15 Sports Nutrition Christmas Gifts for Athletes – 2024
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Looking for the perfect Christmas gift for your favorite athlete this holiday season?
Check out 15 of my favorite sports nutrition Christmas gifts for athletes. I hope the ideas are of help as you shop for the holiday season.
Christmas Gifts for Athletes Ideas
#1 Reusable Water Bottle
Hydration is important for athletes to support both general health and sports performance. A reusable water bottle in a bright color is a perfect Christmas gifts for athletes. I prefer a stainless-steel water bottle to keep my water ice cold all day long.
For a quality water bottle in a variety of fun colors, check out the Stanley® water bottles. The water bottles are BPA free and dishwasher safe.
In addition, the larger water bottles are designed to fit in a car cup holder making it perfect for athletes who are on-the-go.
#2 Insulated Lunch Box
A key aspect of sports nutrition success is for athletes to have the right food available at the right time. Having an insulated lunch bag can ensure athletes have their pre-workout and recovery nutrition snacks ready to go when needed.
The Titan by Artic ZoneTM Expandable Lunch Pack is a great Christmas gift option for athletes. The lunch bag comes with two reusable ice packs that fit into exterior pockets.
It also has a waterproof lining so the interior can be easily cleaned.
#3 Quality Cooler
In addition to an insulated lunch bag, every athlete can use a high-quality cooler to keep their drinks and food cold for a day outdoors.
Whether it be for baseball double header, a full day track meet, or a day on the golf course, holding food cold is an important aspect of food safety.
The YETI Hopper Flip® cooler is a personal size, soft-sided cooler, with a long shoulder strap. The outer covering on the cooler (DryHideTM Shell) is designed to withstand UV rays, making it perfect for a day outdoors.
This Christmas gift for your favorite athlete is sure to be greatly enjoyed for years to come.
Meal Prep Christmas Gifts for Athletes
With busy practice, strength training, and school schedules, planning and preparing meals to keep athletes fueled throughout the day can be a struggle.
As an athlete, taking time to meal and ingredient prep can be a strategy you use to overcome these challenges. Support your favorite athletes this season by providing them with gifts to help with meal prep.
#4 Personal Blender
Another sports nutrition gift athletes can benefit from is a high-quality blender that can be used to make a healthy smoothie in the morning or a protein shake after their workouts.
The NutriBullet® personal blender is the perfect Christmas gift for athletes. The single-serve blender size allows you to quickly prepare your favorite smoothie recipe and head out the door.
This NutriBullet® Pro 13-piece set includes 2 cups and a variety of lids. Thus, your favorite athlete will have everything he/she needs to make the perfect smoothie or post-workout shake.
Make sure to share this recipe for a post-workout smoothie with the gift as well.
#5 Pressure Cooker
Since time to cook and prepare meals is often limited, a pressure cooker can make a great Christmas gift for athletes. A pressure cooker allows for a homecooked dinner to be prepared in a fraction of the normal cooking time.
I use the Instant Pot® DuoTM Pressure Cooker, which can be used as a pressure cooker, as well as a slow cooker, to steam or warm food, to cook rice, make yogurt, or as a sauté pan.
The Instant Pot® is fast and easy to clean, making it a great Christmas gift for athletes.
#6 Air Fryer
Another great kitchen appliance to help athletes save time in the kitchen is the air fryer. Just like the name implies, rather than frying food in oil, hot air is used to quickly cook your favorite foods.
Air frying is a much healthier way to prepare your meal, as you are eliminating the oil in the cooking process. Consider the Ninja SpeediTM Rapid Cooker & Air Fryer as a great Christmas gift for your favorite athlete.
As an added bonus, consider buying Registered Dietitian, Dana Angelo White’s, Healthy Air Fryer Cookbook: 100 Great Recipes with Fewer Calories and Less Fat, to go with your Christmas gift.
#7 Meal Prep Containers
It is important for athletes to have the right containers in which to store the food they prepare in.
When selecting reusable storage containers for meal prep, it is important to purchase items that are BPA-free. In addition, make sure the containers are both microwave and dishwasher safe.
Check out this 15-pack of Freshware® meal prep containers that are BPA free, as well as microwave, dishwasher, and freezer safe.
#8 Overnight Oats Containers
Preparing overnight oats can be a quick and easy way for athletes to boost their nutrient intake at breakfast.
I prefer to prepare my overnight oats in plastic containers with sealable lids as they are more portable for on-the-go than glass jars.
