Favorite After-Ride Food

[pyxichick]

I'm wondering what people like to eat after a hard ride. Usually I have no appetite after my ride, but I've read that it's important to have something within 30 minutes of finishing.

I'd like to know what your favorite after-ride snacks are.

[margo49]

2 possibilities
1. Baguette with butter, cheese, sliced cucumber and roasted
eggplant/aubergine and some exotic (if sweetened) fruit juice(s)
2. Smoovie with my own yoghurt, blueberries and mango (picked by us)

[farrellcollie]

watermelon ( my favorite food in general and quite nice after a hot summer ride) and then something salty/proteiny like nuts or sandwich

[Nanci]

Chocolate milk!! (Or strawberry, or vanilla). It has the perfect carbs:protein ratio for recovery.

[chickwhorips]

i do chocolate milk too. usually i put in ovaltine to make it. there is a few extra sugars and stuff in it that makes me feel better. i dont get all wooey.

[bcipam]

It's become a tradition with my mountain biking group ... after our rides we go to a local joint (John's) and order the best darn patty melt and big greasy french fries.... mmmmmmmmmmm fries (think of Homer drooling....)

Sometimes, if I ride really really hard, I also get a chocolate shake!(I know bad Pam bad!)

After Road rides, quick fix is a full leaded can of Coke. Nothing better than an icy cold Coka Cola! Lunch fix - anything Mexican, preferably soft tacos or chili rellenos.

[mimitabby]

right after the ride i've found something astonishingly good.
V8 FUSION drinks. they come in at least two flavors. They have no corn syrup and are not super sweet. and they go RIGHT DOWN>>>!!

[salsabike]

For some reason Chris and I have taken to making popcorn after a long tandem ride. Smells good, tastes salty...pretzels work too.

[mimitabby]

after that first century i did this spring i wanted cracker jacks in the worst way..
(and they didn't have them in the store we went to)
HEY and after the second century i did this year I wanted cracker jacks AGAIN and couldn't find them !!!
:confused:

[chickwhorips]

can't remember when i had cracker jacks... have i ever? hmmm.... interesting though thats what you craved.

i get werid cravings after i ride for a long time and hard.

[RoadRaven]

Something really easy to get...

Like a sandwich - vegemite and cheese, or peanut butter and banana

Or some runny eggs on bread

Or the leftovers in the fridge

And and hour or two later - choclate milk or cold milo

[tattiefritter]

Generally have no appetite after a long ride and force a recovery drink down my neck, but if we are in the Lakes (UK) then a Wilf's Veggie Chilli Rarebit is just the best thing ever (and cake of course). Its really filling for a veggie chilli as it has loads of lentils in it, yum yum yum. Annoyingly on our last Lakes ride last Sunday we didn't go as it is school holiday time and the Lakes were rammed, we had to get out of there before the M6 turned into its normal summer Sunday afternoon long stay car park.

Just gazed wistfully at the turn off for Staveley as we whizzed by....

[Dogmama]

Fast carbs & whey protein powder. That means non-fat milk, banana (if really hard ride) and chocolate whey protein powder. It is important to fuel muscles immediately. Fats will slow absorption. About an hour later, I'll have something more substantial, usually involving oatmeal and more protein, e.g., oatmeal with berries and non-fat cottage cheese.

Protein gets shuttled into your muscles and starts the recovery process if you combine it with a simple carb. Bananas a great because they replace potassium too.

[7rider]

I'm wondering what people like to eat after a hard ride. Usually I have no appetite after my ride, but I've read that it's important to have something within 30 minutes of finishing.

I'd like to know what your favorite after-ride snacks are.

Usually a big glass of Accelerade and something sweet...Fig Newtons, banana, peanut butter crackers, etc. Oh, and sometimes an Advil or two! :rolleyes:
There's a great deli next to my LBS that has wonderful hamentaschen -- that and a cup o' coffee are also yummy post-ride treats!
Then comes a NAP - if I'm lucky!

[pyxichick]

Thanks everyone for the suggestions. I've actually been way better at eating after riding since I've read about your favorite snacks!

[yogabear]

Mangoes :) Easy for me to digest. I eat one within the first 10 minutes after riding...

Maybe an hour later, I make a smoothie with hemp protein powder, spirulina, and bananas and raw honey.

I don't get really super hungry until 3-4 hours after a hard ride or race. I make a large salad with avocado, nuts, seeds, carrots, organic raisins, sprouts, and a salad dressing I make with fresh orange juice, fresh grated ginger and a tiny smidge of extra virgin olive oil. I love my Celtic seasalt on my salad too :)

After a race, we usually go out to eat. I get some kind of Thai dish with veggies and rice :)

[CorsairMac]

Don't know why but after a really long ride I want lamb chops. I do try really hard to eat within that 30 min window And to put my legs up.

[roguedog]

What's the significance of the 30 min window? Recovery food? Please illuminate.

I'm typically not hungry after working out. I just usually have some juice and a yogurt or something light.

[Dogmama]

Immediately after exercising, your muscles need glucose and protein to begin the recovery process. Studies have shown that during the first 1-2 hours, these nutrients will be readily accepted by muscle tissue and healing will begin. The food you ingest should be quickly passed through your stomach. For that reason, you want to avoid high fat foods and fiber, both of which slow digestion.

Simple carbs and whey protein are best. Good combinations are: 1. milk, whey protein and a banana or 2. orange juice with vanilla whey protein. You want a good quality whey protein.

The faster you can get nutrients into the muscles, the better your recovery will be. That means you'll still be strong on your next ride!