Here at Youth Sport Nutrition (YSN) we know how busy youth athletes (and their parents!) schedules are. Time is often of the essence and with early morning starts and late-night finishes, it can be tough to find time to cook a healthy and nutritious meal that’s going to provide everything a youth athlete needs to grow, develop, fuel and recover for their intense sports schedules.
But don’t worry! We’ve got your back with 5 mouth-watering meals that can be made with 5 ingredients or less and in less than 5 minutes! Sounds too good to be true? Read on to find out.
Beans on Toast
It doesn’t get much simpler than this classic and believe it or not, this is a perfect 5-minute meal for a youth athlete. Packed with protein, carbs and counting towards one of your 5-a-day, this is exactly what youth athletes need after a long tough session when time is limited.
What You Need:
2 slices of sliced bread to toast
1 tin of baked beans
Follow it up with a mixed fruit salad with yoghurt to get in some added vitamins, minerals and protein.
Creamy Chicken Pasta
Another tasty winner that can be whipped up in minutes, this simple dish is packed with protein and carbs, making it ideal for a post-workout refuel.
What You Need:
100g Pasta
1 cooked chicken breast shredded
2 tbsp Philadelphia cheese
Add in some sliced mushrooms or a handful of spinach to pack it out with micronutrients.
Scrambled Eggs & Avo on Toast
Whether you’re in need of a quick and easy recovery breakfast, or a late-night dinner you can make it minutes, you can’t go wrong with scrambled eggs. Another great source of protein and carbs and added avocado for a hit of unsaturated fats for recovery and extra calories.
What You Need:
2 slices of sliced bread to toast
3 eggs
½ and avocado
Prawn Fried Rice
A healthy twist on a takeaway classic, this 5-minute meal has everything youth athletes need to fuel for and recover from a tough session. This one tastes great cold too, making it a perfect lunch box choice.
What You Need:
½ packet of cooked prawns
½ packet of microwave rice
1 tbsp of soy sauce
1 egg
Add in a handful of frozen veggies if you have a few more minutes spare to get your hit of vitamins and minerals.
Tuna Pasta
Another variation on the staple to every athlete’s diet- pasta! This dish tastes great cold too, so not only is it ideal for fuelling and refuelling, but its also perfect for a lunch on the go as well.
What You Need:
100g Pasta
1 tin of tuna
1 tbsp mayonnaise
Add in a handful of cherry tomatoes or ½ a tin of sweetcorn for an extra hit of veggies.
Some more quick meal ideas below:
NUTRI-TEEN Food Powder Shakes
We’ve created the world’s first food powder shake tailored specifically to active youths. Not only is it a great source of protein, but each shake also contains a specific blend of fats, carbs and 16 essential micronutrients to ensure athletes get everything their body needs to perform and its best.NUTRI-TEEN Shakes are specifically designed to cater to the nutritional needs of active youths, this food powder can help fill in any dietary gaps, providing the high-quality protein that's crucial for muscle recovery and growth.
Available in several kid-approved flavours, these food powder shakes offer a quick, easy, and tasty way to boost your child's protein intake. What setsNUTRI-TEEN shakesapart is their focus on supporting youths during their vital growth and development phases, as well as facilitating recovery.
Please remember, these food powder shakes are not meant to replace a balanced diet of whole foods. Instead, they're designed to complement it, particularly when your child's dietary needs are heightened due to intense training sessions. If ensuring adequate protein through food alone is proving difficult, consider adding YSNNUTRI-TEEN shakesto your young athlete's nutritional plan for that added support.
Disclaimer: This article is intended to provide general information about nutrition for youth athletes and is not meant to replace professional dietary advice or individual nutritional counselling. Every child's nutritional needs can vary due to factors such as age, size, physical activity level, and medical conditions. We strongly recommend consulting with a registered dietitian or a healthcare provider before making changes to your child's diet, such as adding food powders. YSN and the author of this article do not take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, dietary modification, action, or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this article.
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