What snacks to have on hand for PoleCon!

Whether you have been to PoleCon before or you are planning your first visit, you know the days are packed from beginning to end with classes, hanging out in the aerial playground, showcases, and browsing the vendors. It goes without saying you are going to be busy and need to fuel yourself between meals. PoleCon provides balanced lunches each day and breakfast on Sunday, and there are plenty of eateries available for dinner around the Maryland location (there is a hotel restaurant, and it is connected to a mall), but what should you have on hand to eat otherwise? Here are a few suggestions!

Individual yogurt cups

These are great for anytime, but I make sure to have this available as a part of breakfast. It is loaded with protein, so it’s perfect to have at the beginning of an active day. It’s best to choose one with as few ingredients as possible. I get a plain Greek yogurt and then I can add dried fruit, nuts, granola, etc. to it. I control the ingredients (and sugar content) this way. There are more and more vegan yogurt options made with almond milk, coconut milk, and pea protein (made from yellow peas milled into flour).

Collagen powder

Collagen powders are a great way to add protein (a variety of amino acids) to any meal, and I tend to add some to my coffee in the mornings because it does not add any flavor or texture to liquids. While collagen is not vegan-friendly, there are many vegan protein powders available that can be added to liquids. Some may be more easily dissolved than others, depending on how it’s milled.

Dried Fruit

This is a versatile item as it can be tossed in with yogurt (like mentioned above), but it stays well in a bag if you’re flying to PoleCon. Fruit is also the perfect quick energy snack between classes because the body metabolizes the carbs in fruit quickly. That means it will also restore glycogen stores in the muscles quickly after a workout.

Trail mix with nuts

Nuts are a great snack to have when you’re very active for a day or multiple days in a row. Nuts offer unsaturated fat that is good for joint restoration, but it doesn’t metabolize quickly, so it is something that will give you energy long after you have eaten it. It’s like putting energy into a savings account so you can have it when you need it later.

Water with electrolytes

There are hydration powders like Liquid IV that can add electrolytes to your plain water. This is great when you are taking multiple classes a day. Your muscles need electrolytes to properly recover and not leave you feeling soar. My one recommendation is to look at the sugar content of any packets before you purchase.

Hopefully these tips give you ideas on what you can have on hand to snack on during PoleCon and any other pole trip! The key is to balance carbs, proteins, and fats for your body. You don’t want to step into a pole class with already low energy! You can catch me at PoleCon 2025 in the DMV giving a FREE workshop on fueling your pole practice. I would love to talk to you there!

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Jamie Thompson-Griffin

Jamie Thompson-Griffin is a life-long dancer, and fell in love with pole in 2019. She has since become an instructor and a certified Sports Nutrition Coach through NASM. She now owns her own pole dance studio in Dallas, called Self Alchemy Studio, and provides sports nutrition coaching. Reach out for her services, as they can be done in-person or virtually!

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