Sports nutrition can be tasty!
Many people think that sports nutrition is chicken with rice 5 times a day. The truth is that an athlete's diet can and should be varied, tasty and enjoyable. In this guide, we share tested recipes that are balanced by macronutrients, easy to prepare and — most importantly — delicious!
Each recipe has indicated calories and macronutrients so you can easily include them in your daily nutrition plan. Recipes are grouped by meals of the day.
🌅 Breakfast Recipes
🥤 Protein Oatmeal
Ingredients:
- 80 g rolled oats
- 300 ml milk or water
- 1 scoop (30 g) vanilla protein
- 1 banana (sliced)
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
- A pinch of cinnamon
- A handful of frozen berries
Preparation:
Cook the oats in milk/water (5 min.). Remove from the heat, stir in the protein. Top with banana, peanut butter, sprinkle with cinnamon and berries.
Nutritional value: ~620 kcal | P: 40 g | C: 68 g | F: 18 g
🥤 Sports Pancakes with Cottage Cheese
Ingredients:
- 100 g flour (oat or wheat)
- 2 eggs
- 200 ml milk
- A pinch of salt
- 200 g low-fat cottage cheese
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Fresh berries for garnish
Preparation:
Whisk the flour, eggs, milk and salt into a batter. Cook thin pancakes. Mix the cottage cheese with honey. Fill the pancakes with cottage cheese and garnish with berries.
Nutritional value: ~550 kcal | P: 42 g | C: 55 g | F: 14 g
🍽️ Lunch / Dinner Recipes
🥤 Chicken and Sweet Potato Bowl
Ingredients:
- 200 g chicken breast (diced)
- 200 g sweet potatoes (diced)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder
- 100 g spinach (fresh)
- 50 g avocado
- 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt (for topping)
Preparation:
Bake the sweet potatoes in the oven (200°C, 20 min.) with half of the oil and spices. Sauté the chicken in a pan with the remaining oil and spices (8 min.). Place everything on the spinach, add the avocado and yogurt.
Nutritional value: ~580 kcal | P: 48 g | C: 42 g | F: 22 g
🥤 Salmon with Lemon Rice and Broccoli
Ingredients:
- 150 g salmon fillet
- 150 g cooked brown rice
- 150 g broccoli (steamed)
- Juice of 1 lemon
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Salt, pepper, dill
Preparation:
Season the salmon with salt, pepper and dill and bake in the oven (180°C, 15 min.). Drizzle with lemon juice. Serve with rice and broccoli drizzled with olive oil.
Nutritional value: ~550 kcal | P: 38 g | C: 40 g | F: 22 g
🥤 Beef Stir-Fry with Vegetables
Ingredients:
- 150 g beef (thinly sliced)
- 1 red bell pepper (sliced into strips)
- 1 carrot (sliced into strips)
- 100 g broccoli
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 150 g cooked rice (for serving)
Preparation:
Sauté the beef over high heat for 2-3 min. Remove. Sauté the vegetables for 3 min. Return the beef, add soy sauce and sesame oil. Heat through for 1 min. Serve with rice.
Nutritional value: ~520 kcal | P: 42 g | C: 38 g | F: 16 g
🍫 Snack Recipes
🥤 Homemade Protein Bars
Ingredients:
- 200 g dates (pitted, soaked in water for 15 min.)
- 100 g rolled oats
- 2 scoops (60 g) vanilla or chocolate protein
- 50 g peanut butter
- 30 g dark chocolate chips (70%+)
- 2 tablespoons water (if needed)
Preparation:
Blend the dates until smooth. Mix with oats, protein, peanut butter and chocolate chips. If the mixture is too dry, add water. Shape into bars and store in the refrigerator. Yield: 8 bars.
Nutritional value: One bar: ~180 kcal | P: 12 g | C: 20 g | F: 6 g
📅 Weekly Menu Ideas
| Day | Breakfast | Lunch | Dinner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Protein Oatmeal | Chicken and Sweet Potato Bowl | Salmon with Rice and Broccoli |
| Tuesday | Sports Pancakes with Cottage Cheese | Tuna Pasta Salad | Beef Stir-Fry with Vegetables |
| Wednesday | Scrambled Eggs (4 eggs) + Avocado Toast | Chicken and Sweet Potato Bowl | Turkey Roast + Buckwheat |
| Thursday | Protein Oatmeal | Beef Stir-Fry with Rice | Mackerel + Potatoes + Sauerkraut |
| Friday | Omelette (3 eggs) with Vegetables | Salmon with Rice and Broccoli | Chicken Soup + Bread |
🙋 FAQ About Sports Nutrition Recipes
How to Prepare Food in Advance for a Week? (Meal Prep)
On Sunday, boil rice, potatoes and pasta for 3-4 days. Bake a batch of chicken breasts. Chop the vegetables and store them in containers. Every evening, prepare the next day's food in containers.
Can I Eat the Same Meals Every Day?
You can, but it is not recommended for two reasons: a) monotony increases the likelihood of "falling off" the plan; b) the more varied your diet, the broader the range of micronutrients you get. At least rotate 3-4 different protein and carbohydrate sources.
What Should I Do If I Don't Have Time to Cook?
Invest in a slow cooker or a pressure cooker. Prepare the ingredients in 10 min. in the morning, and in the evening warm food is already waiting. Also, "batch cooking" on weekends is the biggest time-saving method.