Caveat: While nutrition can be used as a tool to improve sleep quality and help ease mild symptoms of anxiety, if your athlete is struggling with sleep disturbances or anxiety, it’s important to talk to a medical professional in addition to making smart nutritional choices.

Reduce Anxiety

1. Eat Enough and Keep It Balanced

“The first line of defense for your overall physical and mental health is to make sure that you have a well-balanced diet,” says Ziesmer. “Consuming a variety of different foods over the course of the day, particularly a lot of different fruits and vegetables, is going to help ensure that your athlete gets the nutrients they need. It’s also important to make sure your athlete is eating enough: Under fueling can exacerbate sleep and anxiety issues.” She also recommends a check-in with your family doctor to get bloodwork done to make sure that your athlete isn’t deficient in certain vitamins and minerals, including zinc, magnesium, and vitamins D and B.

2. Get the Right Fats

“Omega 3 fatty acids are extremely beneficial for brain health, and have been shown to help reduce anxiety,” says Ziesmer. Fatty fish are the best source of Omega-3s, so if your athlete likes salmon, tuna, and mackerel, add those to the shopping list. If your athlete isn’t a fish fan, Ziesmer says that flaxseed, walnuts, flaxseed oil, or walnut oil also contain high amounts of Omega-3s.

3. Get Some Sun

“A huge percentage of the U.S. population is deficient in vitamin D,” says Ziesmer. “And low vitamin D levels have been linked to anxiety. Fortunately, vitamin D is relatively easy to obtain: Just spend time outside in the sun.” She recommends roughly 30 minutes per day in bright sunlight. If that’s impossible in your area, especially in the winter, there are plenty of foods that contain or are fortified with vitamin D.

4. Include Magnesium and Zinc Sources

Magnesium and zinc are both important minerals for preventing and reducing anxiety. “Leafy greens, nuts, and seeds are a great source of magnesium, while zinc will primarily come from meat sources,” says Ziesmer. “Liver, oysters, cashews, and egg yolks are especially good sources of zinc.”

Promote Sleep

5. Cut Back on Caffeine Early

If your athlete tends to drink a caffeine-infused sports drink during afternoon practice, that caffeine could be wreaking havoc on their sleep schedule. Some people feel the impact of caffeine longer than others, so if your athlete is always wide awake around bedtime, try cutting out caffeine after noon. “Caffeine makes our brain go into overdrive. And even if you don’t feel the obvious effects of it, it can still keep you awake at night,” Ziesmer adds.

6. Create a Routine

Cutting caffeine helps promote sleep, but the best way to help improve your athlete’s snooze time is to help them create smart routines and rituals around bedtime. This means things like setting a schedule for bed/wakeup times and adding soothing pre-sleep activities, like reading a book rather than scrolling on Instagram, or taking a warm shower after practice. Ziesmer says a set schedule and routine—including bedtime snacks and beverages—is the best way to promote sleep.

7. Enjoy a Warm Beverage

While chamomile tea is touted as the best herbal option for making someone feel sleepy, any relaxing herbal tea that your athlete likes is a great option. The ritual of having a cup of tea before bed can help put your athlete in a state of relaxation—and of course, provide some bonus hydration! Any herbal tea will work well before bed, but make sure it doesn’t contain caffeine. Adding a bit of milk to the tea can also be sleep inducing, Ziesmer adds.

8. Add a High Protein Dessert

A higher protein snack before bed can help a young athlete sleep better, especially if there’s a late game or practice, or if they tend to underfuel during the day. If your athlete complains of waking up in the middle of the night feeling hungry, a protein-dense snack before bed will help. A mug of hot chocolate made with one percent milk, for example, is a tasty and protein-dense treat in addition to being a soothing warm beverage. Ziesmer also recommends a small bowl of Greek yogurt with berries and granola.

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Takeaway

Nutrition can help improve sleep and reduce feelings of anxiety by giving the body more of what it needs (like antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables) and less of what it doesn’t (like caffeine).

Here, TrueSport Expert Kristen Ziesmer, a registered dietitian and board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, shares some tips on how to approach holidays and vacations mindfully so that athletes can feel comfortable getting the nutrients they need and the flavors they want.

1. Help Your Athlete Understand Intuitive Eating

Simply put, intuitive eating is learning to listen to your body’s hunger cues and respond to them appropriately. Ziesmer explains that leaning into intuitive eating makes it easier for an athlete to enjoy tasty treats at a holiday party and to stop when they’re full. “Eating intuitively helps you avoid those big spikes in hunger, where you go too long without eating and then you’re starving,” says Ziesmer. “When you’re eating, it’s also about asking, ‘Am I satisfied? Or am I still hungry?’ You don’t always need to clear your plate—but it’s also okay if you do.”

2. Don’t Restrict

For young athletes, developing restrictive tendencies is unfortunately all too common, and the hype around ‘not gaining weight over the holidays’ may actually cause those tendencies to show up. Ziesmer says it’s important to ensure that your athlete has a healthy relationship with all types of food so they can maintain a nutrient-dense diet while still enjoying the seasonal festivities during the holidays.

