A parent told me earlier this season that eating healthy seemed boring and that it was impossible to convince the players to do so on a regular basis. The reality is that it is possible to make it fun and easy.
Eating healthy only translates in boring, tasteless food if you cannot find ideas to prepare healthy meals. What I won't deny, however, is that eating healthy does require a bit more preparation than grabbing anything on the go.
If you prepare your meals for the week ahead of time, shop with that list in mind and choose your products wisely, you will not only benefit from it on a fitness stand point, but also in your bank account. We have discussed already shopping using the labels. We have talked about food on the go. Here are a few more ideas to help you prepare your shopping list for next week:
OMHA - Breakfast of Champions
Peak Performance - Power Fuel
Kraft Canada - Hockey Family Dinner
Kraft Canada - Nutrition Guide
Canadian Hockey Moms - Recipes for Hockey Moms (and Dads!)
SportMedBC - Fueling Your Hockey Billet
Lastly, they say not to go grocery shopping when you're on an empty stomach. Of course teenagers are always working on an empty stomach. As such, it can be difficult to make reasonable choices when you are at the store. Why not ask your teenager what they would like after dinner? The whole family is around and they just finished eating. Certainly, they would be able to suggest a few choices that will help you build your list.
It is possible to make healthy eating fun, cheap and efficient. It's a matter of finding the right ideas.
If you need any help, please don't hesitate to contact us for more info on feeding your athlete!