Paige Bueckers Shares Her Game Day Breakfast

No matter your sports knowledge, chances are you know Paige Bueckers and Angel Reese. The star WNBA athletes recently teamed up to promote the launch of an equally incredible collaboration: the new Reese’s x Oreo Milk Chocolate and White Creme Peanut Butter Cups.

In an exclusive interview, EatingWell sat down with Bueckers and Reese to talk more about the partnership, and to get more insights on their day-to-day lives. In Bueckers’ responses, we learned more about her holiday traditions, favorite meals on game day and her food hot takes that are nothing short of surprising. Read more about her philosophy on eating well below (and check out Reese’s answers to learn more on her healthy habits).

What has it been like collaborating with Reese’s x Oreo, and with Angel Reese for a just-as-iconic partnership? 

We’ve known each other for a long time, been competing against each other, and we’ve become good friends. I’ve always loved Reese’s, I’ve always loved Oreo, so to bring those all together in a collab, it’s really fun. Obviously, Angel Reese and Reese’s, my initials are PB [like] peanut butter, so it was kind of just perfect. It all went together really well.

What are some healthy habits that you have implemented into your routine?

I would say I’ve gotten into a routine. Before, I didn’t even really eat. I would prioritize sleep. So let’s say I had a workout at 9. I’d rather wake up at 8:30, go straight to the gym and start my workout, but that was before I got my injury. And then when I got injured, I realized the importance of eating well and fueling your body the proper way. So now if I have a workout at 9 or 10, I’ll wake up an hour early, get some breakfast in. I’ll have a mix of carbs and protein, and then lunch and dinner are very important too. Depending on what my workouts were or when practice was, I used to just skip a meal. Now, I make sure I get all three meals in and then in between, I like to do protein drinks or smoothies.

Do you have any favorite pre-game or post-game meals?

Pre-game, if it’s a morning game, I’d always do an omelet and French toast. Those are my go-tos for the morning. For an afternoon game, I usually always get a sandwich or some sort of pasta. Post-game, I’m a huge wings girl, so if I could get some wings, that would be great.

What are some of your favorite holiday foods and traditions?

I think just watching Christmas movies, I always have a lot of family, so we play a lot of board games and compete that way. My grandma always bakes, she’s the baker, so I usually end up baking some cookies with her.

Favorite board game?

I feel like Uno is the easiest, everybody can get Uno because my siblings are in varying ages, so that’s universal.

Any food hot takes?

I mean, people always call me out because I don’t like seafood. And I don’t think pineapple belongs on pizza. [And I love] Lay’s potato chips with ketchup. It’s literally just a french fry.

Thoughts on ketchup-flavored chips?

I’d rather just make it myself.

What does “eating well” mean to you? 

There’s no perfect routine or strict way to go about it for everybody. I think you have to find what works best for you, but just make sure you’re fueling your body, getting the right amount of combinations of food—whether it be proteins, carbs, veggies, fruits—and mixing those all together to find your best nutritional balance. As an athlete, you want to fuel your body. You put it through a whole lot of work, so you want to give back to it as well and give it energy and give it fuel. It’s about finding that perfect balance.

Editor’s Note: This interview has been edited for clarity and length.