15 Real-Food Alternatives to Energy Gels and Chews for Endurance Athletes
Sweet and Salty Rice Crispy Bars make a great real-food alternative to packaged gels and chews
If you’ve ever hit that point mid-ride where gels and chews start tasting too sweet or artificial, you’re not alone. More and more cyclists and endurance athletes are turning to real foods as an alternative to fuel their rides.
There’s absolutely a time and place for gels and squeezes — like high-intensity training, races, or times when convenience and rapid absorption matter most. But on long endurance rides, casual trail days, or adventure rides with friends, real food often hits the spot, helps prevent flavor fatigue, and keeps your stomach (and mood) happy.
As I shared in 5 Rad Reasons to Choose Real Food to Fuel Your Rides, eating real food can:
Help you avoid palate fatigue during long efforts.
Provide natural sources of electrolytes and energy.
Keep your gut calm and comfortable over time.
Save on your wallet: real-food options can be 3-5x more effective.
Reduce single-use packaging waste.
Make fueling more enjoyable and sustainable.
Best of all, these are simple, limited-ingredient foods — many of which you probably already have in your kitchen — that can easily replace or complement gels and chews when the ride (and your body) calls for it.
15 Real-Food Swaps for Gels and Chews
Bananas
A classic for good reason. Naturally portable, easy to digest, and loaded with simple carbs and potassium to prevent cramping. Might not be as sexy as it once used to be, but 100% still reliable.
How to use: Eat half or whole during longer rides; wrap in foil for easy storage. Use them in quick cakes and breads.
Benefits: Quick, clean energy with natural electrolytes.
Nutrition: ~25-30g carbs per medium banana.
Medjool Dates
Nature’s caramel — soft, sweet, and packed with glucose and fructose for fast energy. My favorite brand is Rancho Meladuco.
How to use: Pit and eat as-is, stuff with nut butter, ghee, or jam, or make into energy bars
Benefits: Quick-burning energy that’s easy to chew and gentle on digestion.
Nutrition: ~18g carbs per large date.
Recipe: DIY Stuffed Date Candy Bars
Potatoes and Sweet Potatoes
White or baby gold potatoes are mild, moist, carb-rich, and full of potassium for muscles. Sweet potatoes offer gentle, complex carbs for steady energy and easy digestion. Perfect fuel for any ride.
How to use: Boil, salt, or add a sprinkle of Parmesan. Eat them like an apple or pop bite-sized pieces mid-ride. Mash and make into muffins or pancakes.
Benefits: Savory, satisfying, and great for balancing sweet foods.
Nutrition: ~25-30g carbs per ½ cup cooked.
Cookies and Cookie Bars
Cookies for fuel? Absolutely! One homemade bar matches mainstream energy bars nutritionally but offers more moisture, easier digestion, and less waste. Plus, you get to enjoy making it!
How to use: Cut into small pieces or pack whole for longer rides.
Benefits: Portable, customizable, and morale-boosting mid-ride.
Nutrition: ~20-30g carbs per cookie/bar.
Sliced Bread or Mini Sandwiches
White bread provides simple carbs that are easy on the stomach and endlessly versatile.
How to use: Make small sandwiches with jam, nut butter, or cream cheese. Roll them up or bake them as pies for a compact fuel source.
Benefits: Familiar texture, mild flavor, and steady energy.
Nutrition: ~12-15g carbs per slice.
Recipe: The Ultimate Cycling Ride Pie
Rice Crispy Bars
Rice crispy treats are the ultimate ride snack! Loved in the Tour de France for their light, chewy texture and quick carbs, they fuel you fast. Made with simple, affordable ingredients, they’re perfect on the go—and you can customize them with your favorite add-ins.
How to use: Make with marshmallows, nut butter, date paste, or syrup; cut and wrap individually.
Benefits: Compact and low-fat, ideal for mid-ride energy.
Nutrition: ~25-30g carbs per bar.
Recipe: Sweet and Salty Rice Crispy Bars
Dried Fruit + Added Sugar
Concentrated, high-carb fuel with natural sugars.
How to use: Eat handfuls of raisins, apricots, or pineapple rings (bonus if they’re sugar-coated).
Benefits: Quick energy for hard efforts or climbs.
Nutrition: ~30g carbs per ¼ cup.
Favorite product: Dried Pineapple Chunks from Nuts.com
Bakery Items (Donuts, Scones, Muffins)
Short on time? Head to your favorite local bakery and pick up a few donuts, scones, muffins, or cookies. Individually wrap, freeze, and use for fueling your rides during the week.
How to use: Bring smaller bakery items for long rides or coffee stops. Cookies, scones, bars, donuts, etc..
