As your girl balances school, after-school practices, and time with her Girls on the Run teammates and coaches, her body and brain need steady fuel to feel energized, confident, and ready for race day. Good nutrition during 5K week isn’t about dieting or “special rules”—it’s about helping young runners feel their best.

Build the foundation: Colorful plants
Growing bodies need a wide range of nutrients to support learning, growth, and joyful movement. Fruits and vegetables are some of the most nutrient-dense foods available, and variety really matters. Eating a rainbow—think reds, oranges, greens, purples, and yellows—provides important vitamins and phytonutrients that support immunity and overall health.

A simple guideline: aim for fruits and vegetables to make up about one-third to one-half of your child’s meals and snacks. Adding fruit to breakfast or packing cut veggies for snacks can go a long way.

Energize with whole grains
Whole grains are another key player, especially during a busy training week. Foods like oatmeal, whole-grain cereal, whole-wheat bread, brown rice, and whole-grain pasta provide fiber and complex carbohydrates that help keep energy levels steady throughout the day—no mid-afternoon crash required.

Starting the day with whole grains and including them at meals can help fuel practices, schoolwork, and play.

Don’t forget protein and healthy fats
Balanced meals also include protein and healthy fats to support muscle repair, growth, and satiety. Great options include low-fat dairy products, yogurt, eggs, beans, nuts or nut butters, lean meats, and seeds. Mixing these foods with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains helps keep young runners feeling full and energized.

What about treats?
Yes—there’s room for fun foods, too! Feeling joy around food matters, especially for kids. Cookies, chips, or candy can fit into a healthy pattern when enjoyed occasionally and without guilt. It’s all about balance and proportions. Making treats an “every now and then” choice helps keep nutrition—and the excitement—positive.

Tips for the week before the 5K Celebration

• Stick with familiar foods. Race week is not the time to try anything brand new.

• Encourage regular meals and snacks. Skipping meals can leave kids feeling tired or cranky.

• Hydration matters. Water throughout the day is usually perfect; no special drinks are required.

• Race-morning routine: A light, familiar breakfast 1–2 hours before the 5K—such as toast with peanut butter, oatmeal with fruit, or yogurt—can help your girl feel ready and confident.

Your role matters
As a parent or caregiver, you set the stage by offering a variety of nourishing foods at home. Stocking the pantry and refrigerator with healthy options—and modeling balanced habits—helps girls build lifelong skills around nourishing their bodies with confidence and care.

Most of all, remind your girl that the 5K is about effort, courage, and fun, not perfection. Strong fuel supports strong girls—on the course and beyond.