Athletic Nutrition Budget Challenge

Name:

Date:

Athletic nutrition and budgeting illustration

🏃‍♂️ Part 1: Athlete Profile & Budget Planning

1. You are shopping for Maya, a varsity soccer player who trains 6 days a week. Your weekly grocery budget is $50. Which macronutrient should be her TOP priority for muscle recovery?

Carbohydrates

Protein

Fats

Vitamins

2. You find two protein sources: Ground turkey ($4.99/lb, 25g protein per serving) vs. Protein powder ($24.99 for 20 servings, 30g protein per serving). Calculate the cost per gram of protein for each option. Show your work:

Ground turkey: $_______ per gram of protein

Protein powder: $_______ per gram of protein

Better value: _________________

3. Maya needs approximately 2,800 calories per day. If 25% should come from protein, how many calories from protein does she need daily?

Answer: _________ calories from protein per day

4. Check ALL budget-friendly, high-nutrition foods that would benefit an athlete:

Eggs ($2.50/dozen)

Energy drinks ($3.99 each)

Bananas ($1.29/bunch)

Oatmeal ($3.99/large container)

Sports supplements ($39.99/bottle)

Sweet potatoes ($1.99/3 lb bag)

🛒 Part 2: Smart Shopping Decisions

5. You're comparing two breakfast options within your budget. Circle the BETTER choice for Maya and explain why:

Option A: Sugary cereal ($4.99) + whole milk ($3.49) = $8.48

Option B: Oatmeal ($3.99) + bananas ($1.29) + peanut butter ($3.99) = $9.27

Better choice: Option A / Option B (circle one)

6. Maya's coach recommends eating within 30 minutes after practice. List 3 budget-friendly post-workout snack combinations from common grocery items:

1. ________________________________

2. ________________________________

3. ________________________________

7. You have $12 left in your budget for beverages. Maya drinks a lot of fluids during training. Rank these options from BEST (1) to WORST (4) value for an athlete:

_____ Sports drinks 6-pack ($8.99)

_____ Coconut water 4-pack ($6.99)

_____ Regular water bottles 24-pack ($3.99)

_____ Chocolate milk 4-pack ($4.49)

🎯 Part 3: Challenge Reflection

8. Biggest challenge you faced while staying within budget:

9. Describe one compromise you made between cost and nutrition. Was it worth it? Explain your reasoning:

Compromise: ________________________________

Explanation: ________________________________

________________________________

10. Extension Challenge: Design a one-day meal plan for Maya using your grocery choices. Include breakfast, lunch, dinner, and 2 snacks. Estimate total cost:

Breakfast: ________________________________

Lunch: ________________________________

Dinner: ________________________________

Snack 1: ________________________________

Snack 2: ________________________________

Estimated daily cost: $________