Feis Day Nutrition for Irish Dancers

What should I eat on Feis day?

What should I eat the night before a Feis?

How can I help my dancer make the right food choices to properly fuel their body for Irish Dancing?

These are questions we are asked all of the time at Move With Meg, so we hosted a podcast episode with Feis Mum and Nutritionalist, Ciara Murtagh. The podcast is filled with so many top tips for Irish Dancers and Feis Parents, but here are five key things we learned from Ciara. 

What Should I Eat On A Feis Day? 

On the day of a Feis, you must listen to yourself (the dancer)! There is no point in forcing yourself to have a big breakfast on a Feis day, as it will most likely make you feel more unsettled and sick, rather than fuelled for the day. Instead, focus on your nutrition on the day before you compete. 

Allow yourself (the dancer) to pick foods that make you feel comfortable, as this will help to limit any additional stress. Light snacks like jelly babies can help provide quick bouts of energy in between your rounds, without overwhelming your stomach. 

How Can I Help Get My Young Dancer Involved In Understanding Their Nutrition?

If you have a young Irish Dancer, then get them included in the planning part of their Feis day - including their nutrition. As well as helping you both have strong communication skills, this also will help them feel less anxious about the day ahead. If they know their schedule and their prepared snacks and meals ahead of time, they are going to feel more in control; allowing them to focus on their dancing. This also encourages Dancers to be independent in the long term when it comes to their pre-Feis routines and their own nutrition. 

How Can I Help My Dancer Understand The Importance Of Carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates are a really important of a well-balanced diet for everyone; but especially for athletes and Dancers. Ciara used the metaphor of ‘putting petrol in the car to help it run’, as a way to describe how carbs help to fuel Dancing. Let yourself (the dancer) have flexibility in their carb sources - if they want to have chips, let them! Having a supper of something light but carb-based like toast or a small bowl of cereal can be a great way to help you the night before you compete, especially if you need to get up early the next morning.

What Do I Need If I Am Dancing In The Afternoon? 

If you are dancing in the afternoon, then Ciara recommends having a high-carb meal 2 - 4 hours before you are due to dance. Thirty minutes before performing have a small top-up with an easily digestible carb, such as crackers or jelly sweets to boost your energy. 

Do I Need To Do Anything Different For Longer Feises Or Feises In The Summer?

For Major competitions which last all day, or for Feises in the warm summer weather it is important to consider drinks with electrolytes, such as Lucozade Sports (which also provides carbs). Plain water is fine, but it is important to recognise - or teach your dancer how to recognise - the signs of dehydration. The easiest way to do this is to educate yourself or your dancer on checking their urine colour as an indicator of their hydration, which is also a very helpful lifelong skill. 

If you have found this blog helpful, then we highly recommend you listen to our MWM Podcast with Ciara, here.