Bulldogs in the Kitchen
A nice thought, University of California at Fresno dietetic students have partnered with student-athletes in a popular program. The idea came from a professor in the Department of Food Science and Nutrition. Dr. Lisa Herzig, a PhD, is also the Director of the Dietetics and Food Administration program. What she found is that student-athletes, as indeed is no doubt true of most college students, had poor eating habits, and were useless (she didn’t say useless, but I think we’re not taking liberties; perhaps ‘strangers’ would be better) in the kitchen.
Andy Bennett, the school’s director of strength and conditioning, concurrently wondered whether a lack of nutritional understanding was costing his athletes in performance and stamina. Two parallel universes joined. One result: the “Bulldogs in the Kitchen” Sports Nutrition Playbook. Now that cooking has entered the televised competitive arena, perhaps the favor can be returned – a football “sled” for building sous chef stamina and toughness? Maybe interval training elements integrated with dicing and plating. Just a thought. I’ll be here all week. (Anyone who has read accounts of the major culinary schools will know the comparisons are not far-fetched.)
The article appears in the November edition of Training & Conditioning (training-conditioning.com). A few tips on “Healthy Snacking” right out of the old sports nutrition playbook appear below. Sauté Bulldogs Sauté!
Snacks on the Go
- Fruit-flavored, low-fat Green yogurt with low-fat granola.
- Whole grain pita bread triangles with flavored hummus.
- Fresh fruit paired with peanut butter or nuts.
- Hard-boiled egg paired with a handful of cherry tomatoes
Quick picks from the vending machine or convenience store
- Packages of baby carrots, broccoli florets or celery sticks
- Pudding cups
- Cereal bars or nutrition bars
- Low-fat or fat-free regular or flavored milks
- 100 percent fruit or vegetable juices
Survival stashes
- Oatmeal packets with nuts or peanut butter
- Light mircrowave popcorn
- Raisins, dried apricots, and single-serve fruit cups packed in 100 percent fruit juice.
- Shelf-stable protein drinks