Kids' Nutrition: Healthy Choices for Your Athlete's Best Performance

Your athlete needs to build strength and lean muscle to be the best he or she can be both in the game and in the weight room. To help your athlete reach his or her muscle-building potential, you'll need to provide him or her the necessary pre- and post-workout fuel to help the body prime and recover.

Here's what you need to know about kids' nutrition: A combination of the right foods offered at the right times gives your athletes ample energy to train hard and recover quickly from intense workouts while maximizing the muscle-building process. Fueling the body before, during and after training maximizes the benefits of your athlete's training.
The Before: Pre-workout Fuel to Get Your Athlete Primed to Perform Don't let your athlete head off to early morning practice on an empty stomach. Most of the energy your athlete got from the previous night's dinner is gone by morning, according to the Mayo Clinic. If your athlete jets off to practice without getting even a few bites of food, his or her low blood sugar levels can make him or her feel too weak to train.

Feeding your athlete the right mix of healthy food is essential to his or her performance. Even the simplest pre-workout snacks will prepare your athlete for the hardest workout.

Stock your fridge and pantry with these easy-to-prepare, healthy pre-workout foods:

• Yogurt
• Cereal
• Energy gels
• Whole-grain bread
• Natural peanut butter
• Energy bars
• Gatorade 01 Prime

Read on for tips on hydration during sports. And get even more info from Gatorade.com.