When Cal and I first started to talk about putting a nutrition manual together, we had to figure out what’s most important to the audience. My first thought was to put together a comprehensive manual that would prove to be an encyclopedia on youth nutrition. Cal, who is actually a father of 2 very active kids, said this was not what parents would want or need. So, realizing how my initial idea was going to be utterly useless to my audience we decided to go with the most actionable items like, what to eat for breakfast and why, or how to eat pretty well when you’re traveling across the country to a big time lacrosse, hockey, baseball, etc. tournament. We simply focus on what you need to know, why the information is useful, and most of all how to apply this information day in and day out to help your kids stay healthy, perform on the field, and best of all be better students in the classroom.

We set out to help you answer a variety of questions that you have about how best to help your young athlete perform at the highest level possible, whether in the classroom, during practice, or during a game. In each section you’ll find the essential knowledge needed to put the right foods on the table at the right time to help them achieve their fullest potential. Take the information found in this book and apply the information consistently and you will be amazed at the results.