Eat in Colour United Match Fit Meal Planner

Transcription

1 Eat in Colour United Match Fit Meal Planner A balanced diet plays a crucial role in ensuring budding Beckhams are in peak condition on match day. Whether playing for England or the school team, healthy eating is essential. This Eat in Colour Match Fit Meal Planner has been put together with the help of top dieticians from the BDA who work with teams like Aston Villa, Celtic, Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest to ensure star footballers are at the top of their game. A good diet will improve general health and fitness as well as speed up recovery from injuries. Together with a program of fitness training, eating in colour can help to build stamina and improve performance. Football requires lots of energy so choosing the right foods will make sure young footballers have bundles of the stuff to last the full 90 minutes and well into extra time! Eat in Colour s easy to follow tips and serving suggestions are specially designed to work hand in hand with training sessions to make sure our footy heroes of the future are in the best possible shape for the next big match. The planner runs for a whole week and we ve even included special tips for what they should eat on match day. Feel free to mix and match our meal suggestions on the planner - they don t have to be followed in order. For more healthy meal suggestions, perfect for young soccer stars, visit

2 Here are a few tips from the professionals to get started: Fresh fruit and vegetables are an important part of every professional footballer s diet, packed with essential vitamins and fibre they should play a part in every meal. A good tip is to make sure they eat fruit and vegetables of different colours throughout the day Making sure they have regular meals is a must and snacks should be timed around training sessions Carbohydrate rich foods will ensure they have lots of energy. In the run up to a game professional footballers always make sure their diet is rich in complex carbohydrates these include; beans, apricots, peaches, potatoes, parsnips, sweetcorn, bread, rice, pasta, oats and cereals Protein rich foods will help to feed their muscles - try and go for options like lean meat, chicken, turkey and fish or eggs, beans, nuts and pulses for vegetarian options Possibly the most important tip is to ensure they eat a balance of low fat sources of protein, starchy carbohydrates and plenty of fruit and vegetables at each meal Hydration, hydration, hydration keep them topped up with liquid at all times especially when they are training. Diluted fruit juice is a great option

3 Breakfast Lunch Dinner Snacks minus seven Slow burn brekkie A big bowl of porridge is a great energy source. Add some berries or raisins and honey to make it a bit more of a tasty treat Juice fix A glass of vitamin packed fruit juice is a perfect breakfast drink Tasty pasta salad Stir their favourite pasta sauce, cherry tomatoes, mushrooms, onions and cheese into pasta. Easy to put into a lunchbox and you can experiment with different combinations Cereal bar Either choose bars with added raisins or fruit or make them yourself with oats raisins, honey and a few nuts Champion sausage Stir some chopped spring onion into mashed potatoes and serve with grilled sausage and a side of peas and sweetcorn Yogurt and fruit Chopped fruit, like peach or nectarine, stirred into yogurt will help to keep their vitamin levels up Banana A potassium packed banana is a great mid morning or afternoon snack minus six Fibre fix Add some blueberries to a bowl of their favourite cereal for a fruit boost Fruit smoothie Try whizzing up some orange juice with half a banana and some frozen berries for an instant energy fix Tuna dipper Celery and carrot sticks are great great dipped into this yummy tuna dip. Blend a tin of tuna with cream cheese, a spoonful of mayonnaise, a squeeze of lemon juice and black pepper Oat cakes A couple of oat cakes will finish off lunch nicely, how about topping them with some chopped banana or apple and cheese Mexican magic Stir fry some strips of beef with red and yellow peppers and some fajita seasoning. Serve in tortilla wraps with grated cheese and a tasty salad Ice cream Add some strawberries or raspberries to a scoop of their favourite ice cream. A little of what they fancy is good for them! Malt loaf A slice of malt loaf with butter will keep young footballers going for a training session

4 Breakfast Lunch Dinner Snacks minus five Yummy yogurt Chop some strawberries & a banana into a plain yogurt & add a spoonful of honey to sweeten it Juice fix A glass of apple juice is a tasty alternative to orange and is packed with as many vitamins Super sarnies Try out different fillings but for an extra fibre fix make sarnies with brown bread. Fillings to try: Cheese and tomato Tuna and cucumber Chicken, tomato and lettuce Homous & roasted vegetables Fish finger supper Oven baked fish fingers, potato wedges & beetroot cubes make a simple & nutritious dinner World-cup fruit salad Mix five favourite fruits from around the world e.g. tinned pineapple chunks, kiwi fruit, apples, grapes and strawberries in a cup and pour a small amount of apple juice over, serve with a scoop of ice cream or yogurt Dried fruit A handful or two of dried fruits will keep soccer stars going for longer than biscuits or a choccie bar minus four Toast it A couple of pieces of brown toast with their favourite topping should keep them going until lunch Banana smoothie Whisk up semi-skimmed milk with natural yogurt, a small scoop of ice cream and a banana for a delicious and nutritious start to a busy days training Nice rice Make a rice salad using cooked brown rice with chunks of cooked aubergine, pepper slices, chopped spring onions and pieces of cooked turkey or chicken. You can even add some pumpkin or sunflower seeds. Easy to prepare the night before to put into a lunchbox Banana cake A tasty piece of banana cake will ensure footy heroes have the energy to get through training. A great tip is to use up some older bananas to make a cake Team pizza Take a ready-made pizza base, top with tomato sauce and add toppings to represent team colours e.g. Man U, Liverpool, Arsenal Pepperoni, red pepper & cheese Newcastle United Chicken, mushrooms, black olives, cheese Spurs, Fulham, Derby Mozzarella, ham & mushrooms. Serve with a tasty salad of lettuce, cucumber, grated carrot and avocado Carrot sticks Some carrot sticks make a great quick snack option, they can be dipped into homous, cream cheese or peanut butter Melted chocolate and banana Chop a banana into slices & add a drizzle of melted chocolate