3. Start with a Nutrient-Dense Meal

Showing up to the holiday party after not eating all day is a recipe for going overboard on the tasty treats. Ziesmer says that the easiest way to avoid overindulgence and the stomachache that’s likely going to follow is to eat a nutrient-dense snack beforehand. This strategy shouldn’t cause stress: Balance is the priority, so keep in mind that a single indulgent meal won’t unbalance a generally healthy nutrition plan.

4. Aim for a Balanced Plate at Meals

Sitting down to a big family meal? Focus on the different elements on the plate, says Ziesmer. Is there a source of protein (like chicken, fish, turkey, or tofu), a whole grain (like brown rice or  whole wheat rolls) and some vegetables (like steamed broccoli or a side salad)? Don’t panic if instead of a whole grain, mashed potatoes are your carbohydrate options, and instead of a kale salad, canned green beans are the only vegetable. Do the best with what you have!

5. BYO Healthy Snacks

Heading to a hotel or a family member’s house for the holidays? Stock up on healthy snacks and meal options that you can easily travel with so your athletes don’t miss out on important nutrients during the trip. “If you are staying at a hotel, you can ask for a mini fridge in your room,” says Ziesmer.” Stock the fridge with fruit, chopped up vegetables and hummus, string cheese, hard boiled eggs, yogurt, and granola.” If you don’t have fridge access, mixed nuts, shelf-stable fruits like apples, dried fruit, and homemade granola bars are great options too.

6. Make New Traditions

Rather than throwing out current family traditions, try to add a few instead! Remember that with most foods, whether it’s ‘healthy’ or ‘unhealthy’ largely depends on context. A big mug of hot chocolate after a day of sitting and watching movies may not be the most nutritious choice, but that same mug of hot chocolate is actually a great blend of carbohydrates and proteins that can help an athlete recover from a 5K training run. If most of the holiday traditions and vacation activities in your family center around food, consider suggesting a few new traditions that include movement. A snowball fight or walk before Christmas dinner helps create balance.

7. Pay Attention to Portion Size and Unconscious Snacking

At parties, it’s easy to snack through the evening and be completely unaware of how much you’ve eaten. Because of this natural tendency, Ziesmer recommends taking a mindful approach to eating to truly enjoy every bite. “I try to help people really think about what they’re eating: What does the food smell like, how exactly does it taste, how does it feel in your mouth?” she says. “When possible, try to eat without distractions and pay attention to what you’re eating. Try to focus on eating the food instead of doing other things at the same time.”

8. Look for Healthy New Favorites

The best way to make sure that there will be something nutrient dense at the party you’re heading to is to bring a healthy dish! A slow-cooker stew that’s packed with vegetables, beans, and lean protein is a great addition to a buffet, while a dense salad with dark leafy greens and a wide variety of vegetables is an easy dish to bring for a sit-down dinner. Consider making a fruit-focused dessert or a big dish of chopped vegetables and a Greek yogurt-based dip for an appetizer.

9. On a Specific Diet? Let Family Know Ahead of Time

If your athlete is vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free or has a specific food intolerance, don’t wait until the table is set to bring it up. “Have a conversation before you get there,” says Ziesmer. “It’s a lot less stressful and a lot less tense when you discuss it with the host beforehand. This approach takes the emotions out of it and lets you figure out a solution. Is there a vegan option for your athlete, or should you bring a dish?”

10. Focus on Movement and Sleep—Not Just Food

It’s easy to get stressed about ‘eating right’ over the holidays and on vacation, but Ziesmer reminds athletes and caregivers that movement and sleep are just as important—and just as prone to getting off-kilter during this chunk of time. Urge your athlete to maintain a reasonable sleep schedule, aiming for seven to nine hours of sleep per night, and to get in some movement every day. This doesn’t have to mean running laps or hitting the gym—it could mean going on a walk or bike ride with a friend, tossing the basketball around in the driveway, or doing some gentle yoga.

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Takeaway

The holidays should be a time to enjoy yourself—not stress out about what you should or shouldn’t eat. It’s okay to enjoy food simply because it tastes good, and you can find balance by also working in nutrient-dense snacks and meals, exercise, and good sleep.

Here, TrueSport Expert Kristen Ziesmer, a registered dietitian and board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, shares her best tips for optimizing time, dollars, and nutrition.

No Time to Cook? No Problem.

There is nothing wrong with purchasing soup from the soup aisle in the grocery store rather than making it yourself, says Ziesmer. Not everyone has the time to make a soup from scratch. Canned and boxed soups are a simple option—and with a few simple additions, they can be made much more filling and satisfying for a hungry young athlete.

Start by choosing the healthiest option available by scanning nutrition labels before putting a can or box of soup in your cart. Look for:

• Under 500 milligrams of sodium per serving
• At least 2 grams of fiber per serving
• No more than 10% of daily value in saturated fat

Ziesmer notes that soups that are vegetable broth-based are generally going to be better options than cream-based soups, so opt for Manhattan clam chowder rather than New England clam chowder, for instance.

She also likes black bean, lentil, and split pea-based soups for their high fiber content. If you’re opting for a noodle soup, look for options with whole grain noodles to boost fiber and satiety.

