Playing sports is an enjoyable and healthy activity that many teens enjoy. If your teen is part of a baseball team, he will need to eat nutritious foods to perform his best on the field. Louise Burke, Greg Cox and Nathan Deakes say in their book, "The Complete Guide to Food for Sports Performance: Peak Nutrition for Your Sport," that your teen's training diet is more important than what he eats before a game because he spends much more time practicing and building skills.
Milk
A glass of milk supplies two important nutrients that your teen athlete needs to perform well at baseball practice. Protein is necessary for healthy muscles, which enables your teen to move freely and perform well. Calcium helps ensure that your teen's skeletal system is strong enough to play baseball as well as prevent bone injuries, such as fractures or breaks. Kids Health recommends milk as a healthy food for your teen to consume just prior to heading to baseball practice. Stick to low-fat or skim milk to keep saturated fat levels low.
Hard-boiled Egg
A hard-boiled egg is a nutritious pre-practice snack that supplies about 8g of protein. Kids Health says that a diet with plenty of protein will allow your teen to build muscle as well as repair any muscles that get strained or injured during practice time. A hard-boiled egg can be eaten on its own or added to a sandwich or salad one or two hours before practice begins.
Spinach Salad
Spinach is a rich source of iron, another nutrient that is essential for teen athletes, Kids Health says. A spinach salad can be added to a pre-practice meal or eaten as a snack a few minutes before practice. One or two cups of leafy green spinach will supply plenty of iron to keep your teen's muscles functioning well and her red blood cells circulating oxygen throughout her body. Add protein-rich toppings, such as a hard-boiled egg, nuts or grilled chicken strips, to make it a nutritious meal for your teen on days he has baseball practice.
Smoothie
A smoothie can be customized to your teen's tastes and will provide the calories and energy he needs to perform well during practice. Burke, Cox and Deakes recommend using fruit because it will supply a gradual release of energy to get your teen through an entire practice. Blend your teen's favorite fruits, such as bananas, berries and mango, with 100 percent fruit juice or skim milk. A large spoonful of plain yogurt will supply some protein and some calcium.
References
- "The Complete Guide to Food for Sports Performance: Peak Nutrition for Your Sport"; Louise Burke, Greg Cox and Nathan Deakes; 2010
- Kids Health: Feeding Your Child Athlete
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