If you’re carefully watching what you put into your body, a sporting event typically isn’t an ideal place to spend your time. Not with all the temptations that they offer.
But at the BNP Paribas Open, that doesn’t have to be an issue. The tournament brought in Sodexo Live! as its hospitality partner in 2024 to revamp it’s food and beverage offerings.
I’m out here covering the Indian Wells tennis tournament and I’m doing it while on a cut. I’m carefully monitoring my calorie in take and trying to get at least 150 grams of daily protein. And I’ve found a way to be out here without ruining my progress.
So, let me share with you a few ways I’ve been able to do that successfully. I’ll share with you five of my go-to meal options and three snacks that keep me fueled while I’m out here following all the action at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden.
My go-to healthy meals
The one I go back to time and again is the teriyaki chicken and rice bowl from Dragon Lili Café + Boba Bar. There are locations in Stadium 1 and the Food Village. The nutritional information isn’t readily available, but you get a medium-sized marinated chicken breast for your protein, some brown rice, chopped cucumber and carrots and edamame beans for fiber and the entire thing is probably no more than 750 calories. It’s a really delicious healthy option for keeping calories low.
My second-favorite meal at the tournament is also a rather healthy one. It comes from Pacha Mamas and celebrity chef Susan Feniger, whose restaurant Alice B is one of the best in Palm Springs. Feniger opened Pacha Lamas at T-Mobile Arena and Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas and this year brought the eatery’s Peruvian rice bowls with freshly grilled meats and vegetables to Stadium 2.
I get the grass-fed beef bowl, which is about 750 calories but it’s also a humongous portion that has 50 grams of protein.
Another go-to healthy option is the Chupacabra Chick’n sandwich at Chef Tanya’s Kitchen, which last locations in the Food Village and in Stadium 1. It’s a vegan option, with thinly sliced crispy seitan filets, avocado, cilantro, house-pickled jalapenos, shredded cabbage, tomato, onion and Chupacabra sauce on a toasted ciabatta bread. No nutritional information is available, but I used some online tools to help me estimate the macros. I estimate that it’s around 700 calories but offers about 35 grams of protein (from the seitan) and 8-12 grams of fiber. Those are great for sporting event fare.
The last of my favorite healthy options is the spicy tuna bowl at Sweetfin. Honestly, I’m a big poke fan and this one also hits the right macros for me. A smaller bowl, which is what you get from the Food Village, is 490 calories and has 25 grams of protein. I didn’t love this quite as much as the teriyaki chicken and rice bowl from Dragon Lili, but it is still a solid, tasty, healthy option.
More: Our favorite bites at the 2026 Taste of Tennis Indian Wells.
Healthy snacks
As for the healthy smaller bites, my primary go-to is the small yogurt bowls from Fage (pronounced fa-yeh!). These are $6 apiece and are between 120-180 calories and have 12 grams of protein in each. Pro tip: You can also get a free one my stopping in at the Fage pop-up tent near the Food Village.
I also enjoy the açaí bowls and smoothies from Oakberry. I’m careful not to endulge on this too often because the granola and peanut butter in some adds to the sugar content and calories. But the açaí is 100% natural, organic and has no artificial additives, providing antioxidants, fiber, and healthy fats. It’s also incredibly tasty.
Don’t sleep on the wellness shots, either. They’re $7 each and super low in calories.
Andrew John covers the BNP Paribas Open for The Desert Sun and the USA TODAY Network. Email him at andrw.john@desertsun.com.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Here’s how you can eat healthy while at the BNP Paribas Open
Reporting by Andrew John, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
