How Safefood and the GAA’s Unexpected Alliance Could Revolutionize Athletic Performance and Fuel a New Era in Sports Nutrition

Ever wonder if a young GAA star’s secret weapon might not just be their skill on the field, but the fuel they’re packing in their kit bag? Safefood and the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) have brilliantly teamed up to launch ‘Fuel your Game’, a free, fresh new resource designed specifically to help juvenile players, their parents, and coaches make smarter, healthier food choices that actually power performance and wellbeing. It’s not just about playing hard— it’s about eating right before training, staying hydrated on the fly, and refueling properly after those nail-biting matches. Currently rolling out to over 600 clubs in the Irish Life GAA Healthy Clubs programme, and live on the GAA’s Tobar platform, this initiative is set to spread even wider in 2026. I’m genuinely excited because, let’s face it, guiding young sports enthusiasts to see nutrition and sport as two peas in a pod is a game-changer for building lifelong healthy habits— and isn’t that the goal? Ready to see how ‘Fuel your Game’ is hitting the mark? LEARN MORE

Safefood and the Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA) have teamed up to launch ‘Fuel your Game’, a new free healthy eating resource to support juvenile players, parents and coaches in choosing the right foods to support their Gaelic games activity and overall health and wellbeing.

The pack will help guide parents, coaches and young players in their food and drink choices, whether that’s before training or after a match.

Currently being made available to more than 600 clubs in the Irish Life GAA Healthy Clubs programme and online via the GAA’s educational platform Tobar, ‘Fuel your Game’ will be further distributed to clubs during 2026.

Launching the new resource at Croke Park, Dr Gary A Kearney, Chief Executive, Safefood, said; “We’re delighted to see this new free resource hit the field and support young players, their parents, and coaches.

“We’ve worked in partnership with the GAA with input from Sport Ireland to agree on the most important nutrition advice for young players to ensure they can play their best.

“With ‘Fuel your Game,’ young players learn to see sport and health as inseparable. It’s a great way to help build healthy behaviours at a young age.”

Bríd O’Dwyer, National Healthy Club Coordinator, continued, “We are excited to work with Safefood to make ‘Fuel your Game’ available through our network of clubs in the Irish Life GAA Healthy Clubs programme this year.

“Our local clubs play such an important role in the health and well-being of communities across the island.

“Through this new resource, we can encourage young players to develop healthy habits from a young age, support their parents in how they can play their part, and equip our coaching network with practical tools and advice to build on those habits.”

The ’Fuel your Game’ pack focuses on four key areas of nutrition, hydration, planning and after sport:

• Before playing or training – check your child has eaten a small meal or snack 2-3 hours beforehand
• Stay hydrated – encourage your child to drink fluids before they feel thirsty – thirst is a sign their body has needed fluids for a while
• What’s in their kit bag – ensure your child has packed a snack and water. Extra snacks can help them perform better.
• What to eat after sport – encourage your child to eat something as soon as possible after a match or training. This will help them recover and maintain muscle mass.

The ‘Fuel your Game’ pack consists of a practical guide for coaches; a helpful guide for parents to build on these healthy habits; a suite of posters for club facilities and dedicated social media assets to help promote the resource more widely.

Photo: Dublin Ladies footballer Leah Caffrey, Kerry Footballer Joe O’Connor, Tipperary Hurler Jason Forde and Kilkenny Camogie Player Mairead Kennedy alongside young GAA players Harvey Boyle and Leroy Ward demonstrating the importance of healthy eating and hydration for peak performance. Photo by David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile