As a student, it can be difficult to find time for three complete meals a day. Usually the fastest options aren’t the most nutritious. However, even with a 16-hour-a-week practice schedule, Carleton athletes still manage to balance a healthy diet.
It is not meal replacements, expensive supplements, and protein shakes that keep players going, but a standard university student meal plan, according to Kyle Van Wynsberghe, a wide receiver on the Ravens football team.
Van Wynsberghe said on game days, for example, the team goes for breakfast at the Fresh Food Company on campus.
“Having the grill is great, I get the eggs and some potatoes, you know stock up on carbs,” he said, and added that nutrition information is not forced upon players.
Van Wynsberghe said the Ravens did have a nutritionist last year, but meal planning is not strictly enforced now.
“Last year we had like two or three hour long sessions with the nutritionist,” Van Wynsberghe said. “She went through certain food groups and [said] what’s best before, during and after games.”
But the players do have a scheduled snack day where they organize bringing food during practice on Wednesdays.
“Sometimes we bring fruit or granola bars . . . we have even had sushi,” Van Wynsberghe said.
For other meals there are tuna and pasta options available at the cafeteria, as well as stir-fry, he said, “which is great when there is chicken or beef in it.”
Van Wynsberghe said he does not like tofu, as he called out the cafeteria for skimping when they use it. But in general, “it’s not too hard to find good food at the [cafeteria],” he said.
Jenna Gurniak, a Ravens women’s soccer player who lives on residence, said finding dinner is all about timing.
“Sometimes there isn’t enough food,” she said. “Especially because some days I finish practice at eight and by the time I get out of there it’s nine and nothing is left except the pizza and salad.”
Gurniak said she will still eat the pizza, or have the main dish the cafeteria serves, but during the season she tries to eat a lot of protein and carbs.
Similar to Van Wynsberghe, Gurniak said her game day begins with eggs for breakfast. In between meals can be filled with granola bars, like Nutrigrain bars, and other snacks.
Both Gurniak and Van Wynsberghe said there’s never any major challenges in deciding what they should or shouldn’t be eating. They said they still enjoy their favourite foods too.
“I love pasta,” Gurniak said. She added her favourite spot on campus is Tim Hortons.