Even if you don’t often rely on canned soup, Ziesmer suggests having a few cans on hand: This way, when a game runs into overtime, you know you can get home and prepare dinner in just a few minutes. “Soup is such a great backup meal to have on hand,” she says.

Improve Your Canned Soup

Most people don’t think about adding extras to canned soup, but Ziesmer says that there are a few simple additions that can make a big difference in flavor as well as nutrition. It’s easy to go from a can of soup to a gourmet meal and clean out your refrigerator in the process.

• For a vegetable-based soup, adding canned black beans, chickpeas, white beans, or kidney beans can add fiber and protein.
• To improve nutrient content, toss in some frozen vegetables like spinach—or chop up and add those herbs and vegetables that are wilting in the refrigerator.
• An overripe tomato that’s no longer salad-worthy gives a soup more body and flavor, as does limp basil or coriander.
• Leftover chicken or beef from the night before can be added to boost a soup’s protein content. Ziesmer’s personal favorite is to create a heartier soup by adding chunks from a grocery store rotisserie chicken.
• Cooked brown rice or whole wheat pasta can also be added to turn a light soup into a hearty stew.

Add a Hearty Side

Soup is a great option for a quick meal, but if there aren’t appropriate carbohydrates and protein added, it can leave an athlete feeling hungry. After a practice or competition, Ziesmer notes that a traditional ’soup and salad’ meal is not going to be satisfying enough for an athlete. Don’t be afraid of adding carbohydrates on the side: Athletes need quick-burning carbohydrates to boost recovery and refill glycogen stores.

“One of our standard dinners is tomato soup with grilled cheese,” she says. “It’s a classic for a reason. Soups are often low on calories and carbohydrates.”

She recommends using a whole grain bread for the grilled cheese to add more fiber and nutrients. A cornbread muffin is another favorite of Ziesmer’s, and if you make a batch, you can freeze the unused ones for the next time you’re running late on dinner prep.

Start from Scratch

Making your own soup doesn’t have to be complicated, thanks to a plethora of pre-made broths and bouillon cubes that you can use as your base. Made-from-scratch soups and stews are more cost-effective and tend to be healthier since they won’t contain as many artificial preservatives as canned options. If you have a large pot or a slow cooker, you can also make your own soup in bulk, then freeze leftovers so you’re ready for the next time you need a meal in a hurry.

In a slow cooker, simply combine your stock of choice—chicken, beef, vegetable—and add your preferred frozen vegetables or wilted vegetables from the fridge, a can of drained black, white, kidney or garbanzo beans, shredded or chunked chicken or beef if desired, a can of diced stewed tomatoes, and a teaspoon of your preferred seasoning mix (Italian, chili, et cetera) and let it stew for a few hours. An hour before serving, add rice or pasta if desired. (If adding pasta or rice, either pre-cook or add extra water since uncooked rice or pasta will absorb the broth.)

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Takeaway

Whether it’s from a can or made from scratch, soup can be a great meal for any athlete, especially if you add more carbohydrates, fiber, protein, and vegetables to the mix.

Here, TrueSport Expert Kristen Ziesmer, a registered dietitian and board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, shares a few tips for buying food on a budget, as well as recipes for a few meals that keep costs low.

Cost Saving Tips

1. Meal Prepping is Budget-Friendly

Meal prepping is not just a time-saver: it also saves you from expensive last-minute restaurant stops and hunger-filled trips to the grocery store. It also ensures that you actually use all of the food that you do buy, and it allows you to buy ingredients like chicken or oatmeal in bulk, which is cheaper than purchasing small single-serve packages.

2. Don’t Waste Leftovers

Often, that single chicken breast left over after dinner ends up sitting in the refrigerator before getting tossed out. But while you may not have enough left over from dinner for a full meal for the family, you can repurpose those leftovers to feed hungry athletes. Don’t be afraid to use leftovers creatively for lunch the next day. For example, extra chicken can easily be made into a sandwich, burrito, wrap, or rice bowl.

3. Get Creative

When you are at the grocery store, sticking to your list and buying the bulk options are great ways to save money. But also keep an eye out for deals, and don’t be afraid to make some creative substitutions.

4. Have the Right Cooking Gear

Ziesmer often talks about slow-cookers and pressure cookers as great ways to speed up meal prep and make things like dried beans a more realistic option for busy people. If you don’t have a slow-cooker yet, check your local thrift store if a new one is out of your budget. And of course, if you have the time and space, you can get creative with growing your own herbs and vegetables at home to save money.

5. Be Smart About Sport Snacks

There are hundreds of bars, gels, gummies, and drink mixes now marketed to athletes, but in most situations, young athletes don’t need these powders and potions to perform at their best. There are plenty of easy options for homemade sports drinks and simple pre-game snacks that aren’t ultra-processed and pricey. Most of the time, a bottle of water with a pinch of sea salt and a banana or a half of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich will be the perfect snack.

