Parents Breakfast and early morning comps.

[needcoffee]

DDs States are on at 7.30am this year. I figure it's my karma for laughing at other parents with kids with early morning comps, our earliest to date has been 10am.

So we are going to have to leave by 6.30am, what do you all do for breakfast that early? We are not morning people. I can't stomach anything but coffee in the morning and DD seems to be the same (minus the coffee). Even on school days she might eat a few bites of toast but that's it. Pretty sure she won't make it through a 4 hour comp without something semi substantial.

Ideas?

 

[Deleted member 17723]

I'm gonna be honest... I had almost a full season of meets around that time and I rarely ate breakfast. I just had a glass of orange juice before we left, and then at the meet I had belveta (spelling?) and a banana. It worked for me. If I wasn't hungry, I just ate after the meet.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

Stuff she can eat in the car and or you can throw in her gym bag. I pack her one of those Stayfit containers with a cooler top. And she usually ends up eating the crud snack food.

But for the car.

Yogurt
Smoothie (fruit, greek yogurt, honey)

Those would be my first go to since its not so much "eating" as it is drinking, and has sugar and protein, for quick and long energy.

Hard boiled egg white with hummus
Bagel with cream cheese
French Toast
PB&J (as long as no nut allergies)
Protein Bar (we can't do these as one of team has nut allergies and most have nuts)
Pizza bagel
Grilled cheese or quesadilla.
Oatmeal
Corned beef hash.
Breakfast burrito

Really I am not a "breakfast" food person. Its what they will eat.

 

[l.c.o]

My DD doesn't eat much right upon waking, either. When she has early meets she'll often have a glass of milk before we leave, and something small to eat like: 1/2 banana, slice of toast, apple, nuts, applesauce, etc.

During the drive, she'll often snack on cubed cheese, grapes, or cashews, etc on the way. I also often make up a trail mix with nuts, pretzels, small pieces of a protein bar, popcorn, and occasionally, dried fruit.

 

[Sasha]

For those early meets, mine likes a bottled protein smoothie - usually the vanilla kind, as fruit/fruit juice in the morning can make her stomach feel acid-y. She'll also sometimes have Eggo waffles, or half a cinnamon-raison bagel with a little butter on the car ride. Protein-granola bars, pretzels, and dried fruits are the goto for her early session snack pack.

Early sessions are rough! I agree.

 

[MILgymFAM]

We haven't had early meets, but DD has an early 5 hour practice every Saturday, and doesn't like to eat right upon waking up. I make a green smoothie with egg white protein and let her have a small prepackaged protein type snack (either a bar or gummies). She eats a big lunch after, but that usually works for her just fine. When I have tried to force a real breakfast she ends up with a stomach ache.

 

[OzZee]

We always have early comps, lol. At least 4 a year - obviously not lucky on draws.
Luckily mine happily eat breakfast. But none of us are morning people.

So wake them, shower for 5 mins to waken, into Leo and tracksuit. Do first half of hair (ie the mousse/gel into pony part do I can wash my hands thoroughly. Straight into car (so 15 mins tops). Eat breakfast on the way. Finish hair etc in car park when we get there.
I get up a bit earlier to make breakfast.
Bacon sandwich, boiled egg (can be cold done night before) and bread/roll/crackers/rice thins, raisin toast and a banana, anything that can be thrown together in a couple of minutes.

If they are allowed you can put little snacks in their bag, muesli bar, fruit, dried fruit etc but I know most comps here (including state) they are only allowed drink bottle and grips bag once they go to warm up so not worth it.

If she isn't a breakfast person I'd go a smoothie.

 

[Muddlethru]

What she eats days before the meet is probably even more important than what she eats right before. Whatever she feels like eating, i.e., banana, oatmeal, bagel and cream cheese. I always try to give her something to snack on during the meet. My daughter does not like to eat much before and during. So, I make sure she has a good balanced with higher carb dinner the night before or days before.

 

[duyetanh]

I am big on the big meal the night before. I was in competitive sports for years, and never could eat much the morning of, but a huge meal the night before helped stave off the hunger. And so did the nerves, lol!

