Fueling Youth Athletes: A Practical Guide to Everyday Nutrition

This article was written by University of Washington dietetic intern, Emma Huynh, and was reviewed/edited by Stephanie Magill, MS, RDN, CD, FAND.

When it comes to helping youth athletes play their best and stay healthy, nutrition is one of the most powerful tools we have.What they eat can boost energy, improve performance, and lower the risk of injuries.

One big issue seen with teen athletes is something called Low Energy Availability (LEA). This happens when kids don’t eat enough food to support both their training and their growth.

Without enough fuel, the body starts cutting back on important things like bone growth, muscle repair, and even hormone balance. This leads to poor performance, fatigue, slower recovery, and even stress fractures.

Unfortunately, this is common in all athletes, and even more so among female athletes. 

The good news? Learning how to fuel properly during the week and around games helps prevent LEA, while also giving your athlete the energy they need to feel good.

What makes nutrition hard for young athletes?

Here are some common challenges: 

1. Busy schedules make it hard to eat enough with their increased energy needs
2. Many kids don’t know what or how much to eat as an athlete.
3. Recovery meals and snacks are often overlooked or skipped
4. Some kids are afraid of ‘eating too much’ even when they really need more fuel

This blog will break down what each macronutrient does, how much is needed, and simple, approachable food ideas to meet those needs.

Carbohydrates = Energy

Carbs are the body’s main fuel source. When your child eats foods like pasta, rice, fruit, or bread, those carbs turn into glycogen, which is stored in their muscles. During exercise, the body uses glycogen for energy.

Carbohydrates are needed throughout the day, every day, when athletes are training. 

Soccer players and other endurance athletes need more carbs because they move for longer periods. If their carb stores are low, they’ll feel tired, slow, and more likely to get injured.

How much do they need

It is recommended to eat 5–10 grams of carbs per kilogram of body weight per day, depending on how much and how hard they train.

A 50 kg (110 lb) athlete might need 250–500 grams of carbs a day.

Carbohydrate Ideas

To reach this baseline of glycogen stores, athletes should prioritize complex carbohydrates. Foods to consider adding to meals throughout the day are the following:

• Oats, cereal, rice, pasta
• Whole-grain breads and tortillas
• Potatoes and sweet potatoes
• Dairy: milk, Greek yogurt

Before and after practice, athletes should prioritize simple carbohydrates. Consider the following foods:

• Fruits: bananas, apples, oranges, grapes
• Fruit juice
• Chocolate milk (afterwards for the sugar and protein)
• White rice and bread (PB&Js are perfect!)

Food	Serving	Grams
Oats	¼ cup (dry)	27
Breakfast cereals	1 cup	22
White rice	1 cup (cooked)	45
Pasta	1 cup (cooked)	43
Whole-grain bread	1 slice	15
Whole wheat tortilla	1 medium	25
Potato	1 medium	35
Banana	1 medium	27
Apple	1 medium	25
Greek Yogurt	1 cup	22

Protein = Muscle Repair

Protein helps fix and rebuild muscles after training. Making sure to eat protein immediately after training repairs muscles quickly, allowing them to train their best the next day.

How much do they need

Adolescent athletes need about 1.2–1.6 grams of protein per kilogram per day. That’s about 75–90 grams a day for most athletes

Our body can only process about 25-30 grams of protein per meal. So, spread it out! Aim for 20–30 grams at each meal and 10–15 grams in snacks.

Protein Ideas

• Eggs and egg sandwiches
• Chicken, turkey, lean beef
• Greek yogurt or string cheese
• Peanut butter on toast or crackers, nuts, and seeds
• Smoothies with protein powder or Greek yogurt
• Tofu, beans, lentils,
• Quinoa salads or warm bowls

Food	Serving	Grams
Eggs	2	12
Chicken breast	3 oz	26
Ground turkey	3 oz	23
Greek yogurt	1 cup	20
String cheese	1 stick	7
Peanut butter	2 Tablespoons	7
Almonds or nuts	¼ cup	6
Tofu	½ cup	10
Cooked lentils or beans	1 cup	15
Quinoa	1 cup	8

Healthy Fats = Supporting Overall Health

Fats are important for overall health, and the needs do not vary much from athlete to non-athlete.

How much do they need

It is recommended to consume 60-80g per day or about ¼ of total food intake. Athletes should focus on unsaturated fats from plants and fish.

Fat Source Ideas

• Avocados
• Nuts and seeds (almonds, peanut butter, chia, etc.)
• Olive oil, avocado oil
• Fatty fish (salmon, tuna)
• Eggs (especially the yolk!)

Food	Serving	Grams
Avocado	½ medium avocado	15
Almonds	¼ cup	14
Peanut butter	2 Tablespoons	16
Olive oil	1 Tablespoon	14
Salmon	3 oz	12
Eggs	2	10

TIP! 

If you don’t think your athlete is consuming enough fat, add peanut butter to smoothies or on top of oatmeal to add both protein and fat! You can also drizzle olive oil on veggies and pasta to boost fat and calories.

Daily Macronutrient Needs for Adolescent Athletes*

Let’s put this all together!

Body Weight	Carbs (g/day)	Protein (g/day)	Fat (g/day)
40 kg (88 lbs)	300–400	48–64	55–70
50 kg (110 lbs)	350–500	60–80	60–75
60 kg (132 lbs)	350–600	72–96	65–80
70 kg (154 lbs)	400–700	84–112	70–90
80 kg (176 lbs)	400–800	96–128	75–95

*Ranges vary based on sport, age, training volume, and growth status. 

What a Full Day of Meals May Look Like

Example: ~60kg child during a normal week of soccer practice.

Meal	What’s Included	Carbs (g)	Protein (g)	Fat (g)
Breakfast	Smoothie (banana, spinach, frozen berries, milk) + toast or hashbrown with an egg. Hydrate with water!	~82	~14	~7
Snack	DIY Snack Box: crackers, string cheese, grapes, nuts. Hydrate with water!	~50	~8	~8
Lunch	Burrito or Bowl (rice, beans, grilled chicken, lettuce, guac, salsa) + fruit (apple/orange). Hydrate with water!	~80	~25	~13
Pre-Practice Snack	Energy bites, fig bars, or granola bar. Fruit juice and water	~40	~4	~5
Post-Practice Snack	Chocolate milk, pretzels/crackers + hummus, grapes. Hydrate with water!	~65	~14	~5
Dinner	Build-Your-Own Burger (turkey, beef, or veggie patty on whole wheat bun with toppings), sweet potato fries, broccoli. Hydrate with water or milk	~68	~38	~20
Dessert	Ice cream (1 cup) topped with berries. Hydrate one last time with water!	~35	~5	~14
Total		420	108	72

Training Day Timeline

Final thoughts

At the end of the day, making sure our young athletes are eating enough is the main goal. It helps to reduce the risk of injury, improve how they feel during training and games, recover faster, and support their rapid adolescent growth. 

Carbohydrates provide energy, protein helps with muscle repair, and fat helps with various general functions in the body. Your athlete should consume each macronutrient to provide enough energy and muscle repair. Carbohydrates, protein, and fat should be eaten at each meal, spread throughout the day. 

Additionally, adding a snack with carbohydrates and protein is needed right after training to add glycogen back into the muscles and the protein can help repair them. Always trust your athlete to tell you their hunger levels and make adjustments to personalize this to them! 

The next step: learn when to eat these macronutrients to improve performance and recovery for game days and tournament weekends!