Commit to Healthier Meals with
Menus & Recipes
from Crystal Petersen, RDN LD
Nutrition for Student Athletes
Click here for a Sample Game Day Nutrition Plan.
Packable Snacks
- 100% juice boxes
- Trail mix
- Peanut butter and crackers
- Fig Bars
- Granola Bars*
- Whole fruit or dried fruit and fruit purees
- Dry cereal, like Cheerios or Life Cereal
- Peanut butter sandwich
*Choose a granola bar made from mostly real foods like oats and other grains, nuts, seeds, and dried fruits. Look for a bar low in added sugar (4 grams added sugar is equal to 1 teaspoon of sugar), and at least 5 grams protein and 3 grams of fiber.
Portable Snacks for an insulated lunch bag with an ice pack:
- String cheese
- Yogurt
- Grab & Go milk
- Meat and cheese sandwich
- Apple slices
- Fresh veggie sticks
- Hummus
Tasty Snack Combos:
- Grapes and string cheese
- Cheese cubes and pretzels
- Tortilla lined with lean deli turkey, wrapped around string cheese
- Apple slices and peanut butter
- Milk and a granola bar
Recovery Snack Ideas**
- Cereal with Milk
- Fruit and Yogurt
- Pita or crackers and hummus
- Trail mix
- Low-fat chocolate milk
- Banana and Peanut butter
**Eat within 30 minutes after a workout/practice/game unless you are having a meal right away.
Create your own granola bar by starting with this recipe:
2 cups oatmeal
1 cup nuts (choose almonds, walnuts, pistachios, pecans, or a combination)
1 cup dried, pitted dates
1/3 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)
¼ cup real maple syrup
Optional: dried fruits and dark chocolate chips
- Chop dates in a food processor for about a minute (pulsing it may work best)
- Warm peanut butter and maple syrup in a saucepan
- In a large bowl, stir all ingredients together
- Put mix in a parchment paper lined loaf pan and place in the freezer for about 30 minutes
- Remove from loaf pan, place on cutting board, slice. Makes about 8 bars.
- Wrap slices in waxed paper. Store bars in the refrigerator, wrapped and in a covered storage container.
Overnight Muesli - a simple breakfast or post-training snack
1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup low-fat milk
¼ cup yogurt
1 small apple, chopped
¼ cup chopped walnuts or pecans
Sprinkle ground cinnamon
Optional additions: 2 Tablespoons real maple syrup, 1 mashed banana, ¼ cup applesauce, fresh fruit for topping
- Combine all ingredients (including optional additions) in a bowl. Mix thoroughly.
- Cover bowl and store in the refrigerator overnight.
Post-Race Chicken Fried Rice – done in 10 to 15 minutes.
1 Tbsp minced garlic
2-3 green onions, thinly sliced
3 eggs
2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 cups cooked, rice (brown rice works too)
1 cup cooked, chopped boneless chicken thighs
1 cup frozen peas (or frozen peas and corn)
- On your stove top, heat a lightly oiled sauté' or fry pan up to medium-high heat. Add garlic and onion and cook and stir about a minute.
- In a small bowl, beat eggs and soy sauce. Add eggs to cooked garlic and onion in hot saute pan. Stir eggs to cook them quickly.
- Add rice and cooked chicken to the pan continuing to cook the mixture for another 5-6 minutes.
- Add peas (or peas and corn) and cook until the veggies are heated thorough and bright in color.
- Season to taste with salt, sriracha sauce, additional soy sauce or sesame oil.
Serves two.
Savory Bread Cakes – makes 8 cakes. Wrap them up and take them with.
4 cups; bread; choose your favorite and cut into cubes (works with gluten-free bread too)
2 cups low-fat or fat-free milk
4; eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup; shredded cheese (mozzarella, cheddar, Monterey, parmesan, or a combination)
½ cup; ham, chopped into small pieces
Brown sugar
- Preheat oven to 350*F. Coat a loaf-pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Put bread cubes into a large bowl
- On you stove top, gently warm milk in a saucepan. Simmer a bit.
- Pour hot milk over bread cubes and mix. Let rest until the bread is soaked.
- Add eggs, cheese, and ham pieces and stir to combine.
- Pour mixture into the prepared loaf pan and bake until firm. 20 – 30 minutes
- Remove from oven and sprinkle top with brown sugar and a pinch of salt
- Let cool before slicing and wrapping.
Power-Packed Wrap – Any time of day!
1 lb. (4 cups) cooked, seasoned chopped chicken breast or pork loin
1 can (2 cups) BBQ style baked beans
8 large tortilla wraps
4 cups cooked brown rice
2 cups shredded lettuce
Optional: BBQ or other favorite sauce
- Heat beans and meat separately
- To assemble:
- Lay tortillas on work surface
- Spoon ½ cup rice down the center of each tortilla
- Top each with approximately ¼ cup beans, ½ cup chopped meat, and ¼ cup lettuce. Drizzle with sauce if you wish).
- Fold in sides and roll up tortilla
This wrap can be made warm, or you can keep all ingredient cold and take it to-go.
Dinner Theme Night suggestions:
- Pasta Mondays - Example: cooked Whole-Grain Pasta tossed with Steamed Broccoli, Spaghetti Sauce with Cooked Ground Beef and Mushrooms, Lettuce Salad, Bread or Breadstick, Grapes or Seasonal fruit and Milk
- Grill Out Tuesdays - example: Grilled Cauliflower Steaks, Ham Kabobs (Ham cubes, pineapple, and onion), Quinoa Salad or rolls, Milk
- Sheet Pan Wednesdays - Example: Teriyaki Salmon with Roasted Pineapple and Veggies and Milk
- Main Dish Salad Thursdays - Example: Chopped Salads with a Muffin and Milk
- Mexican Fridays - Example: Taco Lasagna, Lettuce Salad, Fruit and Milk
Additional Recipes