The important thing is that you eat and drink - and that the food & drink that you choose supports your activity. I do not believe that means you need to use sport-specific foods or gels. And your choice of Gatorade, bananas, fig newtons, and Clif bars sounds fine to me.

On the liquid front - I used to drink just water, but I switched to Gatorade a few years back and I find that works better for me. If I'm on a long ride - one that will last for at least several hours - I often have Gatorade in my water bottles and water in a Camelbak. Food? I tend to carry bars of some sort with me just because they are easy to carry. The bars I currently eat are Pria and Luna Bars. Bananas are great, but not so easy to carry without getting them bruised.

From your description of your pre-ride food and your snacks on the bike, it seems that you are doing just fine!

--- Denise