Maccabi Australia

Game Day Nutrition

Game Day Nutrition

Good nutrition can make a big difference to how you feel and perform on game day. Training, sleep and preparation are important, but what you eat and drink before and after a match also plays a major role in your performance.

Take a few minutes to read this guide to help you fuel your body properly for hockey.

The Basics

Fuel your body with carbohydrates

Your muscles rely on glycogen (stored carbohydrates) for energy during sport.

Glycogen stores are built 24–48 hours before a game, which means what you eat the day before is just as important as what you eat on game day.

Your game day meals should help:

  • Maintain energy levels

  • Stabilise blood sugar

  • Prevent hunger during the game

Hydration matters

Food alone is not enough if you are dehydrated.

Start hydrating the day before your game.

A good guideline is to drink roughly half your body weight (in pounds) in ounces of water per day.

Your urine should be light straw coloured if you are properly hydrated.

Timing your meals

Timing your meals helps ensure your body has enough energy without feeling heavy or uncomfortable.

4 hours before game
Eat a medium to large meal.

60–90 minutes before game
Eat a small carbohydrate snack such as fruit.

What should your meal contain?

A balanced pre-game meal should roughly include:

  • 50% carbohydrates (main fuel)

  • 25% protein

  • 25% healthy fats

Example Game Day Meal Timing

11:00am Game

8:00am – Breakfast

2:30pm Game

8:00am – Breakfast
11:00am – Pre-game meal

4:30pm Game

9:00am – Breakfast
11:00am – Light lunch or snack
1:00pm – Pre-game meal

What Should Be On Your Plate?

There is no single perfect game day meal. Choose foods that are easy to digest and high in carbohydrates.

Good options include:

  • Breakfast cereal or porridge with milk

  • Toast or muffins with jam, honey or peanut butter

  • Baked beans or spaghetti on toast

  • Pasta with a tomato-based sauce

  • Sandwiches or rolls

  • Rice or noodles with a light stir fry

  • Creamed rice with fruit

  • Low fat smoothies or milk shakes

Foods such as bread, cereals, fruit, pasta, rice and potatoes help boost energy levels before sport.

Try to keep meals lower in fat, which helps avoid stomach discomfort during games.

If you feel nervous before games, smaller meals or smoothies may be easier to tolerate.

Snacks Before the Game

2–3 hours before

A moderate snack such as:

  • Fruit

  • Toast

  • Cereal

  • Yogurt

Continue drinking water or fruit juice.

1 hour before

A small, easily digested snack:

  • Fruit

  • Pretzels

  • Rice cakes

  • Sports bar

  • Sports drink

Avoid caffeine.

30 minutes before

Top up your energy with quick carbohydrates:

  • Pretzels

  • Rice cakes

  • Dried fruit

  • Watermelon

  • Sports gels or sports drinks

Avoid caffeine and energy drinks.

Why Carbohydrates Matter

Carbohydrates are the body’s preferred energy source for exercise.

They are broken down into glucose, which fuels muscles during activity. This energy is stored in the body as glycogen and used during sport.

Without enough carbohydrates, performance and endurance can drop significantly.

Low GI vs High GI Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are often grouped by how quickly they release energy.

Low GI foods

Release energy slowly and steadily.

Good options the night before or pre-game:

  • Pasta

  • Rice and grains

  • Bread and rolls

  • Potatoes

  • Beans and nuts

  • Fruits such as apples, pears, bananas and grapes

High GI foods

Release energy quickly.

Useful during or immediately after games:

  • Rice cakes

  • Pretzels

  • Corn chips

  • Sports drinks

  • Dried fruit

  • Sweetened fruit drinks

Hydration Tips

If you are well hydrated the day before a game:

  • Your urine should be light straw coloured

  • Continue drinking small amounts regularly

Instead of drinking large amounts just before a match:

  • Drink 1–2 glasses with each meal or snack

  • A 400–600ml sports drink before warm-up may help improve fluid absorption during the game

Always test new hydration strategies during training first.

Avoid Energy Drinks

Energy drinks such as Red Bull, 180, Venom and similar products are not suitable for sport.

They often contain:

  • Very high caffeine levels

  • Large amounts of sugar

  • Stimulants that increase heart rate

These drinks can cause dehydration, poor sleep and energy crashes.

They should be avoided before games.

Post-Game Recovery

Recovery nutrition is very important in the first hour after a game.

Your body needs fluids, carbohydrates and protein to recover properly.

First 30–60 minutes after the game

  • Rehydrate with fluids

  • Aim for a drink containing carbohydrates and protein

60–90 minutes after the game

  • Continue hydrating

  • Eat a recovery snack with carbohydrates and protein

Within 3 hours

Eat a balanced meal containing:

  • Carbohydrates

  • Protein

  • Healthy fats

Avoid alcohol, caffeine and soft drinks during recovery.

Recovery Snack Ideas

Examples of good recovery snacks include:

  • Fruit smoothie or milkshake

  • Flavoured milk

  • Breakfast cereal with milk

  • Yoghurt with fruit

  • Baked beans on toast

  • Cheese sandwich with a banana

  • Baked potato with cottage cheese

  • Sports bar

The Benefits of Milk

Milk is an excellent recovery drink because it contains:

  • Fluids and electrolytes for hydration

  • Carbohydrates to restore energy

  • Protein for muscle repair

Different options include:

Low fat milk – good for maintaining body weight
Reduced fat milk – a balanced everyday option
Full cream milk – helpful for athletes needing extra energy
Flavoured milk – high in carbohydrates and ideal for recovery

Final Tip

Good nutrition is not just about what you eat right before the game.

The best performances come from consistent nutrition, hydration and recovery throughout the week.

Fuel your body well, stay hydrated and you will feel the difference on the field.