EAT SMART.

The notion that dancers shouldn't eat after a certain hour is a myth.

Dancers who think of skipping an evening meal in the battle against gaining weight are mistaken. "There is no magical time after which dancers have to stop eating," says Debra Wein, nutritionist, exercise physiologist, and nutrition consultant to the Boston Ballet. "It's not as if their bodies shut down and everything goes to fat. If the typical dancer's schedule doesn't allow him or her to get to dinner until eight o'clock, well then, he or she still needs to eat dinner at eight o'clock. Dancers not only need to replenish what their bodies have lost during activity, but also prepare themselves to do it all over again the next day."

That means getting enough calories and nutrients to meet their daily energy requirements, something dancers typically underestimate, Wein says. Specifically, dancers need to replace carbohydrates, glycogen, fluid, protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals. Use dinner, she says, to round out what may have been missed during the day. The best food sources to accomplish this are

   Whole grains, such as brown rice Whole wheat pasta or multigrain bread
   Fruits Vegetables Foods containing some fat and protein.

If you have a full day of classes, rehearsals, and an evening performance and are short on time, supplies, inclination, or cooking skills, here are easily attained menus.

Power Breakfast

Faster than you can say "snap, crackle, pop" you can make a bowl of whole-grain or multigrain cereal with fresh and/or dried fruit and 1 or 2 percent milk (yes, you need to eat some fat). Most cereal these days is fortified and makes an excellent meal any time.

Eggs are one of the most complete foods around. Cooked in a little oil--scramble a couple of egg whites and one egg yolk if you insist on minimal fat--or poached, eggs can be prepared in minutes. For lunch, jazz them up with some herbs and serve with a salad and bread.

Energy Punch Lunch

After class or rehearsal try frozen veggie burgers, available everywhere these days from Green Giant to organic brands. A few minutes in the microwave, served on a whole-grain or multigrain roll, plus a big salad, it's the ideal meal for dancers--high carbo, high fiber, moderate protein, low fat.

For a more substantial lunch that will take you through a long rehearsal, school or class, pour some prepared salsa on boneless, skinless chicken breasts or fish filets, broil, and serve with a baked potato (ten to fifteen minutes in a microwave) and a salad or steamed vegetables.

Yes, we're talking quick home preparation. If you're short on time, shop once a week. And we're not talking the nearest Chinese takeout, fast-food chain, or even grocery store but prepared food. Foods from those sources will fill you up, generally with nutritionally negligible, high-fat, and high-sodium products.

One-Dish Dinner

Here's a great dinner casserole that you can make ahead when you have more time and then reheat or eat cold another day.

Peak Performance Pasta

1/2 pound whole-wheat pasta
Olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1/8 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes to taste
2-3 cups bite-size prewashed spinach
  and/or any combination of fresh or
  frozen vegetables
1 15-oz. can white, black, or red beans
  drained, or 1 7-.oz. can white tuna in
  water, drained
Fresh or dried herbs to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Lemon juice or Parmesan cheese (optional)

Prepare pasta according to package directions. While pasta is boiling, pour enough oil into large skillet to make a thin film on bottom. Heat over medium-high heat. Add onions and stir until just soft. Add hot pepper flakes and toss. Add spinach and cook until slightly wilted (cook other vegetables until barely soft). Stir in beans or tuna and herbs. Toss until heated. Mix into drained pasta. Season, squeeze in a touch of lemon juice, and add cheese if desired. 2-3 servings.

For an Asian variation, use a mixture of peanut and sesame oil. Instead of herbs, add a pinch of ginger. Sprinkle with sesame seeds instead of Parmesan cheese.

Here's another fast main dish:

Quick Vegetarian Chili

Cook together a can of crushed tomatoes, a couple of cans of drained beans, tomato paste, cut-up vegetables, spices (chili powder, cumin, pepper, salt), and vegetarian crumble or crumbled veggie burgers. Serve with rice or whole-wheat tortillas.

Make a big salad into a meal by adding sliced apples or oranges and flaked tuna or shredded cheese, and vegetables. Have bread or tortillas on the side. Or sprinkle leftover rice, potato, grains, nuts, or seeds on it.

There are no excuses anymore not to eat smart. Salad greens and cut veggies now come washed and bagged; frozen veggies take no time in a microwave (and often retain nutrients better than fresh); fish filets and boneless chicken breasts cook in minutes poached, broiled, baked, or grilled; beans are available canned with minimal additives; and the freezer case is packed with possibilities.

Jan Ellen Spiegel is a freelance dance and food writer. Her next column, "The Importance of Fluid Replacement in the Summer," will appear in July.