As a coach, athletic director, or nutritionist, it’s important for you to figure out the best food for traveling athletes when you’ve got out-of-town games, meets or other competitions. Regardless of where you are, you need to feed your team the highest quality foods that will help nourish them – and give them the energy they need to compete.

Being far from home, it can be tough to find healthy options, especially when you’re not familiar with the local restaurants. Fortunately, there are ways to feed a large group the nutritious meals it needs. At ezCater, we’ve helped teams from Texas A&M and Jacksonville State University get the right meals on the road, and we can help you too.

Here’s what you should know about feeding your athletes no matter where the team is headed.

Planning in advance is the key to eating well on the road

If your goal is to find the absolute best food for traveling athletes when you’re far from home, the key is to start planning far in advance of your trip. Sit down with your players and talk to them about their dietary restrictions and preferences. That makes it so much easier to coordinate menu options that are appealing to everyone and safe for those with allergies or sensitivities.

Once you know what people can and can’t eat and what the group enjoys eating, you’ll be in a better position to start looking for restaurants and caterers that can bring those dishes to you. On the ezCater website, you can browse restaurants and caterers in the locations where you’re traveling, so you can order food in advance and have it ready for your team before, during, or after the competition. 

It’s possible to get healthy foods for athletes on the road

You might think the fastest and easiest way to feed a team is by buying pizzas or heading to a local drive-thru, but the reality is that catering is actually a better, more reliable option. You can order from local restaurants using ezCater’s app, and local restaurants and caterers will deliver healthy food that can feed your entire team, wherever you are–and at a manageable cost.

And, by planning in advance before ordering food for your team, you’ll help your team get the right performance-based foods so they can compete better. You don’t have swing through fast food chains with busloads of hungry athletes. Instead, you can have quality, balanced dishes that leave the team feeling full and satisfied. 

What to feed athletes on the road

In terms of what to order, instead of choosing carb-heavy options like pasta for every meal or having them eat meals high in sugar or salt, you can try ordering alternatives that fuel their bodies better, like:

• Mediterranean dishes
• Mexican food dishes, like fajitas and tacos
• Healthy and hearty salads and sandwiches
• Soups and stews

Feeding athletes with special dietary needs

The nice thing about ordering ahead is that you can plan for dietary restrictions and preferences too. Rather than trying to figure out which quick stop will have the foods everyone can eat, you can opt to have food catered by professionals who can adapt the dishes to suit your entire team.

If you have vegan team members, you can find a restaurant to cater your team’s event with vegan options. You might choose a fajita bar, for example, because the vegan team members can opt to add extra rice and veggies to their fajitas while those on the team who eat meat opt for pulled pork or steak.

For team members who can’t have dairy products, they might benefit from eating the vegan dishes on the menu, while those who are allergic to peanuts can be accommodated by removing peanuts from the menu completely. You could also opt to order individually packaged meals so each person can enjoy the meal of their choice.

Finding the best food for traveling athletes to enjoy is a snap with ezCater

Thanks to having over 100,000 restaurants available to cater through the ezCater network, it’s easy to find the foods athletes enjoy. Just type in your delivery address to find restaurants near your location. Then, select from the local restaurants and ask for individual packaging, dietary restriction changes, and dishes that fit within your team’s budget. You’ll have plenty of options to explore so you can find the foods that work best for your team at the click of a button.

At ezCater, we offer our service to make it easier to find healthy, reliable options even when you’re feeding a big team on the road. Learn how we can work with your team to help feed your traveling athletes.