Clean Bike Snacks for Health & a Clear Conscience

MTB is fun – but at the same time it’s an intensive workout and you’re burning huge amounts of calories. Nutrition-packed snacks are a must-have for us bikers and they can easily be made at home!

Your performance depends on what you eat

So how do you fuel your body for peak performance? There are a few things to consider:

First, don’t overeat – food coma will make you feel slow and tired. Pack small snacks that are calorie-dense and don’t eat them all at once!

Second, be aware of what you’re eating: The sweet granola bar tastes great and might give you the feeling that this is exactly what you need. However, most granola bars out there are loaded with sugar and refined carbs. While the energy boost created by sugary snacks won’t last long, you’re also missing out on the good stuff like fibre and healthy fats. By the way, ginger, magnesium and potassium are believed to prevent muscle ache!

Healthy trail snacks actually can be cheap

Of course, not all granola bars are bad and there are some incredible no-bullshit bars out there. BUT they aren’t cheap – and most of us mountain-bikers are already spending way more than what we should on bikes and gear. In the following, you will find clean trail snacks that are not breaking the bank.

Let’s start with the essentials that mother nature gave to us. These should be a valid part of every kitchen.

Simple snacks

Bananas: The absolute classic – they’re sweet, they fill you up and there’s so much good stuff inside.

Nuts and dried fruits: Tons of healthy fats, minerals, fibre and some fructose. Make sure you don’t buy dried fruits with added sugar – the industry is cheating on us here! Seriously, they’re already sweet enough….
These are my go-to snacks, since they are easier to carry than bananas and can even be stuffed in your pocket!

Hard-boiled eggs: Full of high-quality protein, B vitamins and other important nutrients and they last in the fridge for while!

Healthy snack recipes

These are some delicious, yet incredibly easy recipes:

Honey & nut butter rolls
Take your favourite nut butter, add a spoon of honey and wrap it in a whole-grain tortilla. Voila!

Home-made flapjacks (apricot-banana):

• 2 oz almonds
• 2 oz dried apricots
• 7 oz oats
• 2 oz sesame
• 2 ripe bananas
• 3 tbs honey
• 1 ts Coconut Oil
• 1 ts Cinnamon and some vanilla
• A pinch of salt

Make a layer at least half an inch thick and bake for 25 min at 175 degrees, then cut into bar chunks. You can of course use dates, plums or any other kind of dried fruit if you’re bored of apricots!

No-bake Powerballs:

• 9 oz dried fruits
• 7 oz nuts of your choice (I use almonds & cashews)
• 2 tbs chai or flaxseed
• 2 tbs raw cacao powder
• 2 tbs nut butter
• Coconut flakes

Mince fruits and nuts and mix everything together, form some balls and roll them in coconut flakes. Let them sit in the fridge for 3 hours. Done!

Try something new for your next ride! These snacks really help to maintain a clean diet even when being out there on the trails.

What do you eat while riding? We’d love to hear your opinion in the comment section!