You are looking for the best foods and pickleball snacks to fuel up for the match. There are lots of snack ideas to add to the pickleball snack bar. In the sport of pickleball proper hydration and good nutrition are good ideas to take your game to the next level on the pickleball court.
As a registered dietitian and mom of two athletes, I am always thoughtful of the right foods to eat before, during, and after the game or tournament.
Eating properly doesn’t start the day of the game, it is important to have a well balanced eating pattern regularly.
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Why Eat Snacks During Pickleball Tournaments?
Being properly fueled with good nutrition and hydration before, during, and after the pickleball tournament is important for pickleball performance. Pickleball is a mix between aerobic and anaerobic exercise. Depending on the environment, whether it is inside or outside or hot or cold, can affect a players need for nutrition, hydration, and electrolytes.
Here are some reasons why snacks and hydration are important for the pickleball game:
Decrease likelihood of muscle cramps.
Maintain energy levels.
Longer sustained energy
Less likely to have upset stomach
Decrease risk of injury
Maintain strong bones
Increase muscle mass
These are all important reasons for pickleball players to keep their nutrition and hydration at the forefront.
This cute water bottle on amazon is perfect for a pickleball themed hydration reminder!
Great Meal and Snack Options for Pickleball
Before we get to the list of pickleball snacks, let’s talk about types of snack options. One thing to remember when it comes to snacks for pickleball or any sport, it is important to have a well balanced meal before the match depending on what time you will play.
Here are the categories macro friendly foods and great meal and snack choices when getting ready for the pickleball tournament:
- Healthy Fats like unsaturated fats from nuts and seeds.
- Whole Grains such as complex carbohydrates and carbohydrate-rich snacks for energy.
- Clean Protein, complete protein and proteins with contains essential nutrients such as lean meat and this clean eating food list.
- Natural Sugars such as honey for energy.
- Dairy Products such as greek yogurt and milk for protein and calcium.
Here is the List of Best Pickleball Snacks to Fuel Up
It is important to remember that timing and the amount of snacks eaten is important to consider. Maintaining adequate fluid intake before, during, and after exercise is important for hydration.
Keep in mind these are general ideas for pickleball snacks to help with snack planning. For your particular needs for serving size, timing, and nutrient requirements, consult with your personal health care provider or registered dietitian.
Pre-Game
water
sports drinks
nuun tablets
peanut butter with pretzels
nut butter and jelly sandwich
1/2 banana
handful of grapes
Break Time
water
honey stinger
energy gel like gu gel
clif bloks
honey straws
clif minis
fig bars
trail mix
energy bars or protein bars (zone bars)
chomps sticks
Post-Game Recovery
water
greek yogurt
protein supplements
gatorade recover bar
sliced melon
mini pickles
Easy Pickleball Snacks
Pickleball snacks don’t have to be complicated, they can be simple, light refreshments to keep you fueled throughout the match or tournament. Some of the best snacks are easy snacks like trail mix and protein bars that can help with sustaining energy levels for longer periods of time.
Combining protein with carbohydrates in snacks such as peanut butter and pretzels helps for longer satisfaction than just the pretzels alone or the peanut butter alone.
Fun Pickleball Themed Snacks
One of the best snack ideas for the post-game is to have some fun pickleball themed snacks. Here are some fun pickleball themed snacks for the post match snack table.
mini pickles
pickle tortilla roll-ups
cucumbers with ranch dip
oatmeal raisin “whiffle ball’ pickleball cookies (store bought or homemade recipe)
kiwifruit slices
Get creative with your snack table. You can also create fun tags for the table with sayings like “If you can’t take the heat, stay out of the kitchen.”
Nutrition Tips for Fueling Up Snacks for Pickleball
Nutritional needs of players can vary according their activity levels. However, fueling up and hydrating are both important and necessary for all athletes.
Here are some great nutrition tips for your next pickleball tournament.
- If you have a long tournament day planned, be sure to start hydrating the day before and the morning of the tournament. Proper hydration is important at all times, but when a planned activity is coming up where you know you will be active and sweating, plan your hydration.
- You will need a lot of energy, so be sure to plan your meals and snacks ahead of time for the next game. Don’t get caught off guard with nothing to eat except fast food. Sometimes a tournament may have snacks however, they may not be the right foods for the players to have during the activity.
Pickleball Sports Nutrition
One of the best parts of the popular game of pickleball is that it is s sport that is enjoyed by such a variety of age groups from teens to senior citizens.
Sports nutrition for each of these stages of life and activity can be quite different. If you are an avid pickleball player, regardless of your age, it is a good idea to consult a registered dietitian for your individual nutritional needs.
I hope that you have a great pickleball tournament! Remember that proper fuel and hydration are not limited to just the day of the activity, it is by overall healthy lifestyle. Create good habits each day to crush your goals!
