How to Choose Food for Competitive Eating

Competitive eating events are a regular feature at fairs and festivals throughout the country. The most famous is Nathan's Famous International 4th of July Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island, New York. With many qualifying events leading up to the main event, hot dogs are a popular choice for competitive eating. With the increasing importance of competitive eating in the sports world, there are different food choices to prove your skills at the plate. Choose the food that suits your abilities and tastes and you could be on your way to a new career.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

1. Pick contests offering food that you like and feel that you can stomach large quantities. If it is a food that you love be careful, because if you have a bad experience it may ruin that food in the future for you.
2. Focus on foods that you find easy to bite, chew and swallow. The IFOCE events allow you to dunk foods in water before eating and that helps lubricate hot dog buns for example, but if your gag reflex is sensitive something slippery might be easier. Maybe try to find butter or tiramisu contests.
3. Be sure to try the food beforehand so that you can focus your approach. You will need to understand the bite size that works for you, how easy it is to swallow and how much you can fit into your mouth while swallowing.
4. Think carefully about the after effects of the particular food item. If something makes your lower digestive tract looser than normal, eating as much as you can in 10 to 12 minutes could have an explosive impact. Spicy foods, in particular jalapenos, are more than just the 10 to 12 minutes of consumption; you will be getting personal with them again at the end of their journey through your system. Understand the impact of what you eat.