Fuel for young athletes

Ten tips from Tampa Bay nutrition experts for parents to get their teenage athletes to eat better so they can throw farther, run faster and swim longer.

1. Plan, plan, plan. Athletes don't go into a competition without a game plan, and they shouldn't approach their diet that way either. Take some time on the weekends to plan meals and snacks for the week.

2. Involve the kids. There's no sense dictating food selections to teenagers. They are old enough to know what they will eat and won't. Respect that and work with them. Bring — or send — them to the store to help with the shopping. Guide them to better choices such as whole apples vs. Apple Jacks and cheese sticks over Cheetos.

3. Focus on lean proteins. Nutrition experts agree that fast food or high-fat meals before games inhibit performance. Greasy foods can cause stomach discomfort.

4. Take a class together. If you need more information, look for a nutrition class to take with your child. If you think other teammates could benefit from this, approach the coach to see if he or she can find a nutrition expert to counsel the group.If you hire a nutritional expert yourself, make sure he or she is a licensed dietitian/nutritionist.

5. Eat well yourself. Set a good example. Have fresh fruits and vegetables on hand. Cook at home as much as possible; avoid processed food. Caffeine may give you a jolt, but it is also a diuretic that may cause dehydration. Go easy on the energy drinks.

6. Think about timing. Don't prepare a big meal right before a competition. Make sure your child has money to buy food at school or that a wholesome lunch is toted. Student athletes will need a meal by about 1 p.m. if practice is at 3.

7. Encourage eating. Even with lots of exercise, some teenagers are leery of eating because of body size issues. This is especially true with girls. Make sure they understand that good food is good for them.

8. Snacking is okay. Make this your mantra. Forget the three squares a day; think about five small meals. Your athlete needs to fuel consistently through the day.

9. Hydration is No. 1. This doesn't just mean quaffing gallons during competition or right after. Encourage your teen to drink water throughout the day, not just when he or she is thirsty.

10. Don't sweat it. They are teenagers after all: Some days they will eat better than other days. They will eat pizza. They will want chips. Cheeseburgers tempt them. Keep everything in perspective and allow them to enjoy all foods, but help them recognize which ones should be limited.

Photo by Chris Zuppa of the St. Petersburg Times of St. Pete High football players eating during their break in training camp. Guy in the middle is eating ramen noodles from the little blue bowl. I love it!

Jell-O and Kraft macaroni and cheese rule

To heck with real food and James Beard awards. What we're really eating are Oreos, Jell-O and Kraft macaroni and cheese. The giant food conglomerate announced its first quarter earnings Tuesday. Whereas the whole world seems to be struggling financially, Kraft's profits were up 10 percent.

10 percent? How? Weirdly, sales were down overall but the company still made money because it pulled back on other expenses. Sales of Mac-and-cheese (you know, the neon yellow stuff in the box) and Oreos grew by double digits. Jell-O and Kool-Aid did well, too. But categories like cheese and snacks, which includes other cookies and nuts, fell. The company is going to focus on the "core" brands and take advantage of falling ad rates to get more recognition for their products.

Just goes to show, in a lousy economy, cheap, comfort food is attractive. Hard to argue that.

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