When your schedule sounds more like a college athletic department’s than a family calendar, dinner time can start to feel like the final event of the day.

For Leslie DiMartile, a mother of five athletes and real estate agent in Blue Bell, the phrase “on the go” barely scratches the surface. Between swim meets, lacrosse games, volleyball tournaments and soccer practices, she’s learned to master the art of feeding a small team — literally.

“My car smells like chlorine and granola bars,” she says with a laugh. “We’ve always got cleats, water bottles, and something wrapped in foil in the back seat.”

The pregame plan

DiMartile’s children — two at Upper Dublin schools and three who either played or are currently participating in college sports — have learned that healthy fuel is as essential as their gear bag. One daughter even competed in high school national events for lacrosse this summer, so endurance is a family affair.

“I can’t send them out the door with just a banana anymore,” DiMartile says. “They need real food that lasts throughout a two-hour practice.”

Her pre-practice lineup usually includes:

Turkey or hummus wraps on whole grain tortillas (“They hold up better than sandwiches.”)

Greek yogurt parfaits layered with berries and honey for quick protein.

Homemade trail mix with pumpkin seeds, dried cherries and dark-chocolate chips “for morale.”

Dinner at halftime

Between after-school commitments and evening showings for her real-estate clients, DiMartile has perfected what she calls her “halftime dinners” — meals that can be eaten in shifts as kids come and go.

“The slow cooker is my MVP,” she says. “If it’s not chili, it’s chicken tacos or a pasta bake. Something that tastes just as good an hour later.”

Her weeknight rotation includes:

Tex-Mex chicken tacos with toppings on standby — lettuce, salsa, avocado, shredded cheese — “so everyone can build their own when they walk in.”

Vegetable-packed baked ziti with zucchini and spinach that “no one even notices.”

Sheet-pan sausage and roasted vegetables for nights when cleanup needs to be under five minutes.

And when there’s a rare evening with everyone home at once?

“That’s when we do big family dinners — Sunday sauce, garlic bread, the works,” she says. “Those nights are sacred.

“But if you ask my kids what the most important thing they put into their bodies is, they’ll quickly tell you: milk,” she said. “We go through three gallons of white milk a week plus additional containers of chocolate milk after workouts.”

Sideline snacks that score

For weekend tournaments, DiMartile packs what she calls “cooler confidence.”

“I learned the hard way that concession-stand pretzels don’t cut it,” she says. “Now, I bring homemade options that keep everyone from crashing.”

Fan favorites include:

Mini muffin tins of baked oatmeal with cinnamon and apple chunks.

Peanut butter and banana energy bites rolled in coconut flakes.

Frozen grapes and cut-up watermelon in reusable containers — “like nature’s sports drink.”

Family first, always

Balancing five kids’ athletic calendars and a thriving real-estate career might sound impossible, but DiMartile insists it’s about rhythm, not perfection.

“It’s organized chaos,” she admits. “But feeding them well keeps the chaos manageable. When they eat right, they play better, they focus better, and honestly — they’re just happier.”

And for DiMartile, that’s the real win.

“People think meal prep is just for fitness influencers,” she says. “For us, it’s survival — and love, in Tupperware form.”

Quick tips from DiMartile’s kitchen playbook

Plan one protein, one carb, one veggie; mix and match through the week.

Keep a “snack bin” in the car stocked with nut packs, rice cakes and water.

Freeze portions of soups and sauces for future tournament weekends.

Involve the kids: “If they make it, they’ll eat it. Snacks and meals are a team sport in the DiMartile house.”

Leslie DiMartile is a real estate agent with Coldwell Banker Realty in Blue Bell and a proud mom of five Upper Dublin School District and college athletes.