Why I started writing this blog
Rugby has played a major part in our family life.
Since my son was able to walk, he was kicking a ball. Any ball, of any size, in any sport.
By the time he hit his teens, he chose to specialise in Rugby, which is his true passion.
Shortly after, his elite rugby career took off, and our food bill soared. Apparently nowadays a round of peanut butter sandwiches and a cooked chicken won’t cut it anymore…
I was faced with a constant battle to figure out what to feed him that was healthy yet fulfilled his nutritional needs (ie actually filled him up and supported muscle gain) while somehow still catering for our family of 4. I simply didn’t have the time to cook two meals every evening.
When this phase starts as your rugby teen moves into the game at elite-level, social media very quickly influences their ideas, and the instruction given to the parent on what to cook. While many of these ideas can be healthy, the favourite recipes are interpreted and applied in a repetitive manner. So I decided to roll my sleeves up and take a keener interest in his nutrition.
There are 100s of exciting meal ideas for elite sportspeople on the internet, but very few of them include the basic foods teenagers actually enjoy. Healthy and varied dishes like stir fry and pulse-packed are perfect for lean, protein rich diets. However, my teen still prefers more basic dishes – usually just steak. Like many others, we simply can’t afford to feed him that every day, and I’ve wasted hours trawling the net for ideas of meals my son actually wants to eat as alternative.
Standing at the side of a rugby pitch with parents cheering their teens on, it doesn’t take long for those questions about what everyone is feeding their young players arise. Moans about expensive food shops, too much steak, and the repetitive meals their teen insists on eating start. Elite rugby nutrition can be an exhausting addition to a young family’s daily routine. Having been on this journey for nearly 12 months, I want to share with others my practical, family-friendly and cost-effective recipes. Tested and verified by my teen son.
I hope this helps other aspiring rugby teens from the beginning of their journey by supplying ideas to the Grocery Shopper and Cook in their home 😉.
