Meal Prep for Teen Athlete: How I’m Helping My 14-Year-Old Football Player Bulk Up the Healthy Way
We’re a Texas family, and y’all know football is basically religion here. My 14-year-old son is all in on the game and desperate to get bigger and stronger. At first, he thought bulking meant pounding junk food and candy nonstop. Nope—not on my watch! I sat him down and explained that real meal prep for a teen athlete is the way to make those gains, build muscle the right way, and pick up some solid eating habits that’ll stick with him.
We’re focusing on loading up protein for muscle repair, but balancing it with plenty of carbs—not just for energy on the field, but to help with the healthy bulk he’s after.
I originally dreamed he’d handle most of the Sunday meal prep himself (ha!), but reality hit quick. He does pitch in, mostly by chasing his toddler sister around the kitchen—she either wants to “help” under my feet or ride on my hip the whole time. It’s chaotic, but we’re making it work.
So far, these are the meals we’ve prepped and he’s actually eating:
- Sheet Pan Crunchwrap
- Homemade Hamburger Helper (this one’s on repeat)
- Big Boy Baked Penne
- Big Boy Beef Stroganoff
- Pulled Pork
- Protein Mac ‘n’ Cheese with Beans and Sausage (one of his absolute faves)
- Chicken, Rice, and Veggies
Breakfast has been trial and error. He turns his nose up at my homemade burritos or sandwiches and begs for the store-bought ones. But he devours the Big Boy Baked Oatmeal. And don’t even try swapping pork sausage for turkey—he’s not having it.
We’re using these plastic containers right now, but I’m eyeing a switch to paper ones to cut down on microplastics leaching into his food (plus, less waste and maybe save a little money long-term).
The big strategy? I’m front-loading his calories at breakfast and lunch since our family dinners are lighter (mama’s trying to lose weight over here). He can always grab seconds at dinner, but if he’s fueled up during the day, he actually leaves the table satisfied and ready to grow.
Meal prep for my teen athlete is still a work in progress—we’re learning as we go. If you’ve got tips for high-protein ideas that teens will actually eat, or your favorite containers for school microwaves, drop them in the comments. I’d love the help!
