Meal Timing: When And What to Eat Before a Basketball Game?

The information contained in this article should not be considered, or used as a substitute for, medical, or any other professional advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Eat too much and you feel bloated and heavy. Eat too little and you are left feeling weak and lacking energy. We have all been on either side of the dilemma and it is not the recipe for playing your best basketball.

In this guide, we will show you exactly what and when to eat before, during and after games to give yourself the best chance to succeed on the court.

Before the Game

Basketball is a high-paced game that requires lots of energy. Because of that, basketball players need to make sure to get enough calories to provide them with the fuel they need for battle.

However, timing matters. You don’t want to gobble down massive amounts of food just before the game. Ideally, you’re getting those calories at least 2-3 hours beforehand.

Digestion takes time and energy. And your body can only recruit the energy that’s available to it. If you are still in the process of digesting, you will invariably have less energy available to perform on the court. As you have probably experienced yourself, eating just before the game can make you feel heavy and lethargic, and oftentimes even leads to nausea. Needless to say, this will negatively affect your game.

If you can help it, eat 2-3 hours before the game.

But what if you are in a pinch and decide you really need something to get your energy levels up.

If there is no other way, go for something that is easily digestible. Simple carbs are the nutrient-type that pass through your digestive track the fastest. Simple carbs are found readily in foods like fruit, white rice, and pasta.

In addition, you’ll want to consume these carbs in liquid form to further speed up the digestive process. You can blend up some fruit in a smoothie, or better yet consume a carbohydrate sports drink, specifically made for athletes such as this one.

Even so, if you eat less than 2 hours before the game, you will want to keep the amount you eat as small as possible to keep you feeling light and spry.

During the Game

Your best bet is to eat a few hours before the game. But let’s say you are already on the court or bench and your stomach is grumbling. Is a snack reasonable then?

Again, preferably you have eaten your meal beforehand. Digestion takes time (more time than the average basketball game – between 40 – 120-plus minutes), so eating during a game won’t help you from a physiological point of view – as your body has no way of utilizing the nutrients you just put in it.

But, there’s also the mental side of things. If your stomach is grumbling to the point that you can not concentrate – use the same guidelines that apply to pre-game snacks – go for a quick, easily-digestible carb source in liquid form.

But do not turn this into a habit – this should be an emergency tactic only. Fueling up before games by planning your meals out ahead of time will lead to your best performances.

In-game your body just does not react well to food. What is important during the game is hydration. And what you want to be drinking is water.

Drink at least half a liter of water per 30 minutes of playing time, and more if you feel the need.

If the game extends beyond 60 minutes, electrolyte replenishing sports drinks such as Powerade can be considered, to make up for the minerals lost through sweat.

After the Game

After the game is before the game, as recovery begins.

There’s evidence that after physical exertion your body enters a phase of heightened nutrient absorption for about 2 hours. Use this to your advantage by getting in a nutrient-rich meal, focusing especially on protein and carbs.

But unlike before and during the game, the timing of your post-game meal doesn’t play that critical of a role. It won’t make or break your next performance. By getting a meal in within 2 hours of the game you are only optimizing your recovery.

So don’t worry if you’re not hungry or not able to get a meal in during that time. The calories and nutrients you get matter more than the timing of those meals post-game.

Conclusion

Meal timing is important if you plan on playing your best basketball. While calories are very important to your performance, you should have your last meal at least 2 hours before the start of the game. During the game, you’ll want to avoid any food if you can help it. After the game, you can make use of your body’s heightened nutrient response by eating a rich meal within 2 hours after the final whistle.