Best REAL food to take on rides???

[Andy_R]

You don't need 'slow release' energy on a 30 miler - you will be back home again before it's had a chance to 'slow release'...

Your body is capable of storing around two hours worth of glycogen (muscle fuel), so unless you are riding significantly beyond two hours then you shouldn't really need to take any food on the ride at all. For longer rides, my preference is papaya chunks - stick a handful in your back pocket and eat as required on the move...

ummm....OP said 50 miles off road on a MTB, and is not racing. That sounds like more than 3 hours to me. Just my opinion though.

 

[Dayvo]

Don't know about REAL food, but REAL ale is a MUST!

 

[oldfatfool]

swmbo makes a great energy bar.

Packet off luxuary fruit muesilli from Aldi.
Large bag of Toffees
100g marshmellows
tablespoon of lyons syrup

Melt the toffees and marshmellows add the golden syrup.

Pour this sticky mess into the muesilli and knead/mix and then spread into a shallow non stick tray. Allow to set and then cut into mouth size cubes. Works out much cheaper than commercial cereal type bars.

 

[black'n'yellow]

ummm....OP said 50 miles off road on a MTB, and is not racing. That sounds like more than 3 hours to me. Just my opinion though.

good spot, and you're quite right. trouble is - the OP didn't mention that bit until several hours after the the first post, which was subsequently edited...

 

[Baggy]

Cold pizza cut into fingers and wrapped in foil.

 

[Andy_R]

good spot, and you're quite right. trouble is - the OP didn't mention that bit until several hours after the the first post, which was subsequently edited...

Fair do's

 

[Fab Foodie]

I like real food too on longer rides, especially savoury stuff, sweetness becomes sickly after a while. As Pork pies are difficult to carry I find that Pepperami and Jerky in particular (light, tasty and full of energy) are pretty convenient. Both are easy to carry and consiume on the move.
Like others if I'm out on a long day on the road I stop for a proper nosh, burger and coke usually
Near the end of a spirited 100 miler last summer I was hallucinating pork pies ....

 

[Hicky]

Take something you enjoy eating in the pockets, stop off somewhere for some food on route.
Unless your diet is amazing day to day then pumping go gels and other stuff down seems a bit of a waste of money, take it a bit easier an enjoy the ride.
At that distance I'd only want a quick bite and water.
Personally i'd take jerky, pork pies, pepperami , flapjack and water all of which I'd eat anyway

 

[mad despot]

Bananas of course! Kept in a saddle or handlebar bag so they don't get squashed.

 

[Arch]

Bananas of course! Kept in a saddle or handlebar bag so they don't get squashed.

Or get a Banana Guard.

http://www.bananaguards.co.uk/eshop/banana-guard-c-1.html

 

[Fab Foodie]

Or get a Banana Guard.

http://www.bananaguards.co.uk/eshop/banana-guard-c-1.html

And store it in your shorts like I do ....

 

[Rickshaw Phil]

Don't know about REAL food, but REAL ale is a MUST!

I couldn't agree more!

(Finishes fourth pint, cycles into tree. )

 

[raindog]

Fill your jersey pockets with Irish stew, messy but.....

 

[zizou]

It depends how hard you are exercising - if you are going quite hard then it can be difficult to digest some things. For a sandwich then something like peanut butter and jam or nutella and banana is good.

Cant remember what website it was on but there is a recipe for potato cakes that one of the teams was using in the tour de france...i tried them out and they taste great, are very effective as they have a high gi score and are easy to make. Apparently the other teams like them too and will trade favours (like helping to chase down a break) in return for a potato cake

 

[Rob500]

Peanut butter & jam sandwich for me and chocolate bar/biscuit or banana. + a handfull of jelly sweets, wine gums / miget gems type of thing, as I pedal along.

As a aside: I saw some riders eating normal food during the Giro. A few were eating sandwiches or bread rolls out of silver foil. That's the first time I've seen them eating 'real' food.