Hockey season is in full-swing and playoff season is beginning! My son has play-off games and tournaments with both his House league and select teams.
Linda Staal is the mother of four professional hockey players – yes four! She, along with her husband Henry, raised the Staal brothers near Thunder Bay, Ontario. Eric and Jordan play for NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, Marc for the New York Rangers and Jared for the Charlotte Checkers of the AHL. Hockey mom Linda has always believed in making time for her family, being supportive and providing her family with nutritious and wholesome meals. Managing hockey schedules can become overwhelming – and I only have one child who is playing hockey!
Linda has a 3 smart tips for hockey families – tips to help Canadian families stay positive, manage and enjoy the hockey season:
1. Make time for family meals to stay connected.
“When the boys were younger, our fridge was always full of nutritious food to help them grow and perform their best on and off the ice,” says Linda. “Even with our busy schedules we always made time for a nutritious breakfast together. I would prepare oatmeal because it was quick and healthy.” Setting the breakfast table the night before can save precious time in the morning. And making oats in the slow cooker overnight can also make breakfast preparation effortless.
2. Encourage them to have fun.
“We have always encouraged our sons to be the best they can be and feel good about their accomplishments,” Linda says with pride. “We wanted the boys to enjoy themselves and always have fun at hockey. We didn’t judge their success by the scoreboard alone. They worked hard, but having fun was just as important.”
3. Pack a hockey survival kit.
“During long road trips to tournaments, I would pack healthy snacks like Quaker granola bars and fresh fruit for everyone to snack on,” Linda recalls. “The boys would pack their favorite pillow and blanket to make the hotel and long car ride more comfortable.”
Registered Sports Dietitian Pearle Nerenberg adds, “Packing a cooler for tournaments is a great idea. It provides convenient, nutritious snack options, and can save families money from eating fast food on the road. Packing Quaker oatmeal and a kettle, with some dried fruits and nuts, makes for an easy, convenient and nutritious meal when staying at a hotel.”
Only one in four Canadian children is meeting the recommended four servings of grain products daily. A bowl of oatmeal is a nutritious way to start the day, especially before an early hockey game. “Oatmeal is wholesome, nourishing and good for you. It tastes great and can fit easily into your everyday diet,” says Nerenberg who is also a former hockey player with the Quebec Avalanche in the National Women’s Hockey League.
Motivating her sons to eat well was always top of mind for Linda Staal. “On cold winter days, the boys would eat oatmeal with maple syrup, before heading off to hockey practices and games,” she says.
“The warm nutritious breakfast gave them the energy they needed to start their day and fuel their passion for the sport.”
Have a fun and healthy hockey playoff season!
This post is proudly sponsored by Quaker Oats. Opinions are my own.