5 Breakfast Lunch Dinner Snacks minus three Pancake treat Try serving a spoonful of raspberries with pancakes and a drizzle of honey Milkshake Feed their bones with a strawberry or raspberry milkshake. Whizz up some berries with milk for an instant shake Bruschetta bites Brush some French bread or ciabatta with olive oil and grill for a few minutes. A couple of slices of mozzarella, baby spinach and chopped tomatoes make a delicious topping Fruit scone Lightly butter a fruit scone for a sweet treat Simple stir-fry Stir fry some turkey and vegetables with a splash of soy sauce, add a bit of grated ginger if you like and serve with noodles Rice pudding Stewed apple served with rice pudding makes a simple & tasty dessert. See the Eat In Colour recipe wheel for a simple stewed apple recipe Cherry tomatoes Cherry tomatoes are a great portable snack for on the move. Easy for mums or dads to pop a few into a lunchbox minus two Toast alternative Switch regular toast for a muffin, crumpet or toasted bagel. Cream cheese makes a tasty topping Juice fix A glass of their favourite juice will keep them hydrated Spanish omelette Add some lightly cooked courgette & potato plus a sliced tomato to your omelette mixture and cook as normal - hey presto a healthy Spanish omelette Oaty cookies A couple of oaty cookies are a tasty lunchtime option. Try baking your own with some dried fruits and nuts Jacket spuds Add their favourite filling like cheese and beans and serve with a colourful salad or mixed vegetables Kiwi fruit Try serving different fruits as desserts. A kiwi fruit cut in half is a great way to finish off a healthy dinner Breakfast cereal Not just for breakfast, a bowl of cereal with some chopped fruit or raisins is an ideal snack for an energy boost at any time of day minus one Big brekkie Try some tomatoes, mushrooms or egg on toast, add baked beans for extra energy Glass of milk Young bones will benefit from a big glass of milk, add some fruit and make a shake if they are not keen on milk on its own Pitta pockets Cut pitta bread in half so they form pockets; stuff each pitta with cooked chicken, a few pieces of lettuce, tomato and cucumber. Finish off with a spoonful of tomato relish or mayonnaise Trail mix A small bag of trail mix is packed full energy Healthy roast A roast dinner contains all the important food groups, make sure you get as much colour on their plate as possible! Fruit crumble & custard For a filling dessert packed full of energy how about an oaty fruit crumble topped with a calcium fix of custard A bunch of grapes A bunch of grapes will help to fill them up if they get a bit peckish during the day

6 Premier Footy Fuels Potatoes Brown Bread Potatoes are one of the best football foods around, high in vitamin C and a fantastic source of slow release energy. Professional footballers always up their intake before a big game Rich in fibre this will help to keep young bodies healthy and fuller for longer so they can manage those long training sessions without stopping for a snack Peas Broccoli Peas are a high protein food and a good source of potassium and the B vitamins. B vitamins help to maintain the muscles. Strong muscles are a must for budding football stars One of the richest vegetable sources of calcium, magnesium and iron, it s good for their bones and blood and also helps fight disease an overall performance booster Tomatoes Raisins The red pigment contained in tomatoes is called lycopene and this helps to stop free radicals damaging cells in the body, keeping them on the pitch for years to come Raisins are packed full of natural sugars, great for a quick boost before they get on the pitch

7 Premier Footy Fuels Peppers A great source of carotene which will give their immune system a boost. Their health needs to be on top form during footy season, a cold or bug can really affect performance Strawberries High in vitamin C which is important for boosting the immune system and for strong skin and membranes. Helping to protect them from cuts and bruises on the pitch Blueberries As well as being packed full of antioxidants, research has shown that blueberries help to protect the brain ensuring their mind is always on the game Grapes Grapes are low in calories & full of fibre, they can help curb snack cravings & keep your budding Beckhams fuller for longer. They are also a good source of potassium which is essential for the body s growth definitely one for football stars of the future Tuna An excellent source of lean protein which we know is good for the muscles. The Omega 3 found in fresh tuna or canned fish such as sardines, pilchards or mackerel will also help to keep the brain sharp so they can stay alert and make quick decisions on the pitch Oats Oats are a great slow release food so will keep them running round the pitch for longer Bananas An excellent source of potassium which helps muscles function properly, helping to ensure nothing holds them back during a big game Milk A great source of calcium to keep their bones healthy, strong bones will make sure they can tackle the opposition with ease. Some footballers have also started drinking milk to help improve hydration on the pitch

8 Tips for Match Day: On the day of the match try and make sure they have their pre-competition meal about 3-4 hours before the game to ensure enough time for proper digestion Make sure their pre-competition meal is high in carbohydrates for energy, low in fat and not too bulky toast with jam or honey, breakfast cereal with fruit, rice / pasta with tomato sauce and vegetables, muffins or a baked potato make great pre-match meals If they are nervous, young footballers may struggle to eat on match day so smoothies, fruit juice and dried fruit are good to keep on hand to snack on if they can t manage a full meal Keep them properly hydrated, making sure they top up regularly with water or juice After the game make sure they have a meal rich in carbohydrates to replace the energy used up on the pitch If they win, or even if they don t, make sure you have a tasty treat ready for them after the game, they deserve it after all the work they ve put in! Remember, for loads more tasty recipe ideas visit