Pre Event Fueling
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The biggest impact nutrition can have on performance is relative to day in and
day out training. This means athletes need to commit to a high quality eating
style during all phases of training.
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If quality is set at a high level, than quantity will be the only variable to adjust to
see impacts on body composition and weight.
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Athletes need to train on an appropriate, nutrient dense diet rather than wait
and try to make changes close to competition.
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Last minutes changes to diet are likely to harm not help performance.
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For general nutrition principles review Feeding vs. Fueling
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Type of competitions, time of day, length of game, match or event,
temperature , humidity, altitude, clothing, stress level can all impact nutritional strategies for performance.
Though it is best to individualize this information based on team and athlete specifics, the following offer
some general guidelines for pre-event fueling.
Night prior:
Earlier meals <7:00 pm:
Eating late can disrupt sleep and decrease hunger and interest in the
morning meal. For competitions that start early, a bed time snack of a
lower fat, lower sugar food is a good idea.
Consider: PBJ, low sugar cereal and yogurt, turkey sandwich on wheat,
Whole wheat toast and jam. Vary quantity based on individual tolerance.
Plan for extra high quality snacks and fluids for during event use
Familiar foods:
Within 48 hours before competition do not try any new foods. Especially
resist urges to eat seafood, unfamiliar meats or combination foods as these
can make your gastrointestinal tract feel sluggish.
Regular sized portions:
Eating large because it is free or social is not a smart move for the night
prior to competition. These meals are not parties or opportunities to eat
foods that do not belong close to competition. Avoid fried foods, high
sugar and fat desserts, high fat meats and pasta dishes (Alfredo sauce)
Lower fat & simple sugars:
High fat and or high sugar foods close to bed time disrupt sleep and can
make it harder to wake up in the morning.
Nutrient dense fluids:
Low fat or fat free milk, 100% juice (in moderation) and water are the best
choices. High sugar content drinks or energy drinks are likely to disrupt
sleep and your following morning’s energy level. Make what you eat count
toward, not against, optimal performance.
Common problems on the road:
Inconsistent meal schedules, settling for fast food to save time either for
day prior or road trip home, bringing along large amounts of sugary snack
or treat type foods, well meaning parents and boosters snack packages that
often contain cookies (made with lots of love, but not great pre-event
foods), Irregular meal times, skipping meals and reducing choices.
Solutions: Visit a grocery store either prior to leaving or once at your
destination, Google or MapQuest restaurants in the area of the hotel or
competition site, make itineraries with the inclusion of fueling and
hydration strategies, require athletes to bring their own water bottles and
healthy snacks. Encourage athletes to save “recreational eating” for post
event or post season.
Breakfast:
Ingrid Skoog MS, RD, CSSD
Oregon State University
www.osubeavers.com
1
Regardless of the time of day of competition, all athletes benefit from an early start to fueling. To that end, what
they eat the night before will impact quality of sleep, ability to wake up easily and the athletes desire to eat
breakfast.
If breakfast is NOT the pre event meal, then common breakfast foods should be consumed with at least one
serving from each of the following types of foods; Lean protein, high fiber, whole grains
Oatmeal
Low fat Milk
Whole Fruit
Egg white omelets with
ham and veggies
Whole wheat toast
100% fruit juice or low fat
mil
Low fat fruit & nut granola,
Low fat milk or yogurt
Whole fruit
Whole grain Pancakes
Lite syrup
Low fat milk
Whole fruit
Peanut butter and Jelly
PBJ) sandwich
100% fruit juice
Toasted bagel with low fat
cream cheese, sliced turkey
Whole fruit
French toast made with egg
whites, peanut butter, lite
syrup
Breakfast burrito: tortilla,
beans, cooked cubed
potato, salsa, light on
cheese
100% fruit juice
3-4 hours pre-event:
Due to game day nerves, some athletes feel nauseated by the idea of consuming solid food 3-4 hours prior to
competition. These athletes need to be worked with individually during training to try to identify foods that sit
well in their stomachs. However, it is difficult to replicate pre-race jitters or stress during regular training so, some
trial and error may be necessary. Also, if someone cannot consume a larger meal 3-4 hours prior, they NEED to
“trickle” in appropriate foods over time leading up to the event to ensure adequate calories prior to the event.
Trickling in appropriate fueling is a reasonable and effect alternative to a single pre-event meal and could be
advantageous for all kinds of athletes. Consider the following suggestions:
NCAA compliant weight
gainer shake mixed with
low fat milk
PBJ and milk
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Smoothies using simple
ingredients like yogurt,
bananas, honey, peanut
butter
Milk, cereal, whole fruit
Soft breads with jam,
peanut butter, low fat
cream cheese
Yogurt and granola
Boost, Ensure, Gatorade
shakes
Example Menus for PreEvent Meals
For all others the same quality of food choices as night prior
Lower fat, moderate protein, high complex carbohydrate with a variety of carbohydrate foods (whole
grains, pasta, rice, whole fruit, starch vegetables)
Variety of fluid choices
Some grab and go foods: green tip bananas, bagels and low fat cream cheese, whole fruit, well made
reduced fat oatmeal raisin cookies
Example Menus for Pre-Event Meals
1-2 hours:
Low protein, very low fat, complex carbohydrate; consider lower fiber
content when possible, 1-2 cups fluid (NCAA compliant sports drink, water,
non fat dairy (if tolerated)
Clif bar & Gatorade
During:
½ -1 cup low fat low sugar
yogurt with ½ cup low
sugar cereal
Banana
Low fat low sugar yogurt
Whole wheat English muffin
with jam
During event fueling is based on need (physical state), length or competition, feasibility and
available types of fuel and fluids
Well designed sports drink
Low fat, lower protein
granola or sports bar
Green tip banana
Ingrid Skoog MS, RD, CSSD
Oregon State University
www.osubeavers.com
2
Boost, Ensure
Recovery:
Review Recovery Nutrition
Post competition still needs recovery nutrition in most cases to decrease muscle
soreness and prepare for upcoming training day. Most have a day off following
competition which, if recovery nutrition is not addressed can result in athletes who
return to training sore and fatigued. Also, many sports such as rowing, tennis, Golf,
basketball, baseball, softball etc… could easily have another competition later that
same day or for one or more days following. Examples of easy post event recovery
foods:
sports drinks
100% fruit juice
dried cereal
yogurt & cereal
trail mix
Fruit smoothie
animal crackers or graham
crackers
whole or dried fruits
Low fat chocolate milk
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drinkable yogurts
PBJ sandwiches
Vanilla wafers
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Optimal competition involves the synergy of
high quality training, mental preparation,
adequate rest, proper hydration and the
ingredient that makes it all possible…. High
quality fuel!
Ingrid Skoog MS, RD, CSSD
Oregon State University
www.osubeavers.com
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