We apply new results on free boundary regularity to obtain a quantitative convergence rate for the shape optimizers of the first Dirichlet eigenvalue in periodic homogenization. We obtain a linear (with logarithmic factors) convergence rate for the optimizing eigenvalue. Large scale Lipschitz free boundary regularity of almost minimizers is used to apply the optimal L2 homogenization theory in Lipschitz domains of Kenig et al. A key idea, to deal with the hard constraint on the volume, is a combination of a large scale almost dilation invariance with a selection principle argument.