Benefits: Soft texture, quick carbs, and a satisfying morale boost.
Nutrition: ~30-40g carbs per item.
Flour Tortillas
Soft, packable, and perfect for any filling, flour tortillas are the ultimate grab-and-go ride fuel.
How to use: Spread with jam, nut butter, Nutella, or honey; roll and slice into bite-sized pieces.
Benefits: Balanced carbs for steady fuel.
Nutrition: ~25-30g carbs per tortilla.
Homemade Fruit Strips
Homemade fruit strips are your DIY, homemade take on chewy fruit snacks—made with real ingredients, no mystery additives. Tasty, nourishing, and fun, perfect for packing during rides.
How to use: Blend fruit with sugar or honey, then dehydrate or bake until leathery.
Benefits: Natural sweetness, minimal ingredients, no artificial junk.
Nutrition: ~20-25g carbs per strip.
Pancakes or Waffles
Pancakes and waffles are classic comfort foods that double as awesome cycling fuel. They’re simple, soft, and easy to pack or eat before and during your ride.
How to use: Make mini pancakes ahead of time or sandwich two with jam or nut butter.
Benefits: Familiar, easy to chew, and great for variety.
Nutrition: ~25g carbs per 2 small pancakes.
Recipe: Packable Sweet Potato Pancake Sandwiches (recipe #2)
Rice Cakes
Rice cakes have pedaled into cyclists’ hearts, thanks to Skratch Labs’ game-changing recipes. Lightweight and packed with just the right carbs, they offer clean, easy-digestible energy without gut heaviness.
How to use: Use sushi or Calrose rice, mix with sugar, soy sauce, or jam, and press into squares.
Benefits: High-carb, low-fat, customizable, and gentle on the stomach.
Nutrition: ~35g carbs per small cake.
Peanut Butter Pretzels
The perfect salty-sweet pick-me-up.
How to use: Eat a handful mid-ride or between snacks.
Benefits: Sodium for hydration balance, and fat for longer-lasting energy.
Nutrition: ~15-20g carbs per 1 oz handful.
Favorite Product: PB Pretzels from Nuts.com
Fig Bars
Homemade fig bars are like tiny, chewy love letters to your ride—soft-baked with a jammy burst of fruitiness that fuels your legs and your soul.
How to use: Bring one or two in your jersey pocket for quick, mess-free energy.
Benefits: Whole grains plus fruit for steady carbs and gentle digestion.
Nutrition: ~30-35g carbs per bar.
Recipe: Figgin’ Awesome Energy Bars
Favorite product: Nature’s Bakery Fig Bars
Fruit Pouches / Energy Squeezes
Real-food gels made from fruit purees, jams, juices, or honey — easy, natural, and totally customizable.
How to use: Mix your own (banana + honey, or berries + juice + pinch of salt) and store in reusable baby food pouches.
Benefits: Smooth texture, clean ingredients, quick-absorbing energy.
Nutrition: ~20-25g carbs per pouch.
Recipe: 15 DIY Homemade Gels, Energy Squeezes, and Smoothies
Energy Bars and Balls
Compact bites and bars made from oats, nut butter, honey, or dried fruit. Perfect for a DIY alternative to packaged gels.
How to use: Pack a few bite-sized balls or bars in a small bag; eat every 30-45 minutes during long rides.
Benefits: Balanced carbs, fats, and sometimes protein for steady energy; easy to customize flavors.
Nutrition: ~15-25g carbs per 1–2 inch bar/ball.
Recipe: Dubai Chocolate Energy Balls
The Bottom Line
There’s no need to ditch gels and chews completely — they’re still great tools for racing and high-intensity efforts when you need fast, predictable energy. But for longer endurance rides, adventure days, and easy spins, real food can be a refreshing, satisfying, and effective alternative.
Experiment with a mix of both and find what works best for your body and your rides. Because fueling well isn’t about choosing sides — it’s about feeling good, performing strong, and enjoying every mile.
Download Your Free E-Recipe Book
Want more real-food ideas for your rides? Download the Biked Goods 50 Portable Ride Snacks E-Recipe Book for free!
This e-recipe book is packed with 50 delicious, easy-to-make, real-food portable snacks designed for cyclists and endurance athletes. Whether you’re heading out for a training ride, lining up for race day, or embarking on an all-day adventure, these grab-and-go recipes will keep you energized and satisfied.
Bakin’ Biker ‘26 Cookbook
The 2026 cookbook is packed with 110+ simple, packable, and nutrient-dense recipes that help keep you energized, recover faster, and support long-term health. Take your nutrition to new heights!