SDA Competition Teams

Nutrition for Dancers

This summary was compiled from the resources and articles listed at the end of the page.

Body+Mind+Soul

Dancers are athletes! Like athletes, they need the right fuel to maintain their energy, mental clarity, and competitive edge. Dance weekends can be long, stressful, and demanding—not only physically, but also emotionally and mentally (true for parents, too ;)

While dancers should always be prioritizing sleep, nutrition, and mental wellbeing, this is especially important during the week leading up to conventions and competition weekends.

A Balanced Approach

During the weekend, meals and snacks should be smaller but more frequent than usual. Plan for a balanced variety with a focus on protein, complex carbohydrates, and healthy fats.

  • Protein: Builds muscle and foundation for a strong body; e.g. nuts, cheese, eggs, chicken, yogurt, tofu

  • Complex Carbohydrates: Fills the muscles with fuel, which is essential for long-lasting energy; e.g. oatmeal, whole grain toast, rice, quinoa

  • Healthy Fats: Can decrease inflammation for faster recover; e.g. coconut oil on toast, nuts, seeds, avocado, olives

  • Micronutrients, Fruits, Vegetables: Vital for energy, digestion, resiliency against mental stress. e.g. carrots, grapes, cucumbers, berries, etc.

Hydration is critical! Aim for 8-12 cups of fluids per day, until urine is about the color of lemonade.

Avoid or limit these options to avoid crashing, bloating, and sluggishness:

  • Coffee, soda, sugary drinks, energy drinks

  • High-fat, high-fiber, and spicy foods for the 24-48 hours leading up to the event/performance

Meal/Snack Planning

  • Friday Night./ Lunches: Lean proteins such as chicken, fish, tofu, with whole grain carbs with brown rice or quinoa, and vegetables.

    • Example: Grilled chicken/tofu wrap, rice bowls, or pasta with lean meat.

  • Mornings (3-4 hrs prior, if realistic/possible): Moderate-sized meal with complex carbohydrates, lean protein, and healthy fats

    • Example: Egg sandwich with avocado on whole-grain bagel

    • Oatmeal, eggs, whole-grain toast, fruit

  • Prior to Performance (30–60 min ahead): Light, easily digestible carbs to fill your muscles with fuel. Avoid sugary items to prevent crashes.

    • Example: english muffin with peanut butter, and fruit (yummy)

  • During the Day (every 1-2 hrs): Refuel to sustain energy, even if it’s just a few bites. Pack portable, simple, nutrient-dense options, prioritizing protein, complex carbohydrates, healthy fats, and hydration. A protein smoothie is the perfect option for those with nervous stomachs.

    • Examples: Cheese, crackers, grapes; Bananas, granola bar, pretzels; Applesauce, cheese.

  • Recovery (within 30-45 mins): Combine protein and carbohydrates to repair muscles, reduce soreness, and grow lean muscle mass.

    • Example: Chocolate milk

    • Example: Smoothie, apple, almond butter

Calorie Requirements

Dancers burn through a TON of calories during high-intensity classes. During convention weekends, dancers who weigh 110 lbs need 2200-2500 calories of nutrition-dense food per day. Dancers who weigh 80 lbs need 1760-2000.

But how much food is that?? I’ll include some examples here as a way for us to understand what that means—but it is NOT my intention for us to be counting calories!

Examples of snack bundles with ~150-200 calories:

  • Banana + nut butter (1 Tbsp)

  • Greek yogurt (1/2 c) + berries + honey

  • Whole grain toast + ¼ avocado

  • Chocolate milk (8 oz)

  • String cheese + fruit

Examples of snack bundles with ~200-300 calories:

  • Apple slices + nut butter (2 Tbsp)

  • String cheese + trail mix (1/4 c)

  • Protein smoothie

  • Hummus (1/4 c) + pita

  • Hard-boiled egg + whole grain crackers

  • Oatmeal (1 c) + milk

Meal Examples

  • Pasta (1-2 c) + meat sauce: 400-600 calories

  • Hamburger + fries: 900-1200 calories

Articles & Resources