Favorite snack & drink while out on a ride

[Custardcup1]

I'm just getting into going for longer and longer rides (for me that's over 25 miles) and I was wondering if you stop and take a break what is the best snack and drink which is healthy and tastes good too. What's all this I keep hearing about pie??? Everytime my husband looks up a bike ride they mention free pie at the rest points and after the ride.
Is this some kind of cycling tradition?

[indysteel]

I mostly stick to bananas, dried fruit and nuts, Clif shots, Paydays and Larabars for self-supported rides. Cytomax is my drink of choice but that's mostly because I have a giant jug of it. I haven't tried a ton of others.

[Catrin]

I mostly stick to bananas, dried fruit and nuts, Clif shots, Paydays and Larabars for self-supported rides. Cytomax is my drink of choice but that's mostly because I have a giant jug of it. I haven't tried a ton of others.

My ride food looks a lot like this, though I would have Power or Cliff bars rather than a Payday or Larabar. Heed is my drink of choice, and for longer rides I really like Lemon Lime Accelerade.

[amb]

I recently got turned onto Skratch Labs "secret drink mix". I believe it has more sodium & less sugar than typical replacement drinks like gatorade. It is supposed to make your gut happier. Honestly, I never noticed feeling bloaty on Gatorade until after I switched and NOT being bloaty with Skratch. It's got a good flavor too.

For food, I eat PBJ, Larabars, trail mix, bananas & sometimes Nutter Butter cookies. Obviously, not all on one ride! :)

[PamNY]

I like Pur bars, Larabars, pbj, cheese & crackers, and bananas. If I am ambitious enough to make these muffins (http://www.101cookbooks.com/archives/cottage-cheese-muffins-recipe.html), I like taking them on rides.

[malkin]

Oatmeal cookies.
Water or Nuun.

For rides over 25 mi I like pbj sammiches in quarters. Sometimes apple or banana. Ride bananas make Brewer sick. Weird, huh?

[TigerMom]

Cliff bars and Powerade with a TON of ice in my Podium Ice bottles.
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[tzvia]

Cliff bars (vanilla and chocolate-peanutbutter), Bloks. Cliff Protein bars right after the ride. Bananas (which I don't like but I make myself eat) at the 'half way point'. Sometimes I substitute dried bananas from Trader Joes (somehow I like them better), and mixed nuts. As for what to drink, I stick with my two main cycling drinks, water and GU electrolyte drink but I will be trying Cytomax when the GU is finished. After the ride, a glass of lactose free low fat milk with Ovaltine. If I have to refill the liquid during the ride, I stick with water and when I run out of the electrolyte drink, I switch to the bloks.

Once I tried hauling a corned beef sandwitch on rye in my Camelback on a challenging MTB ride and ate that on a stop. It was a bit much :o and I ended up belching corned beef all the way back. But it sure tasted good when I had it. Now I stick with peanut butter or Nutella and jelly.

[maillotpois]

I recently got turned onto Skratch Labs "secret drink mix". I believe it has more sodium & less sugar than typical replacement drinks like gatorade. It is supposed to make your gut happier.


I also love Skratch's drink mix. For longer rides, I will still use sustained energy drink as supplemental fuel, but for hydration I don't think you can beat Skratch.

I eat as much as possible on the bike as opposed to stopping. I do a lot better when i eat real food - sandwiches, pizza, nuts, tamales, and use gel blocks as a rescue fuel if I get behind.

[jessmarimba]

I cut gatorade with water and then add gatorlytes. Favorite food (I'm not the healthiest eater when I exercise) are those nutterbutter minis. Or a payday bar or Kashi roll. Or I can tolerate most of the Honey Stinger stuff.

[gnat23]

One of these days, I swear I'm going to pull out a piece of fried chicken from my back pocket.

Real answer: Secret Drink Mix, Bloks or sport beans, a Clif or Luna bar, Gus by the handful.

I'm starting to get really annoyed by all the sweet stuff, though. I'm starting to brainstorm out how to package savory flavors like Gu, and have a mid-ride Guacamole shot, pretzel and mustard, or turkey gravy. The trick is how to still get enough high-glycemic carbs in it...

-- gnat!

[jessmarimba]

I'm starting to get really annoyed by all the sweet stuff, though. I'm starting to brainstorm out how to package savory flavors like Gu, and have a mid-ride Guacamole shot, pretzel and mustard, or turkey gravy. The trick is how to still get enough high-glycemic carbs in it...

-- gnat!

If someone made a mashed potatoes and gravy "gu" I would probably eat it. I just cannot do that goopy texture with sweet stuff. It makes me gag.

[chatnoire]

If someone made a mashed potatoes and gravy "gu" I would probably eat it. I just cannot do that goopy texture with sweet stuff. It makes me gag.

Gawd, mashed potatoes and gravy would be awesome. Or biscuits and gravy!

