Nutrition on the road - What, How and Why?

Chin up: sixty is the new forty! :)

Slight change of direction but on similar theme to milk vs protein shake etc....

Am trying to eat less 'science food', especially energy bars, and relying on more normal stuff. Still eat energy bars, but not so much, and I use gels still.

Food-wise, its mostly home made rice cakes, Soreen, and bananas so far. Have just invested in some fig rolls but am yet to use them, and am probably gonna try dates too.

What other 'normal' foods do people go with? And if anyone is already on fig rolls and dry fruit, how are they working out? Fig rolls stack up well nutritionally from an inspection of the packet.

Chin up: sixty is the new forty! :)

I'm a little way off that one dude.

I'm making an adapted Nigella Lawson recipe, of all things. If you google her condensed milk flapjacks you'll see the starting point... I add extra sugar, dried fruits, and even more seeds - I use sesame, poppy, pumpkin and sunflower. Really tasty, and cheap to make if you buy all the stuff in a Lidl or Aldi.

Oh and you can sub gels for Haribo or non brand equivalent.

Jam sandwiches
Cake
Chocolate bars
Coffee
Bacon sarnies mit sauce
Fruit pastilles

have all been used by me during rides to good effect and aren't special 'fuels'.

..but they're special to you, and you're special..

Big fan of fig rolls, but find you have to drink a lot more to help wash 'em down. Maybe there's posh ones that aren't quite as dry, but I will never be a person that buys premium fig rolls.

I'm now converted to new potatoes as on the road fuel. With or without a bit of cheese on them. Tastes better than a gel and costs fuck all, much like milk.

It'd take a fuck load of bacon, cheese, onions and sauce to make a new potato taste better than a Rhubarb and Custard gel.

I don't get on with dry stuff either - I tried fig rolls yonks ago and although they taste fine the pastry bit sticks in your mouth for too long and anything that makes breathing hard or causes you to cough is no good.

There's exceptions to every rule, you're right. Cherry Bakewell tart flavour gels are actually pretty incredible

Who does those? I need to try those.

Cafe cortado mule gels taste like heaven.

Zipvit I think

I had a couple of Fig Rolls (shitkicker range from Sainos) this morning on an early ride and they seem to do the job, but as you say, they're quite hard to get down - a bit dry and need a lot of chewing. I boshed them whole but probably two smaller bites would be better.

Taste great though. Love the sleazy 90s vibe

What about dates for a real food on-the-road carbs?

I make up smoothies using Vanilla protein powder, milk, frozen cherries and either strawberries or raspberries, get the balance right and you've got yourself a Cherry Bakewell protein/energy smoothie.

"and either strawberries or strawberries"

Tough choice that, I can understand.

All Food shops and petrol stations in Norway do these cheapo buns (Bøller). They contain less substance than a McD burger bun. But a fair bit of sugar. So good for riding if you dont want to have to poo.

The petrol station now do 5 packs of oat+cranberry ones. I think I'm in love.

Looks a bit off riding around With a 5 pack of cakes stuffed Down Your jersey. But nomnomnomnom.......
Second 5 ph for a 1/3 of the price. I need a bigger jersey....or at least I will.

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Also. Chocolate milk isnt as good as whey protein shake per say.

But for cyclists that are in more need of a carb reload than a protein hit. They do the job as well. Plus you can buy one on Your way home from petrol station.

Whoops, obviously strawberries on the mind (I blame Wimbledon?) was supposed to be raspberries.

Found it at last!

Chocolate milk: the SCIENCE.

@jim1985

Make these. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RG7bWKK9G7E

They are the shit.

Tl:DR
Chocolate Milk is better than Grape-flavored Kool-Aid and they
"conclude that [Chocolate Milk] is an effective postexercise recovery supplement [Compared to Kool Aid] that can induce positive increases in aerobic training adaptations in healthy, untrained humans."

Well, that's a shocker.

Anyhow- for me:
Pre ride (>40miles)= Porridge, banana, peanut butter, slice of toast, minimum 1.5 hrs prior to start.

Rides <60 miles/ races= 1 or 2 gels or 1 energy flapjack/rice cake thingy (EFRCT)- usually homemade (less sugar).
60-100 miles= 1 banana, 1 or 2 EFERCT, emergency gel.

100miles= all the food, ever, and lots of savoury options.

Post long ride/ post race= Diet protein shake (the one that is meal replacement) + banana + peanut butter.
Then asap meal with rice and chicken or tuna.

Works pretty well, minimises cost, minimises 'science' foodstuff.

Who's blood in the freezer?