Swim meets are not just “long practice days.”
They are unpredictable, nerve-wracking, exhausting marathons where your swimmer might race for 30 seconds… and sit for 5 hours.
And what I learned the hard way with my 14-year-old provincial swimmer is this:
Meet performance is less about what they eat — and more about when they eat it.
Because on prelims/finals days, they’re trying to:
- Fill glycogen stores (energy in the muscles)
- Stay fueled without feeling heavy or sick
- Recover from prelims in time for finals
- Survive a 12-hour day at the pool
This is the exact system I follow now for every meet weekend.
The Goal on Meet Days
Think:
High carb. Low fat. Low heavy protein. Small amounts often. Constant hydration.
This is not the day for big meals, greasy food, or “treats from concessions.”
This is the day for familiar, easy foods that keep energy steady and the stomach happy.
Before Morning Prelims (2–4 Hours Before)
Even if you don’t know exact event times, you usually know when warm-up starts.
Breakfast should be 2–4 hours before warm-up.
This is where we load carbs gently.
Examples:
- Oatmeal with banana and honey
- Toast with peanut butter
- Cereal with milk and juice
- Smoothie with banana, oats, milk
This gives steady energy without sitting heavy.
1–2 hours before warm-up (if they’re hungry):
- Yogurt and granola
- Banana
- A swim cookie
- Sips of diluted sports drink
During Prelims: Small Top-Ups
Warm-up alone burns a surprising amount of energy.
Swimmers fade in prelims because they don’t refuel after warm-up and between races.
Every 60–90 minutes, small carbs:
- Banana
- Applesauce pouch
- Pretzels or crackers
- Granola bar
- Grapes or orange slices
- Yogurt tube
Not a meal. Just topping up the tank. It’s important not to eat too close to your race!
Immediately After Prelims (This One Is Critical)
Within 30 minutes of finishing prelims:
They need carbs + protein to recover and prepare for finals.
This is non-negotiable in our bag.
Examples:
- Chocolate milk
- Fruit smoothie
- Greek yogurt with granola
- Half a wrap
- Protein oatmeal cookie and a yogurt drink
This is what allows their body to reset for the evening.
The Long Break Between Prelims and Finals
If there are 4+ hours before finals warm-up, this is where a real meal happens.
About 3–4 hours before finals warm-up, we do lunch.
Think simple, familiar, carb-based:
- Pasta salad with chicken
- Turkey sandwich and fruit
- Rice and chicken
- Small burrito bowl
- Leftovers from dinner
Avoid:
- Fast food
- Fried food
- Anything new
Before Finals Warm-Up (1–2 Hours Before)
We go back to light, easy carbs.
- Bagel
- Pretzels
- Rice cake with honey
- Banana
- Granola bar
Just enough to top up energy again.
30–60 minutes before racing (if hungry):
- Dates
- Jelly beans
- Applesauce
- Honey sticks
Hydration All Day
We aim for:
- About 500ml water or sports drink every hour
- Electrolytes before warm-up
- Pale urine as the goal
Dehydration is sneaky at meets.
After Finals (End of Day Recovery)
They are completely depleted now.
Within 30 minutes:
- Chocolate milk and banana
- Yogurt and granola
- Wrap
And a full carb-based dinner within 2 hours:
- Pasta and chicken
- Rice bowls
- Sandwiches and fruit
This helps them recover for the next day of the meet.
What I Always Pack in Our Meet Bag
Same foods every time. Nothing fancy.
- Bananas
- Grapes or oranges
- Pretzels/crackers
- Granola bars
- Oatmeal swim cookies
- Yogurt tubes
- Wraps
- Chocolate milk
- Water + electrolytes
Familiar food = calm stomach = better swims.
Final Thoughts
Meet days aren’t about random snacking.
They’re about:
timing carbs, small refuels, and smart recovery so they can perform again at finals.
Once I understood this, I saw a huge difference in my daughter’s energy, mood, and performance in the evening swims.
And there’s one more piece to this that made an even bigger difference for us…
There’s a specific food and timing strategy we use on meet weekends for performance and recovery that deserves its own post.