Here are some budget friendly meal ideas for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

Breakfast: Nutrient-Packed Overnight Oats

Compared to buying boxes of cereal or granola, buying bulk bags of oatmeal is a huge cost savings. On a per-serving basis, cereal often costs three or more times as much as oatmeal. Oatmeal is also the more nutrient-dense, fiber-rich choice. It’s also less processed and can be topped with nutritious foods like fruit, nuts, and seeds.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 to 3/4 cup rolled oats (depending on how hungry your athlete tends to be)
• Nuts and seeds: Crushed walnuts, chopped pecans, chia seeds, or peanut butter are all great options.
• Fruit: Berries (fresh or frozen), raisins, dried cranberries, or seasonal fruit like apples or bananas
• Sweetener: Honey or maple syrup, cinnamon

Prep: Combine all ingredients in a jar or bowl and add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of milk or water (double the amount of oatmeal used). Leave in the refrigerator overnight, then enjoy it cold or warm up in the microwave in the morning.

Lunch: Simple Vegetarian Rice Bowl

Vegetarians have long touted the benefits of rice and beans, since the combination of the two provides all of the essential amino acids and protein that a growing athlete needs. And they are incredibly budget-friendly! While dried beans require more prep time than canned, they do provide a major cost-savings. A secondhand slow cooker or pressure cooker can help reduce time in the kitchen prepping dried beans. And rather than buying single-serve or quick-cook rice, opt for the largest bag that you’re able to fit in your kitchen cupboards. Bulk rice is one of the most inexpensive carbohydrates available, and it’s also one of the most versatile and easy to use carbohydrates.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup rice
• 1/2 cup black beans
• 1 bell pepper (If not in season, check the frozen aisle: Often you can find bags of chopped peppers and onions combined!)
• 1/2 onion
• 1 cup spinach
• Chili powder
• Toppings: Tomato, avocado, shredded cheese, hot sauce, salsa

Prep: Use a rice cooker to cook your rice, or follow directions on the bag (ideally, meal prep several servings of rice at once, rather than single servings). Sauté peppers, onions, and spinach with sprinkle of chili powder until softened, then add pre-cooked black beans to the pan. Build your bowl by topping rice with vegetable mix, followed by toppings.

Dinner: Simple Chicken for Today + Beyond

If you can’t find good seasonal options—which can be hard in the winter months in many areas—opt for frozen vegetables, says Ziesmer. These are often less expensive than fresh vegetables, and because they’re flash frozen immediately after harvesting, they actually retain more nutrients than some of the fresh options that have traveled a long distance to make it onto the shelves at your grocery store. And when it comes to deciding what’s for dinner, keep it simple: Avoid recipes that force you to buy a dozen ingredients that you’ll only use for one dish, or that feature pricier cuts of meat. For most young athletes, finding a few favorite meals that are easy and inexpensive to prepare beats attempting to create a new dish every night of the month.

Ingredients:

• Chicken thighs (boneless, skinless) – often less pricey than chicken breasts. Buy in bulk for meal prepping
• Seasonal roast-friendly vegetables that your athletes like, such as asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli, celery
• Roast root vegetables: Beets, sweet potatoes, white or yellow potatoes, yellow onion
• Olive oil
• Spices: Pepper, garlic powder, salt (or an ‘everyday seasoning’ blend)

Prep:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Chop vegetables and root vegetables into roughly 1×1 inch cubes
• Line two pans with foil for easier cleanup, then drizzle olive oil on each
• Put all vegetables and root vegetables in a big bowl and toss with 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil and your choice of seasoning. These vegetables also are great as leftovers for rice bowls, stews, salad toppers, and side dishes throughout the week, so, when possible, make extra.
• Bake the vegetables in the oven for 1 hour (or until they’re easily pierced with a fork)
• On one pan, lay out chicken and sprinkle with your preferred seasoning. This is a great time to cook a big batch of chicken to be used in soups, wraps, sandwiches, salads, and rice bowls throughout the week.
• Bake chicken for roughly 55 minutes

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Takeaway

Feeding a young, hungry athlete can cost a fortune, but it doesn’t have to. With some advance planning, meal prep, and smart bulk buying, you can slash your grocery budget while still ensuring that your athlete is getting all the nutrients that they need to stay in the game.

Here, TrueSport Expert Kristen Ziesmer, a registered dietitian and board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, is sharing a few surprising tips and tricks to speed up meal time by meal prepping and making smart menus that provide variety and flavor without hours in the oven.

Pick a Day For Meal Prep

“You can either make three meals a day five times a week, or you can do it one time,” says Ziesmer. “If you plan out your week of meals and prep as much as you can in one session, things are going to go a lot more smoothly throughout the week. It just simplifies things.” While many people use Sunday as a meal prep day, you can pick whatever day works best for you. You may find that you can’t get everything done in one session, but if you’re judicious with your time, you should be able to multitask and make a big batch of rice or another grain, grill or bake a big tray of protein, and clean and chop all of your fruits and vegetables. Take advantage of kitchen tools like slow cookers, pressure cookers and rice cookers that allow you to easily make big batches of rice, beans, chilis and soups but can also be used to cook a whole chicken or hard boil a batch of eggs.

