What should young athletes eat before a game?

What to eat before a game

The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests a small meal about 3 to 4 hours before exercise, made up mostly of carbohydrates with a moderate amount of protein, and low in fat and fiber, which can upset the stomach.¹ Carbohydrates are the main fuel during exercise, and the AAP says athletes should eat carb-rich foods every several hours on competition day, starting with breakfast.²

In real food, that’s pasta with a little chicken and tomato sauce, a turkey or egg sandwich with a piece of fruit, or rice with scrambled eggs. Save the fried food, big salads and bean-heavy chili for after.

For a child who plays after school, lunch is often the pre-game meal. If there’s a long gap, a small carb-and-protein snack helps — the AAP notes that eating every 3 hours helps keep blood sugar steady, and that crackers with peanut butter is an energy-efficient combination.¹ Keep anything eaten close to start time small and familiar. Game day isn’t the day to try a new food.

Not every activity needs a plan like this. The AAP says young children doing light activity for an hour or less may not need snacks before and after; good everyday nutrition matters more.¹

How much water during sports?

Water is the drink for almost all youth sport. The AAP’s clinical report on sports and energy drinks says pediatricians should promote water, not sports or energy drinks, as the main source of hydration for children and teens.⁴

When exercising vigorously or sweating, children aged 9 to 12 generally need about 3 to 8 oz of water every 20 minutes, according to the AAP.³ Before exercise, a 70-pound child should drink about 8 to 10 oz of water 2 to 3 hours beforehand, plus another 6 to 8 oz just before.¹ Different AAP pages word the during-exercise amounts slightly differently (one says 3 to 4 oz every 15 minutes), but they land in the same place: small, frequent drinks throughout, not one big gulp at halftime.¹³

Send a full, labeled water bottle to every practice, and make sure there are real chances to drink. Children at play often have a hard time stopping.³

Do kids need sports drinks?

Usually not. The AAP says sports drinks have a specific, limited job: replacing carbohydrates and electrolytes quickly during prolonged, vigorous sport or other intense activity.⁴ For the average child in routine activity, using them instead of water is generally unnecessary, and regular intake adds calories and raises the risk of tooth erosion.⁴

In practice, the AAP says water is enough for activities under an hour, while electrolyte drinks may be needed if vigorous exercise goes beyond an hour or your child is sweating heavily.³¹ An all-day tournament in the heat is a reasonable time for one; a 60-minute practice isn’t. Energy drinks are a different product entirely, and the AAP says they should never be consumed by children and teens.⁴ We cover why in energy drinks and kids, and our Gatorade guide explains why sports drinks aren’t for sick days either.

Sports drinks are a tool for long, hard, sweaty sessions. For everything else, it’s water.

What to eat after practice

Within 30 to 60 minutes after exercise, the AAP recommends replacing lost fluids and having a snack with carbohydrate and protein to help muscles recover. It names chocolate milk as an excellent example.¹ Refueling matters most when your child has several games close together, such as a weekend tournament.²

Then dinner does the rest. A well-balanced meal with protein and carbohydrates helps muscles recover between practices and games.²

Protein, iron and calcium for young athletes

Children aged 9 to 13 need about 34 grams of protein a day.⁵ Athletes in strength and endurance training may need slightly more, but the AAP is clear that exercise, not extra protein, builds muscle.⁹ Three ounces of meat, fish or poultry has about 22 g, so a normal day of meals usually covers it.⁹ Our guide to how much protein a 10-year-old needs has the details, and can kids drink protein shakes? covers powders.

Iron is the one to watch, especially for girls. The recommended amount is 8 mg a day at 9 to 13, rising to 15 mg for girls at 14 to 18.⁶ The 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines note that adolescence brings higher needs for energy, protein, calcium and iron — especially for girls once periods start.⁸ The AAP says low iron levels are linked to poorer athletic performance, but high doses of iron don’t help healthy athletes perform better.² Lean meat, fortified cereal, beans and lentils, paired with a vitamin C food, are the everyday sources.⁶

Calcium needs peak in these years: 1,300 mg a day from age 9 to 13.⁷ The Dietary Guidelines say adequate calcium and vitamin D are vital for peak bone mass in adolescence.⁸ Milk, yogurt and cheese are the easiest sources; for a child who won’t drink milk, see calcium for kids who don’t like milk.

Calorie needs also rise with training and growth. A young athlete who doesn’t eat enough can end up tired, injured or slow to recover, the AAP warns.¹ See how many calories a 10-year-old needs for the ranges.

Do young athletes need supplements?

Most don’t. The AAP says athletes don’t need vitamin and mineral supplements if they eat well-balanced meals, and that most young athletes who eat a healthy diet don’t need and wouldn’t benefit from protein supplements.² Under U.S. law, the FDA doesn’t approve dietary supplements for safety and effectiveness before they’re sold,¹¹ and the AAP’s report on performance-enhancing substances flags high rates of contamination in these products.¹⁰ For most young athletes, puberty plus good food and training brings bigger gains than any supplement.¹⁰

If your child has a diagnosed deficiency or follows a restricted diet, such as vegetarian, talk to your pediatrician or a registered dietitian rather than reaching for a product off the shelf.²

If your child becomes confused or unresponsive, stops sweating, vomits, or has severe belly pain during or after exercise in the heat, go to the emergency room or call 911.³

Common questions