[malkin]

I'd go for chicken too, but I'd worry about poisoning myself because it would not be cold.

[Catrin]

I've tried to have chicken before, or during a ride, and the results have never been fun - it is just too much for my stomach.

While I am not all that fond of the taste, I've started using Margarita Shot Bloks in this heatwave we have been having. They are certainly not sweet and one serving (3 bloks) have a whopping 210mg sodium, all of the other Bloks have 70. Same amount of potassium, 20mg.

I really like the Honey Stinger bars - but they all melt so easily :( The Honey Stinger Waffles aren't covered in chocolate so that isn't the problem, but the size and shape aren't bike friendly - at least to me they aren't. They are very sweet though, and that gets to me. Right now I am really liking a couple of the Power Bar offerings, not so sweet, not melty, and my body likes them as much as Cliff bars. Cheaper too :)

[murielalex]

I just bought The Feed Zone Cookbook, and am hoping to find some things to cook to bring along. I'm learning I do better with real food than all the gels and whatnots, and I'm not fond of sweet.

[carolp]

I've switched from Nuun to Hammer Fizz. It just tastes better to me. Not terribly sweet. I usually carry a banana and a couple of clif or luna bars.

[Owlie]

I'm okay with real food on rides, except that I'd rather stop somewhere to eat rather than carry it with me--I only have so much pocket space! In summer, though, I have a harder time handling real food without taking a long time to digest it, which can be a real problem on rides longer than 40 miles because I need the protein. Clif bars are okay, provided that I eat them gradually.

I usually pack plain water and either a Clif bar or some shot blocks (margarita (if it's really hot), cran-ras, strawberry, lemon-lime or berry) or a combination if I plan on a long ride. If it's really hot/humid, I bring somewhat diluted Gatorade.

[Megustalaplaya]

I usually have one polar bottle filled with low cal gatorade and another polar bottle filled with water. For snacks I will take a banana, fig newtons, or some type of bar like Good n Natural or Cliff.

[Miranda]

Lara bars, peanut butter cookie flavor.

Clif Shot Blocks, orange and magareti flavors.

Plain water, no ice.


:)

[Ann G]

I like to fill one water bottle with propel and the other with water. I find that granola bars fit in a bike bag easier, and are a cheap alternative to energy bars. Pie is a big-time RAGBRAI tradition, but I don't know about other rides. If the ride organizers have done RAGBRAI, they be trying to bring back the memories just a little.
http://ragbrai.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/pie1.jpg

[indysteel]

Lara bars, peanut butter cookie flavor.

Clif Shot Blocks, orange and magareti flavors.

Plain water, no ice.


:)

I don't know that I've seen Lara Bars in a peanut butter cookie flavor. I hate peanut butter, but I love peanut butter cookies. I'd be all over that. As it is, cherry, cocunut, and lemon are my favorite flavors of the one I've tried.

[redrhodie]

Oooooh, pie.

[FlyingScot]

I like peanut butter and honey on a "sandwich thin". I start with the bread frozen wrap it up good and stick it in my jersey pocket. It fits perfectly and thaws by the midpoint of my long rides but hasn't become smooshy. One bottle of Propel, one bottle of water and usually my camelback with water. Sport beans in my Bento bag if I feel like I need a boost.

[kamikazejane]

Honey Stinger Chews in Pink Lemonade, Nuun, H20 as a chaser and I just chug Honey Stinger gel and pray I can swallow it all without gagging lol. Carry a Bonk Breaker bar for just in case. First season biking and my longest jaunts so far this summer are 60 miles so havn't had to resort to any solid foods yet to sustain me and I eat a fairly large breakfast beforehand. I like the solid food suggestions from others, thank you.

Damn do I look forward to that glass of chocolate milk when I get home (organic skim milk of course). Sooooo good.

[Owlie]

Ooh, Sports Beans. I forgot about those. I like the lemon-lime ones.

I just discovered the Honey Stinger waffles. Too close to real food for hot weather, but tasty. They'll be good for fall!

[maryellen]

Roasted sweet potato. I roast a few at a time and keep them in the fridge. Then I can just pop one into a baggie and into a jersey pocket.

[kamikazejane]

Roasted sweet potato. I roast a few at a time and keep them in the fridge. Then I can just pop one into a baggie and into a jersey pocket.

I like this...going to have to try it. Love sweet potato fries. Mmmmmmm


This thread is making me hungry now lol.

[zoom-zoom]

Gawd, mashed potatoes and gravy would be awesome. Or biscuits and gravy!

OMG, you girls are speakin' my language! I like Sport Beans and Carb Boom gels, since they are less overwhelmingly sweet. But when we stop at convenience stores I always want salty chips and jerky!

[Antaresia]

I've switched from Nuun to Hammer Fizz. It just tastes better to me. Not terribly sweet. I usually carry a banana and a couple of clif or luna bars.

