What are the best drinks and foods to hydrate?

As parents and coaches of young athletes, we’re constantly reminded about the importance of hydration. “Drink more water!” becomes our mantra during practices and games. But effective hydration goes beyond just drinking water. It’s about strategic fluid intake combined with the right hydration-boosting foods that can make all the difference in performance, recovery, and overall health.

Beyond the Water Bottle

While plain water remains the foundation of good hydration, it’s not always the most exciting option for young athletes, nor is it always sufficient during intense training. The good news is that there’s a whole spectrum of hydration drinks that can keep young athletes properly fueled.

For everyday practices and shorter activities, water should still reign supreme. It’s calorie-free, readily available, and exactly what the body needs for basic hydration. To make water more appealing, try infusing it with fresh fruits like berries, citrus slices, or cucumber. This simple upgrade adds a hint of flavor without the unnecessary sugars found in commercial flavored waters.

Coconut water has gained popularity as a natural sports drink alternative, and with good reason. It contains electrolytes like potassium and sodium that help maintain fluid balance without the artificial ingredients. While slightly higher in calories than water, it’s still a nutritious choice, especially for athletes who resist drinking enough plain water.

For those longer, more intense training sessions lasting over an hour, sports drinks do serve a purpose. The electrolytes and carbohydrates they contain help maintain energy levels and replace what’s lost through sweat. However, many commercial options contain excessive sugar and artificial ingredients. Consider diluting them with water or trying this homemade version: mix water with a pinch of salt, a squeeze of lemon juice, and a small amount of honey or maple syrup for a more natural alternative.

What’s Up with Milk

Perhaps surprisingly, milk deserves special mention in our hydration conversation. Research has shown that milk (both white and chocolate) can be more effective for post-exercise rehydration than water or sports drinks thanks to its natural balance of carbohydrates, protein, electrolytes, and water content. Chocolate milk, with its optimal 3:1 carb-to-protein ratio, has become a recovery drink of choice for many elite athletes—and kids generally don’t complain about drinking it!

Nature’s Water Bottles: Hydration-Packed Foods

What many young athletes (and their parents) don’t realize is that about 20% of our daily fluid intake actually comes from the foods we eat. Some fruits and vegetables consist of up to 95% water, making them excellent hydration sources that also provide vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants.

Watermelon stands out as nature’s perfect sports food. At 92% water, it hydrates while providing natural sugars for energy and potassium, a key electrolyte lost through sweat.  I’ve seen entire youth soccer teams devour watermelon slices during tournament breaks when they might have otherwise skipped both food and drink.

Cucumbers, strawberries, and oranges also deserve spots in every athlete’s cooler. With water contents of 95%, 91%, and 87% respectively, they’re essentially edible water bottles packed with additional nutritional benefits. Oranges, with their convenient natural packaging and perfect combination of water, natural sugars, and vitamin C, have been a halftime staple for generations of young athletes for good reason.

Beyond fruits and vegetables, other hydration heroes include yogurt (especially Greek varieties), cottage cheese, and broth-based soups. These foods not only contribute to fluid intake but also provide protein and electrolytes that support muscle recovery. A smoothie made with yogurt, milk, and fresh fruit can address multiple nutritional needs simultaneously—hydration, protein for muscle repair, carbohydrates for energy replenishment, and vitamins for overall health.

Strategic Timing: When to Incorporate Hydrating Foods and Drinks

The timing of hydration is just as important as the hydration sources themselves. Young athletes should begin practices and competitions in a well-hydrated state, which means consuming fluids and hydrating foods in the hours before activity.

A pre-practice or pre-game snack of watermelon, orange slices, or yogurt with berries about 1-2 hours before activity contributes to hydration stores while providing easily digestible energy. During longer activities, water should remain the primary hydration source, but orange slices or small watermelon chunks during breaks can provide both fluids and quick energy.

The recovery period—typically within 30 minutes after intense exercise—is perhaps the most crucial time for strategic hydration. This is when chocolate milk shines as an excellent recovery option, providing the perfect combination of fluid, protein, and carbohydrates. A smoothie made with milk, yogurt, and hydrating fruits like strawberries serves a similar purpose, delivering what tired muscles need most.

Reading the Body’s Hydration Signals

I always tell the young athletes I work with to pay attention to their urine color—it’s like having a built-in hydration monitor. Light yellow indicates good hydration; dark yellow means more fluids are needed immediately. Headaches, fatigue that seems disproportionate to the activity level, and muscle cramps can all signal dehydration that needs addressing.

Weight checks before and after practice can be eye-opening for many athletes. For every pound lost during activity, approximately 16-24 ounces of fluid should be consumed to restore proper hydration. This simple monitoring technique helps young athletes understand their individual fluid needs, which can vary dramatically based on body size, sweat rate, and environmental conditions.

Making Hydration a Habit, Not an Afterthought

The most well-designed hydration plan only works if young athletes actually follow it. Making hydration appealing and routine is key to compliance. Personalized water bottles, hydration challenges among teammates, and education about the performance benefits can all increase buy-in from young athletes.

<p>Parents and coaches can support good hydration habits by consistently providing water breaks, having hydrating snacks readily available, and modeling good hydration behaviors themselves. Remember that habits formed during youth sports often carry into adulthood, making proper hydration a life skill worth developing early.

By expanding our hydration strategy beyond just water to include a variety of drinks and water-rich foods, we give young athletes additional tools to maintain optimal hydration—and with it, better performance, improved recovery, and greater enjoyment of their sports experience.

About the Author:

Amy Masters is a proud sports mom, seasoned coach, and dedicated club administrator with over a decade of experience in youth athletics. She launched Jr Lions Field Hockey in Hunterdon County, growing it from just 40 players in its first season to over 150 by year three. Fueled by the growing passion and competitive spirit of local athletes, she went on to found Omega Field Hockey Club, now serving players across New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

A former collegiate athlete herself, Amy played field hockey at Lock Haven University, where her love for the game truly took root. Off the field (and somehow still finding time), she leads marketing for iSport360 and co-edits the Youth Sports Survival Guide—the largest youth sports newsletter in the world.