By Anna Woods
SheStrength Perspectives
As a mom of female athletes myself and after 12-plus years of training female athletes in strength and conditioning and various sports, the question I receive the most from parents is related to nutrition and staying fueled for sport.
“What are good food items for my daughter to eat/drink before her game?”
I will ask the parents what food items they packed for the child for each game, before moving into the conversation about what the child will eat. The responsibility falls on us as parents to set an example and provide solid food options before we can place blame on the child’s lack of good choices. But here are my recommendations to help:
Eat/drink a good combination of protein, carbs, water and electrolytes for energy. Foods we pack in our lunchbox on gameday include: beef jerky, Greek yogurt, trail mix with dark chocolate, mozzarella cheese sticks, protein bars, whey protein shakes, chocolate milk, deli meat slices, hummus and vegetables, or any type of fruit.
Sometimes the food choice items are left to the parents who bring food for the team. So, a good idea to help athletes stay on track is to encourage parents to bring food items from a pre-suggested healthy snack list as part of their contribution to locker notes, game day meals or bus ride snacks. We leave a sign-up sheet list that specifically asks about protein, fruit and vegetables, and water and electrolytes.
Making good food choices starts with us as parents/guardians, setting the example and making healthy food options easy to access and the norm for fueling ourselves as athletes, and for a lifetime of health.
“How do I get my daughter to eat more protein throughout her day?”
I asked my female athletes to track the amount of protein they consumed on a daily basis over the course of three weeks, and on average each girl consumed 20 to 50 grams of protein a day. This is well under the recommended portion of 75-90 grams minimum per day for female athletes. This is an important concern for many parents, and these are my suggestions to help:
- 1. Include your daughter in the grocery list making, grocery shopping, and meal prep of protein items. The more she is involved in the process, the more engaged she will be in the consumption of these products. It is also a great way to help her begin healthy habits she will use for life.
- 2. Accessibility is also a key in increased consumption: have easy-to-grab protein items like pre-packaged whey protein drinks, high protein snack bars, pre-portioned Greek yogurt cups, mozzarella cheese sticks, rolled up deli meat slices with toothpicks holding them together in bite-size portions, and chicken tenderloins ready to go in the fridge each morning, in the cooler on car rides, or thrown in your daughters pre-game gym bag.
- 3. Lastly, increasing portion sizes of protein with each meal is an easy-to-disguise way to add protein to your daughter’s daily intake. Instead of two eggs with toast, add two eggs and two egg whites or two hard-boiled eggs for breakfast. Add an extra slice of deli meat to her sandwich at lunch. Sprinkle whey protein into cooked oatmeal in the morning. Throw an extra portion of ground beef or meatballs on her spaghetti.
I remind parents “something is better than nothing” when it comes to helping female athletes stay on track with nutrition when so many sugary, processed and unhealthy options are available around us. Our goal is to provide as many opportunities as possible through being an example, encouragement and accessibility to good food. Then we have to let the girls learn for themselves as they mature and grow in their athletics and lifetime health.
In SheSTRENGTH Perspectives, Anna Woods challenges the traditional fitness narrative with a fresh, empowering take on what it truly means to be strong. Each month, Anna shares insights drawn from her experience as a coach, athlete, and business leader — blending practical fitness tips with real-world wisdom about resilience, mindset, and self-worth. This is your monthly dose of strength that goes beyond the gym.