Similar to meal prep containers, you want to choose a container that is BPA-free, as well as microwave and dishwasher safe. This set of 4 Overnight Oats Containers MongsterWareTM is perfect for the busy athletes in your life. Make sure to print this overnight oats recipe to wrap with the containers.
Sports Nutrition Books and Journals
#9 Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook
Nancy Clark’s Sports Nutrition Guidebook is a go-to resource book on sports nutrition for athletes. I feel this guidebook should be on the bookshelf of every athlete and coach.
The book is written in an easy-to-understand manner with practical sports nutrition strategies. In addition, it contains a section of sports nutrition recipes that are incredible.
The book is a perfect sports nutrition Christmas gift for athletes.
#10 Planner: Perfect Christmas Gift for Athletes
A planner can be a great Christmas gift to support athletes with staying on track with their performance and nutrition goals.
I am a huge fan of the Roterunner® Purpose Planner, which allows for weekly and monthly planning and goal setting. This is a great productivity tool for busy athletes looking to prioritize their time and organize their schedules.
#11 Dot Journals
If you are looking for a fun stocking stuffer or small gift for your favorite athlete, consider a dot journal.
Instead of having lined pages, dot journals have pages filled with dots. The dotted pages allow for the flexibility to doodle, draw, set goals, and record your thoughts outside of the traditional lines.
Check out my Amazon Author Page for a variety of fun dot journals to consider as Christmas gifts for athletes.
#12 Colorful Pens
When it comes to journaling, having the perfect pen is a must. My absolute go-to pen for dot journaling is the Staedtler Triplus® Fineliner.
Another great option for keeping your calendar up-to-date are the Pilot FriXion Clicker Erasable Gel Pens. These colorful gel pens are a game changer, allowing you to easily erase appointments and update your schedule as needed.
Consider gifting these pens along with a dot journal or using them as a fun stocking stuffer.
Christmas Gifts for Athletes to Support Sleep
Sleep is essential for optimal physical and mental health in athletes. Getting adequate sleep is also important for an athlete’s athletic performance.
Help support the sleep habits of your favorite athlete this holiday season with the following Christmas gifts.
#13 Blue Light Blocking Glasses
Blue light that is emitted from electronic devices, including smartphones, tablets, and computers, can impact sleep.
Wearing blue light blocking glasses in the hour leading up to bed time is an easy strategy to help with limiting exposure.
I have used the MEETSUN® Blue Light Blocking Glasses for several years. I have found them helpful not only when working on electronic devices, but also when driving at night to reduce the glare from oncoming headlights.
This is a practical Christmas gift for athletes that would also make a good stocking stuffer.
#14 Travel Neck Pillow
For athletes that travel regularly, a neck pillow that can be used on the airplane is a must. Taking naps can be an effective way for athletes to get additional rest throughout the day.
Anything that can help make an athlete more comfortable on flights and increase their chance of sleeping is a great gift idea.
Consider this memory foam travel neck pillow set from MLVOC®. The neck pillow has a machine washable cover. The set comes with eye masks and ear plugs, which may come in handy on flights as well.
#15 Warm Blanket
If you are looking for a fun Christmas gift for athletes this holiday season check-out this Tortilla Blanket. My family received this tortilla blanket as a Christmas gift last year and we love it!
The blanket is incredibly soft and warm to wrap up in. It definitely will make the perfect addition to your Christmas gifts and bring laughs to your Christmas celebration.
Christmas Gifts for Athletes: Ready to Shop!
You are now set with a variety of ideas for Christmas gifts for athletes. Have fun shopping and selecting the perfect gift for your favorite athlete this season.
If you are interested in learning more about the role of sports nutrition in supporting health and performance, read my recent blog: 9 Reasons to Visit a Sports Dietitian Nutritionist for Athletes.
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About the Author
Mandy Tyler is a Sports Dietitian Nutritionist in the San Antonio, TX area. She is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian, a Board-Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, a Licensed Athletic Trainer, and is a Certified Exercise Physiologist through the American College of Sports Medicine. Mandy has experience working with athletes at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels. She believes the key to reaching one’s full potential, both in everyday life and in sports performance, relies on a healthy nutritional foundation.
If you are looking to take your performance to the next level, make sure to check out my new Sports Nutrition Game Day Guide. This downloadable guide is written to help athletes develop an individualized plan to achieve peak performance on game day.
