⚠️ Back-to-school season is here—are you ready to fuel your dance and academic life? In this episode, Registered Dietitian Rachel Fine shares strategies for navigating busy schedules, preventing fatigue, and maintaining balanced nutrition as dancers return from summer intensives.

Learn how to:

✅ Plan meals and snacks ahead to prevent energy crashes

✅ Build purposeful snacks that support performance and focus

✅ Reevaluate your relationship with food without obsession

✅ Incorporate nutrient-dense foods to support strength, immunity, and recovery

✅ Use tools and routines to thrive during transitions and auditions

📅 Perfect for: dancers, educators, and parents supporting dancers during back-to-school transitions.

👉🏼 Read the full blog: https://dancenutrition.com/back-to-school/

Timestamps ⬇️ (Skip to the section you need!)

0:00 | Why Back-to-School Is Exciting (and Tricky for Dancers)

Rachel shares why this season brings both fresh starts and fueling challenges.

0:28 | Meet Rachel Fine, Dance Dietitian

Introduction to today’s focus: fueling strategies for dancers heading into a new season.

0:44 | The Back-to-School Dance Transition

How summer intensives, layoffs, and new schedules affect nutrition.

1:06 | Why August Brings a Spike in Injuries

The link between under-fueling, stress fractures, and bone health.

1:37 | Biggest Nutrition Priority: Plan Ahead

Why prepping snacks and meals helps dancers stay consistent.

2:09 | The Role of Emergency Snacks

Trail mix, prepped grains, veggies, and proteins for busy weeks.

2:30 | Don’t Skip Snacks

How smart snacks prevent mid-day crashes and boost studio energy.

2:52 | Snack Ideas for Dancers

Yogurt parfaits, granola, nuts, fruit, bars, and trail mix.

3:32 | Re-Evaluating Your Relationship with Food

Why restrictive “rules” from summer intensives may carry into fall.

4:01 | Avoiding All-or-Nothing Thinking

How rigid food patterns increase risk of burnout and injury.

4:22 | Embrace Nutrition, Don’t Obsess

Learning fundamentals of nutrition science without perfectionism.

4:47 | Accessible Eating on the Go

Why fast food and travel meals can still be part of balanced fueling.

5:36 | Patterns Over Time Matter Most

Consistency and balance outweigh single “perfect” meals.

5:46 | Getting Extra Support

How working with a dietitian helps dancers balance meals and recovery.

6:25 | Inside The Healthy Dancer® Program

Rachel introduces her membership that teaches fueling and body attunement.

7:58 | Back-to-School Dance Bag Essentials

Organizer, snacks, reusable water bottle, resistance bands, self-care kit.

9:06 | Rachel’s Favorite Essential

The Healthy Dancer® membership app as your daily support system.

Rachel Fine, Registered Dietitian Nutritionist, Certified Sports Nutritionist, Certified Eating Disorder Specialist, and Certified Counselor of Intuitive Eating works with dancers to help them build supportive relationships with both food and body. Disclaimer: This is produced for informational purposes only. This information is general, not specific to you. The information in this podcast does not substitute for medical advice. The viewer assumes full responsibility for consulting a qualified health professional regarding health conditions or concerns, and before starting a new diet or health program.