Athletes have so many skills, interests and passions that may lie outside of their sport. As an undergrad, I was passionate about business, art and other activities that I loved learning about in my free time. The food industry is a multi-billion dollar business, with companies, individuals, networks and influencers making a ton of money, all around a love for food. With athletes’ ability to build their own brand, create content, and earn NIL money that blends the worlds of food and sports together, you’re looking at many opportunities to profit. As an athlete, there are so many opportunities that come with creating social media content that centers around food, especially if you’re passionate about it, including:
- Authenticity. Sharing a love for food can make an athlete’s brand more relatable and authentic. Many people share this passion, and by showcasing it, athletes can connect with their audience on a personal level.
- Diversification. Having a brand that encompasses more than just athletic achievements can provide athletes with a well-rounded identity. This can help them stand out in a crowded field and attract a broader audience.
- Lifestyle Inspiration. Athletes are often looked up to for their dedication and discipline, and sharing their approach to food can provide inspiration for followers who want to adopt healthier habits or learn more about nutrition.
- Monetization Opportunities. A food-focused brand can open up new avenues for monetization, such as partnering with food brands or writing cookbooks. This can provide athletes with additional income streams beyond their athletic careers.
- Community Building. By creating content around food, athletes can build a community of like-minded individuals who share their passion. Athletes in particular need food to fuel to help them perform on the court. This can lead to a supportive and engaged fan base.
- Media Opportunities. Sharing their love for food can make athletes more attractive to media outlets looking for experts or personalities to feature in food-related content.
- Cross-Promotion. Partnering with food-related brands or influencers can help athletes reach new audiences and expand their reach.
- Personal Fulfillment. For athletes who genuinely enjoy food and cooking, sharing this passion can be personally fulfilling and bring them joy outside of their athletic pursuits
Below are 20 different content strategy ideas for athletes who are looking to build their brand in the food industry.
Social Media Content Ideas for Athlete Foodies
- Behind the scenes content. Behind-the-scenes videos are great ways to build a genuine connection between your audience. Create tutorials, videos or images of you cooking your favorite meals, routines or strategies.
- Your best recipes. Recipe videos featuring athlete-friendly meals are nutritious, delicious and can be super helpful to your followers.
- Hacks. Tips and tricks for incorporating healthy eating into an athlete’s training routine, this can be especially helpful to current athletes or recent grads who are looking to improve their nutrition.
- Takeovers. Create Instagram takeovers with athletes at their favorite restaurants or farmers’ markets. This can help you build your audience and gain followers from outside of your space.
- Q&A Sessions. Q&A sessions with athletes about their favorite foods, cooking tips, and nutrition. This can also help broaden your audience to include athletes from different sports, schools and food types.
- Collaborations. Social media collaborations with nutritionists or chefs to create athlete-friendly meal plans.
- A typical day. “What I eat in a day” posts or stories to give followers insight into an athlete’s diet.
- Taste tests. Taste tests of new products or foods that athletes are trying out for the first time.
- Polls. Polls or quizzes for followers to guess an athlete’s favorite food or go-to pregame meal. Uncovering answers through multiple quizzes can also help you learn more about your audience.
- Challenges. Create cooking challenges on your social media platforms where athletes create a dish using a specific ingredient or theme.
- Snack ideas. Healthy snack ideas for athletes on the go or post-workout. This type of content is great for athletes of all levels- high school, college, professional, and former athletes. We all snack!
- Eating out. Guides to eating out for athletes, including how to make healthy choices at restaurants can be super helpful.
- Interviews. Guest posts or interviews with other athletes who are also passionate about food and nutrition. Guest posts can also build your audience and boost collaborations with other influencers.
- Educational content. Nutrition education posts, breaking down the importance of different nutrients for athletes. Educational content around food (e.g. food science) can help athletes understand how ‘what’ they eat effects ‘how’ they perform athletically.
- Cheat days. Recaps of athletes’ cheat meals or indulgences, with an emphasis on balance and moderation. We’re all human, so seeing what you enjoy eating when it comes to a cheat day can be fun & freeing, while helping others to enjoy the same food when they chose to indulge.
- “Day in the life”. Stories showing athletes shopping for groceries, cooking meals, and fueling their bodies.
- Homemade items. Recipes for homemade protein bars or energy bites tailored to athletes’ needs. Other social media ideas might include trail mix, healthy desserts, or small bites to help athletes keep their nutrition a priority.
- Reviews. Content ideas might include athlete-approved restaurant reviews, highlighting spots with healthy and tasty options.
- Road trip tips. Tips for staying on track with nutrition goals while traveling or on the road. Consider the hundreds of thousands of athletes, parents, coaches and families who could benefit from this type of content. Nutrition is still a priority while traveling for AAU, away games, meets, and other events. Athletes, parents, and families are groups that could all benefit from this kind of content.
- Classes. Athlete-hosted cooking classes or workshops, either in-person or online. Start small and grow your community to help others learn how to make their own meals at home.
If you’re an athlete who considers themselves a foodie, you can have so much fun creating content that centers on what you love. These content ideas can help you showcase your passion for food and nutrition while also providing valuable information and inspiration to their followers. By sharing your personal food journey and promoting healthy eating habits, you can build a strong and authentic brand around their love for food.