, with good fats, fiber, and protein. The butter and honey add a little something, but mostly they just add amazing flavor. (On that note, a little secret from us here at MommaBear: the dark chocolate covered almonds from Trader Joe's are also a team favorite.)

• Fresh berries like raspberries, blueberries and strawberries: I always try to include a container of berries in the Tower of Power. They’re just so refreshing, you know? They give a quick little energy boost, but they’re also full of water, which is a huge help with hydration when the kids are in the middle of a hot, sweaty tournament.
  Here’s a quick rundown of what I usually pack.

And with any fruit, really, I try to buy it when it's in season. It just tastes so much better and I figure it’s probably better for you then, too.

Look, I’m pretty sure the perfect diet isn’t going to land my kid a spot in the Olympics or anything. But I can honestly say I’ve seen it make a difference on the field. I’ve seen that late-afternoon slump just… not happen. And giving them a leg up, helping them feel their best so they can play their best… I mean, that's really all I'm trying to do. It feels like one small thing I can actually control in the chaos of it all.