Develop a Reusable Shopping List

While meal prepping doesn’t have to mean boring meals, it does speed things up if everything is more predictable. The middle of a busy practice and competition season isn’t time to test out new recipes with exotic ingredients on a nightly basis—stick to the staples! Having one ‘master grocery list’ that’s accessible to any member of the family who may be doing the grocery shopping makes each week’s trip to the grocery store easier. You can add or subtract from the list, but having a starting point list that has all the basics saves a huge amount of time (and trips back to the grocery store because you forgot eggs!).

Get The Kids Involved

At any age, your athletes can be helping with meal prep, from grocery list making to cooking the meals. And teaching them to prep their own meals from a young age helps them develop better nutritional habits in the long run, says Ziesmer. If your athlete is old enough, let them help with the grocery shopping—perhaps even handing the list off so they can shop while you run other errands. And even the youngest athletes can help with meal prep if you’re doing things like layering vegetables in a casserole dish or mixing up individual jars of overnight oats.

Think About Multi-Use Meal Prep Options

Rather than making five separate casserole-style meals during meal prep, think about leaving the ingredients separate, when possible, says Ziesmer. This makes it easy to ‘remix’ each item so that breakfast, lunch and dinner feel fresh every night.

• A batch of hard-boiled eggs in the pressure cooker on Sunday can be used for fast breakfasts, snacks, and salad toppings.
• Brown rice can be used as a base for any lunch or dinner.
• Grilled chicken can be sliced on salads, in wraps, on rice bowls, and on sandwiches, and grilled vegetables (peppers, onions, eggplant, etc.) can jazz up any dish.
• Meal prep your fruits and vegetables by washing and pre-chopping. It’s easy to toss vegetables into a fast stir-fry if they’re already washed and chopped, and fruit is less likely to go moldy in the fridge if it’s an easy grab-and-go snack. (You can also have kids pre-portion out their fruit and vegetables for lunch bags.)

Think Outside The ‘Classic’ Meal Prep Box

Ziesmer is a huge fan of meal prepping baked potatoes. Bake 2 potatoes for each member of the family and use them the same way you would use rice. They can serve as a perfect carbohydrate when paired with a chili (that you also meal prepped the same day!) or as a side dish with a salad topped with grilled chicken.

Make Meals That Can Be Individually Tailored

Overnight oats in mason jars or small containers are one of Ziesmer’s favorite fast breakfast options, especially if you have multiple kids. Each of your athletes can prep their own containers on your meal-prep day, adding the dried fruit, seeds, nuts, cinnamon and sweeteners that they prefer, and then each night before bed, they can add the wet ingredients (fresh fruit, honey or maple syrup, milk, nut butter and/or water) to the container so the oatmeal can soak overnight. Warm it up in the morning, and breakfast is ready in under 45 seconds! The same concept is true for rice bowls for lunch or dinner: Athletes can add their own protein and toppings according to their preferences.

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Takeaway

Meal prepping may take a time commitment one day a week, but it can save you hours every day, while also saving you money. Get the whole family involved in the prep, and prep foods that can be used in different ways throughout the week to prevent palate fatigue.

Here, TrueSport Expert Kristen Ziesmer, a registered dietitian and board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, is sharing everything you need to know about calcium and how to make it a part of your athlete’s everyday meal plan.

How much calcium does a young athlete need?

For athletes 9 to 18 years old, the recommended daily intake of calcium is 1,300 milligrams, which is achievable with a food-first approach. Ideally, an athlete is eating calcium-rich foods at every meal and spreading out their intake of calcium throughout the day to improve absorption.

What types of foods contain calcium?

Generally, dairy is the simplest way to increase your athlete’s calcium intake, says Ziesmer. Most yogurts, milk, and cheese will contain between 200 and 400 milligrams of calcium per serving.

A few examples include:

• 1 cup of 1% milk – 310 milligrams of calcium
• 1 cup of non-fat Greek yogurt – 260 milligrams of calcium
• 1/2 cup Ricotta cheese – 290 milligrams of calcium
• 1 ounce cheddar cheese – 200 milligrams of calcium

However, even an athlete who’s happy to eat a lot of dairy products may struggle to eat between three and six servings of it in a day. Additionally, athletes who are plant-based or are from cultures where dairy isn’t found in many meals may also struggle to meet their daily calcium requirements.

Fortunately, there are plenty of other foods that are rich in calcium. There are also many food products that are fortified with calcium as well as with vitamin D, which increases the body’s ability to absorb the calcium. Look for calcium-fortified orange juice or almond, rice, or soy milk (if your athlete is lactose-intolerant or doesn’t like regular milk). These typically contain 300 to 400 milligrams of calcium. Many breakfast cereals will also contain calcium, so be sure to check the label on any granola or other cereals as well.

Many vegetables contain smaller amounts of calcium. Examples include:

• 1 cup cooked spinach – 245 milligrams of calcium
• 1 cup cooked kale – 177 milligrams of calcium
• 1 cup cooked broccoli – 62 milligrams of calcium

There are also great plant-based protein options that are naturally rich in calcium or have calcium-fortified options available. These include:

• 1/2 cup tofu – 430 milligrams of calcium
• 1 cup black beans – 240 milligrams of calcium
• 1 cup of lentils – 198 milligrams of calcium
• 1 ounce of tahini (made from sesame seeds) – 120 milligrams of calcium

For those who do eat animal protein, sardines (with the bones) are a great calcium source. A 3-ounce serving provides 180 milligrams of calcium.

