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Smart Nutrition for Soccer Players When Traveling

By SoccerToday.com, 08/23/19, 7:00AM EDT

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Traveling to tournaments or weekend games can be stressful on the body and mind. Nutrition can play a key role in achieving high performance. 

Amy Dirks is a Certified Nutritionist who writes for SoccerToday.com

Dirks says to plan out your trip before so that you have everything necessary on hand to eat healthy and be able to drink plenty of water.

  1. Keeping a cooler in the car is a must!  Other travel luxuries include warmers you can plug into the cigarette lighter, Bento box style containers, and you might want to invest in a good stainless steel thermos’s.   
  2. The idea is to have heathy options in the car’s cooler to keep you from stopping at fast-food restaurants. Try having: 
    • Mason jar salads
    • Mason jar parfaits with granola and fresh berries – a great non-messy way to enjoy a healthy treat.
    • Almond butter with fruit spread or honey sandwiches
    • Quesadillas; try gluten-free tortilla and serve with plain Greek yogurt and black beans and or corn salsa
    • Chicken salad (serve w/ lettuce as a wrap, Nut thins crackers, or tortilla)
    • Salmon salad (tuna or egg salad too
    • Chili (variety like sweet potato and black bean or Mexican style)
    • Baked potato and sweet potato (load these up with chicken, beans, cheese, salsas, etc.)
    • Meatballs (chicken, turkey, beef, veggie-change up the sauces for variety or add to skewers with other veggies)
    • Tacos (can be deconstructed)
    • Make a large batch of rice, grilled chicken, and roasted veggies and separate into bento boxes or Tupperware.  Bring a side of sauce for additional flavor
    • Frozen smoothies in individual cups which thaw in the cooler 
    • Veggie noodles with a protein and pesto sauce
    • Homemade energy balls
  3. If you need to, or it is easier, stop at a big grocery store along the way and pick up a rotisserie chicken and bagged salad or explore the grocery store’s salad bar

3 Important Nutrition Tips for the Hotel:

  1. Utilize the mini-fridge in hotel rooms. If your room does not have one, ask if one could be brought to your room. Store boiled eggs, yogurt, fruit, and any leftovers that can be used for other meals and healthy snacks.  
  2. When a buffet-style meal is served as a team, take extra fruit and veggies, tea, eggs, etc. back to your room to eat later. 
  3. Try some deli meat and lettuce/veggies for a quick wrap as a snack.

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