Last Updated on June 16, 2025 by Mandy Tyler, M.Ed., RD, CSSD, LD

5 Summer Nutrition Tips for Athletes

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Looking for ways to help athletes stay on top of their nutrition goals this summer? Check out these 5 summer nutrition tips to help keep athletes on track throughout the upcoming months.

Summer Nutrition Tip #1: Make Hydration a Priority

As the summer temperatures start to rise, it is important for athletes to make hydration a top priority. Dehydration can negatively impact an athlete’s health as well as sports performance.

Dehydration also increases the risk of an athlete developing a heat illness, especially when exercising in a hot and humid environment (1). 

Summer Hydration Plan for Activity

When working out in the summer heat, athletes should have a plan in place for meeting their hydration needs.

Each athlete is unique with regard to the amount of fluid and electrolytes lost in sweat. Thus, when possible, I encourage athletes to work with a sports dietitian nutritionist on developing an individualized hydration plan for activity.

However, some general hydration tips that athletes can follow this summer include (1, 2):

• Before Activity: Drink ~16 oz (2 cups) of fluid with their pre-workout meal (5-7 mL of fluid per kg of body weight ~4 hours before activity).
• During Activity: Consume ~3-8 oz (several big gulps) of water or sports drink every 15-20 minutes of practice (0.4-0.8 L per hour).
• After Activity: Weigh before and after activity. For each pound lost, consume 20-24 oz of fluid to fully rehydrate before your next workout.

During the summer months, it is important for athletes to remember that dehydration is cumulative. If athletes fail to rehydrate following a workout, they will start the next session in a dehydrated state.

Cumulative dehydration can further increase an athlete’s risk of developing a heat illness and negatively impact performance (3).

Pro Tip: Check out my blog on summer hydration for additional tips to help athletes stay hydrated in the heat.

Summer Nutrition Tip #2: Create Positive Habits for the Season

The summer is the perfect time for athletes to work on developing positive habits that will support their performance in the upcoming season.

Below are several positive habits that athletes can choose to focus on this summer.

Start the Day with Breakfast

This summer I encourage athletes to get into the habit of starting the day with breakfast. A simple tip I often share is for athletes to aim to eat breakfast within one-hour of getting up.

If athletes are heading to a morning workout or summer strength and conditioning, a quick breakfast on-the-go can be a great option.

Some of my favorite breakfast ideas for athletes include:

• Healthy fruit smoothie
• Greek yogurt, mixed berries, granola
• Whole grain bagel, peanut butter, banana, low-fat milk
• Instant oatmeal with raisins and walnuts, high-protein milk
• English muffin with ham, egg, and cheese, grapes
• Cottage cheese with pineapple, breakfast bars, 100% fruit juice
• Protein toaster waffles with nut butter, apple slices, low-fat milk
• Wrap with scrambled eggs, turkey sausage, tomatoes, and spinach, 100% fruit juice

Meal Prep this Summer

The summer is the perfect time for athletes to get started with meal prep. Meal prep does not have to be complicated to have a beneficial impact on an athlete’s diet.

I often recommend that athletes start with a few simple meal and ingredient prep tasks that can set them up for sports nutrition success over the course of the week.

Easy meal prep ideas for athletes include:

• Prepare protein overnight oats to have for breakfast
• Hard-boil eggs to enjoy with snacks during the week
• Chop fresh fruit and vegetables when you get home from the store
• Prepare a large batch of quinoa or brown rice to have as a side with meals
• Cook several pounds of lean ground beef to use with your favorite dinner recipes

Make Healthy Choices When Eating Out

When eating out this summer, I encourage athletes to get into the habit of making healthy choices at restaurants.

Some simple tips for athletes to consider include:

• Limit fried foods: Opt for items that are grilled, roasted, or baked
• Choose a healthy side: Items such as fresh fruit cups, apple slices, steamed veggies, and side salads are all great options.
• Select whole grains when available: Choose brown rice for burrito bowls and stir-fry dishes, select whole grain bread, hamburger buns, and wraps.
• Request the sauce on the side: Order dressings and condiments on the side so you can control the amount added to your meal.
• Select a healthy beverage: Top choices include water, low-fat milk, or 100% fruit juice
• Avoid supersizing your meal: Enjoy the meal in moderation and eat a healthy snack later in the day if still hungry.

Book Recommendations: How to Create Habits

I am a big fan of making time for personal development. If interested, two of my favorite books on habits include (available on Amazon):

• Atomic Habits by James Clear
• Tiny Habits by BJ Fogg

These books both contain great tips and practical advice on how to create habits and stick with them.

Pro Tip: The summer is a great time to invest in yourself. Consider making it a goal to read a book focused on personal growth or mindset over the summer.

Summer Nutrition Tip #3: Stick to a Routine

Although summer days are often less structured in terms of classes and workouts, athletes should aim to stick to a routine when it comes to their sports nutrition plan.

Key sports nutrition tips for athletes throughout the summer months include:

• Eat regularly throughout the day: Aim for three meals plus several snacks each day.
• Enjoy healthy snacks: Plan ahead for balanced snacks that provide both carbohydrates and protein.
• Fuel your workouts: Enjoy high-carb snacks before your workout for energy. After your workout make sure to rehydrate with fluid and electrolytes, refuel with carbohydrates, and build and repair with protein.
• Create a consistent sleep routine: Aim to go to bed and get up at the same time each day. Add a relaxing routine to your evening before going to bed, such as reading, journaling, deep breathing, or mindfulness.

Pro Tip: On a hot summer day, a post-workout smoothie can be a refreshing option to help athletes cool off and meet their recovery nutrition needs.

Summer Nutrition Tip #4: Enjoy Summer Produce

With the warmer summer weather comes a variety of seasonal produce that athletes can add to their meal plan.

When fruits and vegetables are in-season they will be less-expensive and more flavorful than out of season produce.

Some of my top picks for summer produce include:

• Watermelon
• Peaches
• Pineapple
• Cantaloupe
• Strawberries
• Tomatoes
• Zucchini
• Summer squash

Pro Tip: Visit a local Farmer’s Market this summer to purchase locally grown fresh produce. Not only will the produce be delicious, you will also support a local farmer with your purchase.

Summer Nutrition Tip #5: Summer Food Safety

Finally, during the summer months, I encourage athletes to pay extra attention to food safety. This is particularly important when packing food to enjoy outdoors in the summer heat, such as:

• Outdoor sporting events
• Snacks for the boat
• Picnics at the beach

It is important for perishable foods, such as yogurt, deli meat, cheese, and sliced produce, to be held cold (<40˚ F). Perishable foods should not be left sitting above this temperature for more than 2 hours. 

This time frame decreases to 1 hour if the temperature exceeds 90°F, such as at a baseball game or the beach (4).

Consuming food that has been left sitting out over the recommended time limits increases an athlete’s risk of getting a foodborne illness.

Pro Tip: If in doubt, throw the food out. Don’t risk getting a foodborne illness this summer!

5 Summer Nutrition Tips for Athletes

You are now set with a variety of nutrition tips to help athletes stay on track this summer.

For additional sports nutrition tips, make sure to check out my blog on off-season nutrition 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.