What could a daily meal plan look like to achieve the daily recommended intake of calcium?

To consume 1,300 milligrams of calcium, an athlete could eat the following:

• Breakfast: Cereal with milk (300 milligrams)
• Lunch: Greek yogurt with berries and granola (260 milligrams)
• Dinner: Rice bowl with 1/4 cup tofu, cooked spinach, 1/2 cup black beans, avocado, salsa and 1 ounce shredded cheddar cheese (785 milligrams)

-or-

• Breakfast: Greek yogurt with berries and granola (260 milligrams)
• Lunch: Rice bowl with 1/2 cup tofu, 1/2 cup cooked kale, soy sauce, sliced pickled ginger, sliced avocado, black sesame seeds (680 milligrams)
• Dinner: Burrito with 1/2 cup black beans, avocado, salsa and 1 ounce shredded cheddar cheese (455 milligrams)

Finally, it’s important to remember that calcium does require vitamins to help the body absorb it, says Ziesmer. These include vitamin D and vitamin K. In addition to being the ‘sunshine vitamin,’ where sun exposure actually gives you a healthy dose of vitamin D, vitamin D is also often found in foods that are fortified with calcium, and vitamin K can be found in dark leafy greens.

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Takeaway:

While you should be paying attention to how much calcium your athlete is getting in their diet, it’s easy to hit the required 1,300 milligrams of calcium through a food-first approach. Dairy is one of the simplest sources of calcium, but there are many plant-based options as well.

Here, TrueSport Expert Kristen Ziesmer, a registered dietitian and board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, is sharing a few tips for creating the optimal smoothie.

1. A smoothie should be constructed like a meal

Think of a smoothie the same way that you would think of a whole balanced meal, says Ziesmer. This means breaking your smoothie down into core nutritional components:

1. Protein: The cornerstone of every meal for young athletes should be protein, in order to rebuild and replenish muscles.
2. Fruit and vegetables: A healthy meal also contains fruits or vegetables, which are packed with micronutrients as well as fiber.
3. Simple Carbohydrates: For athletes on the go, adding simple carbohydrates in the form of honey, maple syrup, or even oatmeal can provide the sugars they need to fuel their training.
4. Fat: A small amount of healthy fat in the form of nut butter or seeds adds satiety to a smoothie and helps keep your athlete fuller for longer.
5. Liquid: Most smoothies will require additional liquid in order to blend. This can be water, milk, or fruit juice depending on your athlete’s preferences.

2. Make prep easy

If you have busy athletes and little time to mix up the perfect smoothie every morning, you can meal prep smoothie ingredients the same way you would any other meal. A single serve blender, especially one that comes with multiple blender containers, makes smoothie prep simple. You can combine any of your non-frozen elements in each of the blender containers and stash them in the fridge, then add your frozen elements in the morning, screw on the blender cap, and your smoothie is ready in seconds. You don’t even have to put it in a different drinking vessel for your athlete, since most individual blender jars now come with extra lids for drinking on the go.

3. Get the right amounts of each ingredient

The amount of each ingredient does matter, especially when it comes to protein, so measure out your first few smoothies until you can approximate how much Greek yogurt and other ingredients equal a full serving. The same applies to nut butters—check the serving size and scoop appropriately. If nut butter is your sole protein, then Ziesmer suggests a double serving.

As far as fruits and vegetables go, Ziesmer recommends only a handful in order to leave room for calorically dense nutrients. For sweeteners like honey and maple syrup, she recommends not exceeding a tablespoon, particularly if the smoothie already has sweeter fruits like bananas.

4. Properly choose your protein

Protein should be the base of your smoothie, and you should never skimp on it. Aiming for around 20 grams of protein is optimal for any meal, and because it’s such an important component, it’s a good idea to put this in the blender first so you don’t run out of room. Plain Greek yogurt is Ziesmer’s preferred protein option for smoothies, but milk can be a simple and affordable substitute. However, using plant-based milk or yogurt substitutes won’t provide the 20 grams of protein you’re looking for. If your athlete is plant-based or lactose-intolerant, you can add in silken tofu or a combination of peanut butter, chia seeds, or other nut butters with your plant-based milk.

5. Add your fruit and veggies

Bananas are a traditional smoothie staple, as are most berries, but let your athlete’s preferences dictate the fruits and veggies that you use in their smoothies. Sometimes, a mango-pineapple-coconut milk smoothie with chia seeds and a handful of spinach is just what an athlete wants and needs!

Aim for at least a cup of whatever fruits and vegetables you’re using. Also keep in mind that while spinach blends seamlessly into a smoothie to add nutrients like iron and vitamin K, leafy greens take up a lot of space without providing valuable calories. A handful is plenty, so don’t sacrifice more calorically dense additions like yogurt or peanut butter, especially if the smoothie is replacing a full meal.

