Sweat trickling down your neck and lungs burning, you dig your cleats into the grass as you sprint down the field in the final seconds of the game. An opponent closes on you, trailing closely behind. You muster your last bit of strength to wind up for the shot. It’s not enough. The ball bounces slowly along the grass, rolling easily into the goalie’s hands. The weakness in your legs overtakes you, and you crumple to the ground as the referee blows the final whistle.

When athletes battle on the last drops of energy, pre-game snacks can be the deciding factor in securing them the victory. Food fuels players as they strive for success, from sustaining glucose stores to replenishing electrolytes. 

Athletes often find themselves navigating the fine line between foods that provide immediate, sustained energy, and those which lead to quick spikes and mid-game crashes in choosing a pre-game snack. Varsity girls water polo player Keren Eisenberg (12) keeps her nutrition simple: sticking to light snacks such as fruits to provide her with sustained energy throughout her matches.

“Bananas are not too heavy but they’re really filling, so you don’t feel like you have to eat a lot,” Keren said. “I used to eat granola bars but I would get really burnt out quickly after those, so fruit is definitely more mild.”

Some people carry the assumption that eating before a competition makes athletes sluggish, preventing optimal performance. Influenced by these beliefs, varsity girls cross country and track and field runner Samaara Patil (10) avoided snacking leading up to meets during her first season.

“I was worried that having too much in my stomach would make me feel queasy and make me go slower, and if I did start to eat, it would ruin my streak of [personal records].” Samaara said. “But when I started to eat, I noticed that I didn’t feel as worn out early into my races. I had a lot faster starts and I felt a lot more refreshed getting on the start line.”

While Keren and Samaara prefer snacking immediately before their games for a quick burst of energy, eating a larger meal several hours earlier is another option for athletes to build up sustained energy stores in their muscles. Club soccer player Stanley Chen (11) eats a dinner rich in carbohydrates the day before a match to give his body ample time to convert the food into a longer lasting fuel source.

“I like eating pasta the night before games because those complex carbs are great for delivering energy the next day,” Stanley said.”I eat it the night before so my stomach has time to break down the carbs and I don’t get cramps.”

When it comes to ensuring energy until the last moment of competition, players have a wide variety of options to choose from, whether it be a simple piece of fruit 20 minutes before or a bowl of pasta well in advance. By planning a snack or meal around their sport, athletes can maximize their endurance to avoid feeling fatigued mid-game. 

“I definitely can go longer during a game when I eat something before,” Keren said. “It helps to also eat well the meal before and not just right before the game so you don’t get too tired.”