Ah, I might try that then. I've tried nuun lemon-lime and found it too sweet.

I do love the honey stingers gummies, pink lemonade is the best. Granola bars are great, but I find cliff bars way to heavy.

[Jo-n-NY]

In all rides especially in the heat I use Powerade a switch from deluted Gatorade. Powerade has less sugar and is so much lighter but does the job. On any longer rides like 50 miles + my 2nd bottle is Perpetrum by Hammer. For eating I love the Honey Stinger Chews. They don't stick to your teeth like the Cliff Bloks and I like the Honey Stinger Waffle bars. On organized rides I eat what is given which is bananas, p&j sandwiches and yes, a few of them have pie. I prefer that at the end. On the Montauk Century they have it at the last rest stop, mile 75 and to be honest, I do not feel like having pie at that point no matter how good it is. I which the organizer would change it to the end. I should send him an email.

[ivorygorgon]

I have been using Infinit and that is working so much better for me than anything else. I usually take one bottle of Infinit and one bottle of water. If it is particularly hot I will put Nuun in the second bottle.

For snacks, I just can't tolerate any of the "sport" products. No Gus, Honey Stingers, Powerbars, Lara Bars, Sport beans etc. I like a PayDay, banana, sometimes a Coke, at a rest stop. I would love to be able to carry a turkey sandwich in my pocket.

I have noticed that since I have using the Infinit, I have to eat less, because I can get some calories from by bottle. This has helped a lot.

[Dog]

I typically just carry water and whatever is handy from the house (Fiber One bar, banana, nuts). Sometimes I will stop and pick up something at a bakery or small store. I probably should put more thought into this :D

[KatzPajamas]

Some assortment of the following: Magic beans (Jelly Belly Extreme Sports Beans-Watermelon are my fav), Power Bar Energy Blasts (Cola flavor are my favs here), B12 Shot in one water bottle (2 oz of pure vitamin B12-2000mcg-Caffeine free, Natural energy that lasts), Banana, Cliff bar, Honey Stinger waffles.

[velo]

I recently got turned onto Skratch Labs "secret drink mix". I believe it has more sodium & less sugar than typical replacement drinks like gatorade. It is supposed to make your gut happier. Honestly, I never noticed feeling bloaty on Gatorade until after I switched and NOT being bloaty with Skratch. It's got a good flavor too.


In the last couple of weeks, I have started riding distances that I felt warranted something more than water. This thread was a great help and I tried almost every drink mix mentioned here, one at at a time. The Skratch mix was hands down the winner for me. Not very sweet and only a light flavor. I immediately went out to their website and bought the pound bag. Thanks for mentioning them!

[Moongidget]

I love the Skratch labs mix. I've tried 3 flavors, and all are great. Very light on the flavor. Don't notice any adverse effects, but I've never been a fan of Gatorade.

On super long, hot rides, I scoop an extra serving of powder into a button baggie, the kind Banana Republic or Loft, etc, give you with extra buttons, and put it into my jersey. One scoop fits perfectly into the largest baggie they give out. Mix with water at a rest stop, and bingo, more Skratch.

As far as nutrition, I eat, but I'm never hungry. (Does this happen to anyone else? In fact, mostly I force myself to eat, but I'd rather not eat. Maybe its the heat?) I've made homemade gluten free energy bars with a recipe I found online. I eat those, and Luna bars in small increments.

[ShutUpLegs]

Skratch Labs drink mix, FTW! I used to exclusively drink Gatorade, and yuck. I haven't looked back. Very good, and doesn't feel bad on my stomach or anything. Lots of ice lately.

For those of you who are experiencing the amazing-ness of the Skratch drink mix, and don't like sweet stuff, you should definitely make rice cakes. It didn't sound good to me at first so I made my first pan hesitatingly. Now, it's pretty much all I eat - my clif bars box is gathering dust. You can make a savory type with eggs & bacon (although I sub things because I'm vegetarian & don't eat eggs), or there are sweet types as well.

The beauty of rice cakes is that they provide a lot of energy but really don't feel anything in your stomach. It's fantastic.

Short of getting the FeedZone cookbook, there are a few recipes on their blog:

http://www.skratchlabs.com/blogs/news

I haven't made the mint/raspberry ones get, but I've heard they're amazing!
Make sure you wrap them the way Allen Lim does. Much easier to eat with one hand that way.

[ShutUpLegs]

Oh, and here's a video of Allen Lim making the savory cakes!:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5UiuqIWGe_s

[ak2outside]

Awesome ideas! I'll be on the look-out for Skratch mix.
I am digging on the gel Blox from Cliff, but man, they are sweet.
I like to freeze coffee cubes and drop them in some diluted almond milk for the hot days (realizing that "hot" in Alaska is 80F's), along with an extra frozen water. I stick with Nature Valley granola bars because they dont melt.