As many of you know, I am a Dance Mom and Dance season is upon us!! It is a busy, exhausting, and snack-heavy responsibility. Between long rehearsals, competitions, and team bonding days, what our dancers eat matters — especially when some teammates are gluten-free and others have severe nut allergies.

Have you ever tried to truly pack snacks for a Gluten Free, Nut free, and/or dairy free? It can defiantly get overwhelming. When I truly started to look at snacks, even I was getting overwhelmed, so I thought I would make a quick guide to help lower stress and make it easier to pack snacks, so we can be more Allergy Friendly:

This post is meant to be practical — snacks dancers will actually eat — while still supporting performance and safety. But also remember they need to eat full meals too, not just snacks.

WHY FOOD CHOICES MATTER FOR DANCERS

Dancers ask their bodies (and brains) to do a LOT.

Highly processed snacks and artificial food dyes can contribute to:

Energy crashes
Increased inflammation
Difficulty focusing
Mood swings & emotional dysregulation

For young athletes, especially during long competition days, stable blood sugar + clean ingredients = better performance.

ALWAYS SAFE, SIMPLE OPTIONS

These are naturally gluten-free and nut-free:

Fresh fruit (apples, oranges, grapes, berries)
Veggies (baby carrots, cucumber slices, bell peppers)
Rice cakes
Hard-boiled eggs
Cheese sticks (if dairy is tolerated)

Sometimes simple really is best.

PACKAGED GLUTEN-FREE & NUT-FREE SNACK IDEAS

(Always double-check labels — manufacturing practices can change)

SWEET OPTIONS (DYE-FREE)

YumEarth Gummies & Giggles – dye-free, gluten-free, nut-free
👉 https://amzn.to/4phraAZ
MadeGood Granola Minis – free from top allergens
👉 https://amzn.to/4skm0qF
YumEarth Chewy Candy – a better alternative to Starburst
👉 https://amzn.to/49uZQtk

🚫 Skip conventional candy with artificial dyes (Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1).

SAVORY & CRUNCHY

The Good Crisp Company (Pringles-style but cleaner ingredients)
👉 https://amzn.to/4soeP0G
Homefree Cookies & Snacks – allergen-friendly
👉 https://amzn.to/4sxkHF1
Rice Cakes (plain or lightly flavored)

PROTEIN OPTIONS (NUT-FREE)

Protein helps dancers stay full and focused longer.

Grass-fed beef sticks (check nut-free facility labeling)
👉 https://amzn.to/4qFHAnX
Edamame (dry roasted or frozen, if soy is tolerated)
👉 https://amzn.to/44VO4H3
Protein Pouches / Smoothies

Aim for higher protein, lower
👉 https://amzn.to/49kEC0Y

⚠️ Note: Coconut is technically a tree nut for labeling purposes — some dancers tolerate it, some don’t. Always confirm.

A NOTE ON “MAY CONTAIN” LABELS

Many allergen-friendly foods are:

Labeled “Processed in a facility with nuts.” Cross-contamination is possible; many people tolerate this, but check with the individual first.
Products labeled “May contain nuts” typically should not be consumed by those with nut allergies

For severe allergies, always follow your team’s safety guidelines and parent preferences. When in doubt — skip it.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Feeding dancers (or any athlete for that matter) doesn’t have to be complicated — but it does require intention. Choosing and teaching our children about gluten-free, nut-free, and dye-free options helps:

Protect teammates with allergies
Support focus & emotional regulation
Fuel strong, confident performances

Save this post, share it with your team, and bookmark it for competition weekends.

—-Dr. Angela Nation, OMD