There is no offseason when it comes to training for football- we know this, we live this. Football athletes often play various sports to keep in shape, and get prepared for the season ahead of them. But what about nutrition? A continuous focus on proper nutrition can get lost in the ‘off’ months. As a parent is important to engage in your food choices, if you pay attention, your kids will likely learn to do the same. Eat well balanced and healthy meals, a variety of foods, especially fruits and vegetables.
We love plant based performance foods that are going to produce healthy results. Here’s what your athletes need to eat, right now:
Hummus. Simple ingredients include chickpeas, lemon juice, garlic tahini and salt. This is a high performance food that is easy to make and always delicious. Hummus can be used inside a sandwich as a spread for your athlete.
Sweet Potato. Get that midday natural boost. No sugar or butter needed. A good source of complex carbohydrates, a solid source of fuel for offseason workouts. This delicious food choice is nutrient packed, including vitamin A for precise on-field vision.
Spinach and broccoli rapini. Devour your greens! A quick stir fry of these two super greens with a little of your favorite seasoning produces a nutrient packed meal. Your little athletes will get a great source of iron, vitamin A/ C, and calcium.
Yellow Lentil Soup. Easy to make, with the consistency of split pea soup. You’ll boil yellow lentils to make this, with salt, pepper and garlic, for a quick, nutritious protein packed meal. According to world’s healthiest foods (whfoods.com), lentils help to boost iron for energy, while having a low fat profile.
Dried Golden Figs. Fiber, magnesium and other essential minerals. Remember the fig newton cookies you used to eat? I can not see much of a difference when snacking on a dried fig. Buy them organic, as the non-organic figs may contain an preservative that is unnecessary.
