In-Season Nutrition Guide

We know, we know. It’s tough to get middle school and high school athletes to really lock into their daily nutrition habits.

But if they want to play at a high level over the course of an entire season, it’s a MAJOR hack to have their nutrition routine as a non-negotiable.

We work with nutritionists from the professional levels to the collegiate levels and while they all have nuance and opinions, we’ve condensed their overall messaging down into a few quick, tidy bullet points.

🏀 “Fuel Early, Fuel Often” - Dr. Cate Shanahan (Lakers Performance Consultant)

Elite players don’t wait until game time to eat. The Lakers teach a simple cadence.

Breakfast within 60 minutes of waking, a protein-based lunch, and a carb + protein snack 60–90 minutes before practice. For young athletes, we’d recommend the below.

• Breakfast: Eggs + Fruit + Toast

• Lunch: Chicken/Rice/Veggie

• Pre-Game: Banana + Protein Source (Greek Yogurt, Turkey Wrap)

🏀 “Game Days Are Hydration Days” — Golden State Warriors Performance Team

One of the biggest in-season performance killers at all levels is dehydration. Warriors dietitians recommend that players start hydrating the night before and aim for the below.

• Half Their Body Weight Ounces Per Day, Minimum

• Tip: Add 12–16 oz electrolytes during practice/game days.

🏀 “Carbs Are Fuel, Protein Is Repair” — NBA Dietitian Tara Boening (Houston Rockets)

The Rockets teach these rules to simplify nutrition for young athletes.

• Carbs = Energy → Fruit, Rice, Pasta, Potatoes, Oats

• Protein = Recovery → Chicken, Beef, Eggs, Fish, Greek Yogurt

In-season, they push 20–30g protein every meal and a carb source at every meal. Low-carb diets absolutely tank energy for growing athletes, avoid them.

🏀 “The 30-Minute Rule” — Coach Tim Matz, Head Performance Nutrition, UConn Basketball

One of the most practical youth takeaways? Within 30 minutes of finishing practice or games, get 20–30g of protein + quick carbs. The goal is restoring glycogen and starting muscle repair immediately.

Examples below.

• Chocolate Milk

• Protein Shake + Banana

• Turkey Wrap/Sandwich

Just following these simple steps can put your athlete at a massive advantage during the season. If you want more advanced or detailed tips and outlines, we have those too.

-PGU Team