Volleyball Team Food - Tourney Style
Life is hard; food doesn't have to be #177 [vol5, 7.3]
In case you missed it, I was appointed Nutrition Coach for my daughter’s volleyball team. I’m not exactly sure what that means but I’m stepping into the position with gusto!
For the first team building day the head coach gave me an hour (that ran longer!) to chat with the gals about protein being king and sugar is the great saboteur. In true teacher fashion, I gave them a 20+ page document complete with recipes that anyone could make.
A few days later the team drove six hours to northern Ohio for a tournament, where I was responsible for team lunch, two days in a row, 25 athletes each day.
The Menu
Most of the work happened the week before. I bought ham and turkey for sandwiches from Costco and borrowed a slicer so that we could have higher quality lunchmeat at a lower price. I baked 2lbs bacon, boiled eggs, popped popcorn* in coconut oil, and made hummus + homemade ranch. The favorite condiment, hands down was the chipotle lime mayo by Primal Kitchen — more on that in a minute.
*If you are a popcorn maker, please run, don’t walk and buy popcorn salt from JustIngredients. Real ingredients. I bought the sampler pack and wasn’t disappointed. For 15% off, try code TAKEOVER. JustIngredients was a sponsor for a podcast I enjoy called “How to Take Over the World.” I’m not affiliated with JustIngredients but do love the company.
Also in the lunch lineup: sliced apples with peanut butter and fun naturally dyed sprinkles!, mixed nuts (not popular, btw), carrots, fermented pickles by Bubbies, fermented carrot sticks, and cheese sticks.
The way this particular tourney was executed meant the girls didn’t have much time to eat and we couldn’t bring food inside. So a couple moms ran to the parking lot at the appointed time and set up tables while others were dragging food out of coolers. I borrowed 2 yetis from friends. Those coolers are amazing.
Fav additions not pictured: portable speaker with peppy music and a sparkly gold banner first on the tent, the next day it was taped to the table. It was so windy we decided against the tent on day 2.
Picky Eaters
Before the tournament I got a feel for personalities at the team day. I was surprised (but really shouldn’t have been in hindsight) by how many picky eaters I would be dealing with.
«I’ve traveled to at least 15 countries and America has the pickiest eaters on the planet. Not an exaggeration. There are many reasons for this and I love to dialogue with others about potential reasons. One new reason I’ve added to my list is: in our individualistic culture, I wonder if some people (teens?) attach to their identity to what they will or won’t eat?»
I told the gals I didn’t want to hear “I don’t like that” but rather they could say, “I’ve not learned to like that YET.” At my dinner table the kids are allowed to say, “it’s not my favorite.” I was attempting to begin to change their mind about some foods — trying to encourage them to be adult-like and open minded about new experiences.
Recently I’ve been reminded from several inputs that we need 8-15 exposures to any new food to begin to be open towards it. Exposures include: seeing, smelling, touching and lastly tasting. I encouraged the gals to lick a new food. They didn’t have to swallow or even put it all the way into their mouths but I did ask they would lick it. (I took several new foods for the team to try on the team building day.)
My head is not so far in the sand to think that everyone would like everything I had to offer. However, similar to Hilary Boynton from the School of Lunch, I am dead set on joyfully disrupting chronic illness with food! I will be a voice of change. I will cheer my daughter’s peers to try new REAL foods.
About the chipotle lime mayo mentioned in the beginning: I gave too much emotional energy contemplating whether or not to present it for lunches. I did and wasn’t sorry. The first day at lunch I pointed to it with the condiments (first exposure saying the name, describing taste) and gently encouraged a taste. I asked permission to put a few dabs on plates for the gals to try with zero pressure. A few bravely added to sandwiches. On the second day there were a few who exclaimed, “that stuff is really good!” Upon hearing this from friends even more tried it. It was the second day that the egg sliders were strategically offered.
Peer pressure for the win.
Lip Serum I’m LOVING
Beautycounter had a lip conditioner that I loved but was discontinued a couple years ago. I loved it so much that I sought it out twice in Facebook groups. The texture was perfection. My one hang up though was that it was in a pot and needed application with a finger.
Last week Arbonne rolled out a plumping lip serum that is moisturizing but not sticky. It has a gentle tingling sensation upon application, sort of like the tingling you’d feel from something minty on the lip. But it’s not minty. There’s hardly a scent. This is an excellent product! I wear it as lip gloss during the day. Definitely at night. When I wake in the mornings it is still faintly on my lips. Such a great product.
Life is hard; food doesn’t have to be.
Julie
PS - Real food isn’t hard but it does take planning. And sometimes a bit of creativity. I hope this letter gave you ideas how to introduce real food in sporting environments. Forward it to a friend who feeds athletes.
This new role is so exciting! The best teachers are the ones passionate about their subject! Way to go!