6. Use a frozen component

For a more nutrient-dense smoothie that’s a full meal substitute, use frozen fruit instead of ice cubes. Pre-freezing chunks of peeled banana can give a smoothie the consistency and sweetness of a milkshake, and buying frozen berries tends to be cheaper than fresh. If you don’t have frozen fruit, you can add ice into the blender, but make sure that you’ve used enough of all the other ingredients as well.

7. Don’t be scared of sweetening your smoothie

As adults, we tend to assume that adding extra sweeteners like maple syrup or honey is just adding empty calories. But for athletes on the go, it’s important to remember that they do need simple carbohydrates, both before and after workouts. “If your athlete just has a fruit smoothie with blueberries, ice, and water, that’s going to leave them feeling hungry again very soon,” explains Ziesmer.

8. Add extras

If a smoothie seems too thin, you can add a small amount of instant oats to provide carbohydrates and make the smoothie seem thicker. (Add too much and it becomes chalky, so start with small amounts, cautions Ziesmer.) You can also turn your smoothie into a more satisfying meal by adding a pouch of mixed nuts, dried fruit, crumbled up graham crackers, or granola so your athlete is able to turn the smoothie into a tasty cereal bowl.

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Takeaway

Smoothies are a great option for busy athletes who need nutrient-dense meals on the go, but they’re only ideal if they contain the right ingredients. Smoothies for athletes should have protein, fruits and vegetables, carbohydrates, and a small amount of fat so that they’re satisfying fuel for active and hungry athletes.

Before we look at specific buzzwords that are commonly used today, it’s important to understand why these buzzwords matter. First, the use of these words isn’t regulated, or the terms aren’t regulated the way you may assume. For example, any food with a label that reads ‘clean’ (or that’s referred to as clean) has no regulations surrounding that label. Second, these words can cause certain foods or supplements to have a ‘health halo.’

Here’s what you need to know about some common nutrition buzzwords.

1. Clean

’Clean’ makes its way onto labels and onto the covers of cookbooks with stunning frequency these days, but it has no official definition as it applies to food. “Clean has zero technical meaning whatsoever,” Ziesmer says. “And everyone’s definition of clean is so different based on someone’s biased opinion of what good nutrition is.” Just because something claims to be clean doesn’t mean it’s actually healthy, or that it’s healthy for your athlete. Ziesmer also notes that calling certain foods ‘clean’ implies that other foods are ‘dirty’ or ‘bad.’ Setting up this black-and-white view of foods can lead to disordered eating patterns for athletes, and cause confusion around what they need in order to fuel for the work that they’re doing.

2. Cleanse/Detox

Rest assured that your athlete doesn’t need a cleanse. And if they did need to rid their body of certain toxins, the juice section of the grocery store wouldn’t be the place to do it. From single serving juice shots that promise gut or liver detoxifying to week-long juice cleanses, the idea of ‘cleaning’ the body and ‘ridding it of toxins’ has become more prominent in recent years, but “the body already has its own natural detoxification system,” explains Ziesmer. “Those systems certainly could get overloaded if your athlete has a medical condition, but that’s where you would want to be working with a medical professional and not doing a juice cleanse for three days. Toxic mold exposure won’t be solved by drinking celery juice: You need to see a doctor.”

3. Superfood

It seems like every week, there’s a new food that’s been granted the title of superfood. From kale to chia seeds, there are plenty of foods that have risen in popularity in recent years. And while many of these so-called superfoods do have health benefits, there’s no specific designation that makes a food ‘super.’ Rather, it’s a marketing strategy employed by experts to sell more of a specific food. “Honestly, every whole food can be considered a superfood when you break it down,” says Ziesmer. “Blueberries and strawberries are packed with fiber and antioxidants. Kale has a ton of micronutrients and fiber. But when these foods get put in the spotlight and called ’superfoods,’ we tend to overdo them at the cost of eating a wider variety of foods in a day.” And again, because there’s no regulations around the term ’superfood,’ it’s easy for marketers to slap that moniker on every product or supplement they’re producing.

4. Anything labeled Paleo/Keto/Whole30/Vegan/Gluten-Free

“If you go to the grocery store and look at labels, you’ll see things like Paleo-friendly, Whole30 approved, Keto-friendly, vegan, or gluten-free,” says Ziesmer. “That’s not necessarily bad, but it is misleading because it creates this health halo around the product. Something that’s vegan can be packed with sugars and saturated fats, as can something that’s gluten-free. Unless you are gluten intolerant, the gluten-free bread is not healthier than the loaf of whole wheat bread.” She also adds that for a young athlete, unless advised by a doctor or dietitian for some medical reason, there’s no reason to adhere to a Whole30 or keto diet, since those diets cut out most of the carbohydrates a young athlete needs to perform at their best.

5. Organic versus Non-GMO

These buzzwords can be confusing because most people assume that they mean the same thing, but they do differ in important ways. Essentially, organic food is always non-GMO, but non-GMO food isn’t necessarily organic. A non-GMO tomato is simply not a genetically modified organism, meaning the plant hasn’t had its structure changed. However, a non-GMO tomato may still be sprayed with chemical pesticides and planted in chemically fertilized soil. On the other hand, an organic tomato will be non-GMO and will be free of any pesticides or other manmade chemicals.

