Nutrition for soccer tournaments

Unlike for soccer practice and matches, soccer tournaments are especially demanding. There can be as many as two to three games in a single day and you will need to be prepared for it nutritionally. Failing to do so can result in not being able to play effectively after the first one or two games. Here is a nutrition checklist to follow for a tournament:

Eat breakfast in the morning. Do not skip or elect to eat at the venue. Eat early and allow the time you need for the food to digest.

If there is not enough time to eat prior to getting to the venue and playing the first game, have a light snack like granola and yogurt.

Have several small snacks packed and ready to eat throughout the day. Protein bars, trail mixes etc.

Assume three games and have a recovery drink ready to drink after each game ends. Chocolate milk is a good option. Alternatively, anything with four to one carb to protein ratio will suffice.

Stay away from heavy and fried foods during the tournaments. Stick to light and easy to digest foods that won’t have you running to the toilet.

Keep drinking water to stay hydrated. The one-off sports drink is good to replenish electrolytes but mostly drink water.

Avoid anything you have not had before. The tournament is not the time to experiment with new food and drink. Ideally, try the exact things you are going to consume during practice and matches before and see what works.