Game Day Meal Plans for Athletes: Fuel Up with the Cleveland Indians
You’ve practiced, lifted and watched all the film you possibly can. Now it’s game day. If you’re like many high schoolers, you’re probably waking up, grabbing a prepackaged breakfast “food” and zipping out the door, only chowing down on a state-approved lunch when you’ve got a moment between classes. By the time you get to the field, you’re probably asking yourself, “why didn’t I grab an extra sandwich?”
Yeah, don’t do that.
Proper fueling will prime you for your best performances. To get you the right meal plan, we connected with registered dietitians who advise the pros in just about every sport. Here, we’re giving all you baseball players an inside glance at “Tribe Time,” detailing how the Cleveland Indians fuel up all day long on game day.
RELATED: Nutrition For One-Day Tournaments
Sport: Baseball
Expert: Kate Patton, Cleveland Indians Nutritionist
First Pitch: 7 p.m.
The Meal Plan
Breakfast (upon waking)
“Breakfast should be a grain or starch, like oatmeal, a whole grain cereal or a bagel with some sort of protein, whether it be eggs, Greek yogurt or some type of lean meat like Canadian bacon,” Patton says. “Fruit, like in a yogurt or smoothie, is a great option, too.”
Lunch (approximately four hours after breakfast)
“Lunch tends to be the players’ main meal of the day,” Patton says. “That meal is pretty heavy on the pasta, rice or potato option, and includes some sort of lean protein, plus fruits and vegetables.”
RELATED: Non-Boring Sweet Potato Recipes
Mid-Afternoon Snack
The Indians eat before and after pre-game batting practice,when you’re probably still in class. But you should still try and take in a snack with protein and carbs. “Having some type of smoothie [with protein and carbs] is a great option,” Patton says. “A recovery bar is a good snack, too. They should have some kind of recovery [food], to help them refuel.”
Pre-Game Meal (1-2 hours before the game)
“After batting practice is when they stick to having a mini-meal, with some carbohydrates and protein, and not too much fat or veggies,” Patton says. “ A lot of players like sushi before games.” Patton suggests avoiding fatty cuts of fish and toppings like avocado. Shrimp rolls are probably your best bet.
Straight From the Team
If the above options don’t entice you, the following chart is a day’s worth of meals straight from the team. You’ll have to adjust for your particular wake-up time and class schedule, but you should be able to pull off a similar game day diet.
Time |
Activity |
|
9:00 |
Wake Up |
Start hydrating |
9:00-10:00 |
Breakfast |
1-2 cups cereal + banana + skim milk + 2 slices wheat toast + 4 egg whites + 1 egg + 8 oz. juice |
12pm |
Snack |
Clif bar + 1 cup berries + 8 oz. Gatorade |
2:00 |
Lunch |
Turkey burger + cheese on wheat bun + 1 cup pasta salad + 2 cups salad w/ dressing + 2 cups fresh fruit |
3:30 |
Pre-BP |
Smoothie |
5:00 |
Post BP meal |
Chicken + 2 cups farro risotto + carrots + 1 cup fruit |
7:05 |
Game |
Hydrate |
10:00 |
Post-Game Meal |
3 cups seafood paella + green beans + 1 cup fruit |
Before Bed |
Snack |
2 scoops Muscle Milk Gainer + 16 ounces skim milk |
Check out more game day meal plans:
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Game Day Meal Plans for Athletes: Fuel Up with the Cleveland Indians
You’ve practiced, lifted and watched all the film you possibly can. Now it’s game day. If you’re like many high schoolers, you’re probably waking up, grabbing a prepackaged breakfast “food” and zipping out the door, only chowing down on a state-approved lunch when you’ve got a moment between classes. By the time you get to the field, you’re probably asking yourself, “why didn’t I grab an extra sandwich?”
Yeah, don’t do that.
Proper fueling will prime you for your best performances. To get you the right meal plan, we connected with registered dietitians who advise the pros in just about every sport. Here, we’re giving all you baseball players an inside glance at “Tribe Time,” detailing how the Cleveland Indians fuel up all day long on game day.
RELATED: Nutrition For One-Day Tournaments
Sport: Baseball
Expert: Kate Patton, Cleveland Indians Nutritionist
First Pitch: 7 p.m.
The Meal Plan
Breakfast (upon waking)
“Breakfast should be a grain or starch, like oatmeal, a whole grain cereal or a bagel with some sort of protein, whether it be eggs, Greek yogurt or some type of lean meat like Canadian bacon,” Patton says. “Fruit, like in a yogurt or smoothie, is a great option, too.”
Lunch (approximately four hours after breakfast)
“Lunch tends to be the players’ main meal of the day,” Patton says. “That meal is pretty heavy on the pasta, rice or potato option, and includes some sort of lean protein, plus fruits and vegetables.”
RELATED: Non-Boring Sweet Potato Recipes
Mid-Afternoon Snack
The Indians eat before and after pre-game batting practice,when you’re probably still in class. But you should still try and take in a snack with protein and carbs. “Having some type of smoothie [with protein and carbs] is a great option,” Patton says. “A recovery bar is a good snack, too. They should have some kind of recovery [food], to help them refuel.”
Pre-Game Meal (1-2 hours before the game)
“After batting practice is when they stick to having a mini-meal, with some carbohydrates and protein, and not too much fat or veggies,” Patton says. “ A lot of players like sushi before games.” Patton suggests avoiding fatty cuts of fish and toppings like avocado. Shrimp rolls are probably your best bet.
Straight From the Team
If the above options don’t entice you, the following chart is a day’s worth of meals straight from the team. You’ll have to adjust for your particular wake-up time and class schedule, but you should be able to pull off a similar game day diet.
Time |
Activity |
|
9:00 |
Wake Up |
Start hydrating |
9:00-10:00 |
Breakfast |
1-2 cups cereal + banana + skim milk + 2 slices wheat toast + 4 egg whites + 1 egg + 8 oz. juice |
12pm |
Snack |
Clif bar + 1 cup berries + 8 oz. Gatorade |
2:00 |
Lunch |
Turkey burger + cheese on wheat bun + 1 cup pasta salad + 2 cups salad w/ dressing + 2 cups fresh fruit |
3:30 |
Pre-BP |
Smoothie |
5:00 |
Post BP meal |
Chicken + 2 cups farro risotto + carrots + 1 cup fruit |
7:05 |
Game |
Hydrate |
10:00 |
Post-Game Meal |
3 cups seafood paella + green beans + 1 cup fruit |
Before Bed |
Snack |
2 scoops Muscle Milk Gainer + 16 ounces skim milk |
Check out more game day meal plans: