Pre-game Choices
The following are examples of foods to choose and foods to avoid when planning pregame meals, from The Pregame Meal Planner, authored by Robert Reber, PhD, Extension Specialist in Nutrition at the University of Illinois.

Foods to Choose

Foods                                                                                        Comments

Pasta (macaroni, spaghetti, noodles, ravioli, plain or with sauce Meats, cheese and oil add fat to the sauce. Use them sparingly.
Rice Use a sauce low in fat and only as spicy as you can tolerate easily. Or try rice with a little soy sauce flavoring.
Potatoes (baked, boiled, mashed, but not French fries Limit butter, gravy or sour cream.
Starchy vegetables (peas, carrots, winter squash, sweet potatoes) Cooked vegetables are more easily digested.
Breads (rolls, muffins, crackers, bagels) Use nutritious, low-fat bread products and spreads.
Cereals (oatmeal, other hot cereals, cold cereals) Avoid cereals with high sugar content.
Soups (noodle, rice, vegetable, clear broth) Choose low-fat soups. Eating large portions of bouillon, or chili, split pea, or bean soups may lead to digestive problems for some athletes.
Pancakes Limit butter and syrup.
Fruits, fruit juices Use any juice or cooked fruit except prunes. Oranges, bananas, and peeled apples are easily digested raw fruits.
Milk products (low-fat milk, low-fat yogurt, low-fat cottage cheese, low-fat cheeses, puddings, shakes make with low-fat milk or yogurt and fruit and/or juice) Avoid high-fat milk products before games.
Liquid meals Though not a substitute for solid foods in the daily diet, liquid meals are convenient for occasional pregame use.

Foods to Avoid

Foods                                                                                        Comments

Candy, sugar, honey After an initial rise, your blood-sugar level can actually drop below normal, resulting in a sudden feeling of tiredness or fatigue.
Fried foods, high-fat meals, fats, oils, gravies, sour cream, etc Fat digests slowly and therefore stays in the sotmach longer.
Some raw fruits, vegetables, popcorn, nuts, dry beans and peas Some these foods may cause gas and/or an uncomfortable feeling of fullness during the game. An athlete needs to avoid the foods that give him/her problems.
Any new food Don't experiment with new foods right before an event. If you experience any adverse reactions, your body has little time to recover.
Coffee, tea, chocolate, cola Caffeine consumption can lead to dehydration.
Fruit-flavored drinks Many drinks contain little fruit juice and a lot of sugar. Read the label.