We have had more morning draws than anything else in her two years of the sport. The night draws are what suck for us. She runs out of steam. We are big on the carbs in the morning. It can be simple carbs or if there is time we do the eggs/bacon thing. But if we don't, bagel and cream cheese and a steamed milk it is. The milk seems to keep her that one step below from hanging from the clouds, hahahaha....

 

[mumoftwogymnasts]

Early morning meets my dd has a small breakfast - porridge (if it is super early I pop it in a small thermos, some honey on top, small bottle of milk and she eats in the car) or toast and vegemite, sometimes a smoothie.
I pack clean, non messy snacks in her comp back - sultana's, cheese and biscuits.
If you are eating in the car pack a towel to drape over the tracksuit.

 

[dmbgymnast]

Every meet i went to (15-20) this year was early, except for regionals. I never really ate, because nerves and getting carsick dont mix. If i was truly hungry, id have a fruit cup.

 

[Anna's_Mom]

We frequently take a "picnic breakfast" and eat once we arrive on site, before she checks in. We try to leave ourselves an extra 30 min. or so in case of traffic or whatnot, so generally have enough time at the end to sit somewhere nearby and eat breakfast. Typically pack many of the things already mentioned, yogurt, protein bar, PB&J sandwich, that sort of thing. We have also been known to hunt up the nearest starbucks where parents get coffee and gymnast gets hot chocolate and one of their snack packs or breakfast sandwiches. The only thing she eats before we leave home are a glass of juice to wash down her meds, which need to be taken 90 min. before she needs them. Since her coach always requires them to be onsite at least 30 min. before they are supposed to check in, that means it is generally at least 45 between official arrival and the time she actually starts to move around. I'm frequently the one sitting at a picnic bench doing her hair as well, if the drive was longer than about 30 min. or so. -- she hates the way the bun pushes her head forward.

 

[sce]

My ds usually has a smoothie if he has an early meet and then we pack a lot of easy to eat snacks. Applesauce pouch, crackers, fruit snacks and strips etc.

With dd it really depends on how early and how long the drive is. She might eat a bowl of instant oatmeal, or we might pack things she can eat once we get there. Small bagel and cream cheese, yogurt tube etc. As well she packs some easy to eat snacks, crackers, fruit etc.

 

[CaitsMoM]

We have this problem all the time! I hate the 8am meets! I force my daughter to eat goldfish crackers and maybe some gatorade. It"s never a great meet at that time!

 

[sce]

We have this problem all the time! I hate the 8am meets! I force my daughter to eat goldfish crackers and maybe some gatorade. It"s never a great meet at that time!

Oh ya, for both kids I bring a small bottle of gatorade for them to drink afterwards. Even with snacks and water they are falling part after the meet. The gatorade helps them keep it together until we can get them some real food.

 

[xxStumpyxx]

My daughter has an early start for her next competition (British Championships), we are going to stay overnight and then she can have breakfast in the hotel still wearing her PJ's. My daughter starts at 9am, not too bad of you are local but this one is around a 6 hour drive (without bad traffic)

 

[profmom]

Really, whatever they WILL eat early. Over the years, both DD and DS have settled on a willingness to eat some carbs (if the hotel has a waffle maker, we're golden) and drink something with calories (OJ or maybe hot chocolate). They both bring snacks to meets, but DS never eats anything from the minute his feet touch the floor to start warmups until the minute his last teammate has completed the last routine. Usually doesn't drink either, sigh. If they will eat some complex carbs of any sort, that's ideal.

 

[mobeans]

My dd is one of those who absolutely must eat or she can't function. She likes homemade mini muffins (banana or pumpkin) and a hard boiled egg. I'd usually give her a tiny bit of simply OJ & a big glass of ice water.

 

[needcoffee]

Thanks everyone! I like the smoothie ideas!

Sorry to everyone who does this regularly! I really enjoy sleep! Possibly stemming from the fact that I didn't sleep for 5 years after this kid was born.... I can't wait until she has kids. I hope they're early risers.