“The FDA does say that GMO foods are perfectly safe,” says Ziesmer. “From a health perspective, I prefer organic options since it’s better for your system to skip the extra chemicals. However, if you can’t afford organic options, don’t avoid fruits and vegetables because of that. Just do the best that you can.”

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Takeaway

When shopping at the grocery store, beware of labels like ‘clean’ or ’superfood,’ as these words have no technical meaning and are used for marketing purposes. It’s also important to understand the benefits (organic) or lack thereof (detoxifying) of foods with these labels.

Here, TrueSport Expert Kristen Ziesmer, a registered dietitian and board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, shares a few of her favorite tips and tricks for mastering dump-and-go meals, as well as customizing them for your picky (or hungry) athletes.

5 TIPS TO GET YOU GOING

1. Invest in a pressure cooker. While a slow cooker is a great tool most of the time, if you’ve forgotten to defrost dinner, a pressure cooker can have your frozen chicken thawed and cooked to perfection in under an hour. And since pressure cookers also have a standard slow cooker setting, they’re the perfect multi-tasking kitchen tool. Ziesmer says that no busy family should be without one of these!
2. Pre-organize your ingredients. If you’re really short on time on weekdays, Ziesmer suggests a new kind of Sunday afternoon meal prep. Rather than cooking your dozen chicken breasts, she suggests using gallon-sized bags (plastic or silicone) to pack all of your ingredients together: Your choice of protein, vegetables, beans, spices, sauces, and any other additions all get added to the bag, which can go in the fridge if it’ll be cooked that week, or stashed in the freezer if you’re meal prepping for the month.
3. Play with your spices and sauces. The gallon-bag strategy is a great way to meal prep because you can set up the bags in a row and prep them with similar proteins and vegetables, then mix up the spices and sauces so you’re not always eating the same exact meal. Chicken and vegetables can have a Mexican, Thai, Indian, or Italian flair, depending on what seasoning and sauce you use—so you save money by buying your proteins and vegetables in bulk, while maximizing nutrient density.
4. Take advantage of easy, cheap alternatives like canned beans for protein and frozen vegetables versus fresh. With inflation on the rise in every aisle of the grocery store, get creative with your meal prep by analyzing which is cheaper: fresh or frozen vegetables. You may also want to buy in bulk whenever possible, especially with ingredients like rice that are used often.
5. Get creative with your serving strategy. Most dump-and-go meals are served over rice or pasta (or with rice or pasta cooked directly in). But you can vary your serving style to make meals a bit more creative. Shredded chicken can be served over a baked potato, while pulled pork could go on a sandwich or top a rice bowl, says Ziesmer. And almost any meat dish made in a slow cooker can be converted to a nacho platter by topping tortilla chips with the meat and vegetables and smothering them with salsa and guacamole.

3 EASY RECIPES TO TRY

Chicken with Salsa

Serves 4

-1.5 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs

-Jar of salsa

-Can of black beans

-Fresh or frozen spinach

-Yellow onion, diced

-Can of diced tomatoes

-Rice, corn tortillas, or tortilla chips

-Fresh salsa (diced tomatoes, diced red onion, chopped cilantro, lime juice)

-Avocado slices

-Cheddar cheese

In the pressure cooker, add chicken, salsa, beans, frozen spinach, and chopped onion

Leave on slow cooker setting for eight hours

Using two large forks, shred the chicken into small pieces

Serve over rice, or strain and serve as tacos or nachos

Top with fresh salsa, avocado and cheddar as desired

Chickpea Curry

Serves 4

-2 cans of chickpeas

-1 small chopped onion

-Fresh or frozen spinach

-Can of diced tomatoes

-1 tablespoon minced garlic

-3 tablespoons curry powder

-1 tablespoon ground ginger

-2 tablespoons of lime juice

-1 bay leaf

-1.5 cups of vegetable broth

-Optional protein bonus of chicken (thighs or breasts are fine here) or extra-firm tofu chunks

-Rice

In the pressure cooker, add all ingredients except for the rice

**You can cook the rice in with the curry, but add 2 cups of water for every cup of rice that you add**

Leave on low slow cooker setting for 6-8 hours

Make rice separately if not added in

Italian-Inspired Casserole

Serves 4

-1.5 pounds Italian sausage

-4 to 6 servings of penne pasta

-1 tsp Italian seasoning

-1 tsp minced garlic

-Chopped onion

-Fresh or frozen spinach

-Chopped bell pepper

-Can of diced tomato

-Small jar of pasta sauce

-1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

-1 cup vegetable broth

Optional: Sauté onions and sausage together in the bottom of pressure cooker on sauté setting, then chop sausage into pieces, or skip to the next step if you’re in a rush.

Combine sausage, onions, peppers, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, spinach, garlic and seasoning in pressure cooker and set on low slow cooker for 8 hours.

With 30-40 minutes left before dinner, add the penne pasta. (If your sauce is looking very thick, add a bit more vegetable broth since the pasta needs to absorb liquid.)

Add in mozzarella cheese and serve!