# Hockey Players, what do you eat before a game? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 7, 2003, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hockey-players-what-do-you-eat-before-a-game/153457 "2003-02-07T14:03:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![VanLandry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/eb9ed0/32.png) [@VanLandry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VanLandry)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hockey-players-what-do-you-eat-before-a-game/153457/1 "2003-02-07T14:03:24Z")
…and how soon before face off do you eat? For a couple years now, I’ve been eating a plate of pasta with salad dressing and about a 1/2 gallong of water about 3 hrs before game time. Not sure if this best or not but I’m curious as to what other hockey players consume for the best ‘performance’ on the ice. Feel free to offer your own suggestions even if you dont play hockey, as well. The reason why I’m ‘sport specific’ is that in hockey you tend to go all out for a minute or two and then rest an equal amount of time and repeat this process for an hour. Not an aerobic workout like bike riding or running. ---
**Author:** ![Neurotik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/91b2a8/32.png) [@Neurotik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Neurotik)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hockey-players-what-do-you-eat-before-a-game/153457/2 "2003-02-07T14:18:19Z")
Switch the water to juice. The sugar will help give you a boost. Pasta is good - fatty salad dressing, not good. Eat a power bar just before the beginning of the second period. I’ve found they take 25-30 minutes to kick in. ---
**Author:** ![skot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b782af/32.png) [@skot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/skot)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hockey-players-what-do-you-eat-before-a-game/153457/3 "2003-02-07T15:54:41Z")
Pasta a few hours before the game works for me. I don’t always get to choose the dinner menu on Thursday nights (Hockey Night), but when I can its pasta. A few time I’ve had to work late and ended up eating too close to game time…ugh! I tried the powerbar thing mentioned by **Neurotik** , but I would eat them just before the game and found I had a let-down in the third. Maybe I’ll try again before the second… BTW: Played my first game in a month last night, after recovering from a nasty sprained lower back with an swollen disc, played like crap, but the back held up.🆒 I love hockey! ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hockey-players-what-do-you-eat-before-a-game/153457/4 "2003-02-07T16:00:24Z")
Within an hour of the game, and during the game, the focus is on simple sugars found in juices. Earlier in the day, complex carbs are the focus, along with general nutrional balance from fruits anf veggies. Caffeine before gametime, usually via coffee or Jolt soda. If you eat complex carbs like pasta and rice within 1-2 hours of game time, you are just slowing yourself down. That food might not be available as fuel for 3-4 hours…at least. ---
**Author:** ![Morbo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morbo/32/389_2.png) [@Morbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morbo)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hockey-players-what-do-you-eat-before-a-game/153457/5 "2003-02-07T20:55:47Z")
I usually eat Eggo waffles with no butter or syrup about 6 hours before game time. On my way to the rink I drink a large black coffee. After the game I drink massive quantities of alcohol. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Greenback](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/2bfe46/32.png) [@Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Greenback)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hockey-players-what-do-you-eat-before-a-game/153457/6 "2003-02-07T21:11:33Z")
I will eat anything that isn’t too heavy (steaks and such) about 4-5 hours before game time. After that, lots of water and juices. I won’t eat a lot either as I prefer to play a little hungry. As for all the extra jolt colas and caffienne build-ups, that just sets you up for a let down once the game gets going. The idea is to give your body the nutrients it needs to stay at the high level of intensity found in the game for the duration, not just to have that intensity for the first period. If you really need a boost, try Sudafed. After all, 50% of pro hockey players can’t be wrong 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![drm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e57/32.png) [@drm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drm)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hockey-players-what-do-you-eat-before-a-game/153457/7 "2003-02-07T21:15:45Z")
I don’t really have a special diet. I eat fairly healthy anyway, I just make sure that I don’t eat for the three hours immediately before the game. ---
**Author:** ![Zazie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Zazie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zazie)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hockey-players-what-do-you-eat-before-a-game/153457/8 "2003-02-07T21:22:41Z")
My hubby plays hockey once in a while, and played a lot in the past. He never eats before he plays… He’ll have a very little amount of food at least 4 hours before the game and that is it. He says he feels like puking if he eats “normally” before a game (his words!). ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hockey-players-what-do-you-eat-before-a-game/153457/9 "2003-02-07T22:31:58Z")
Van Landry, Hey, I make sure I don’t eat anything too greasy before a hockey game…otherwise, it’s difficult to twist the knobs that spin the little players around. Hope this helps, bro! ---
**Author:** ![Novus\_Opiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/858c86/32.png) [@Novus\_Opiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novus_Opiate)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hockey-players-what-do-you-eat-before-a-game/153457/10 "2003-02-07T23:18:22Z")
I usually tried to avoid eating less than 3 hours before game time, though I never really ate a particular diet. Anyone interested in a good hockey conditioning book should check [this book](http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0873228871/qid=1044659795/sr=8-2/ref=sr_8_2/002-6636639-2450429?v=glance&s=books&n=507846) out. I bought it and have found it pretty useful, with a good bit of info on diet. Novus