Rudely Alternative Ride Snacks

Winter training has started in earnest. Long miles, and hard efforts. Rides that require more than your morning bowl of porridge to get you through them. Rides that require #fuelfortheride.

Energy bars and bananas are all well and good, but after a time you crave something different. Something to add some flavour and excitement, when you pull the foil wrapped package from your jersey pocket, with frozen fingers.

Using a selection of products from Rude Health, I have come up with these 'Rudely Alternative Ride Snacks'…

Chia Peanut Butter and Ginger Oaty Sandwiches

How many superfoods can you pack into a jersey pocket? Chia Charge Peanut Butter, and Rude Health's Ginger and Turmeric Oatys, contain four at least.

The recipe is pretty self-explanatory: grab two oat cakes, make a peanut butter sandwich of them, and then wrap it in tin foil to keep it all together. Alternatively, take the component parts with you, using Pip and Nut's Squeeze Packs, and a four pack of Oatys.

The ginger and turmeric battle muscle soreness. Peanut butter is packed full of good fuelling fats. The oats, provide great low-GI carbohydrate fuel. Then, the chia seeds battle inflammation, amongst a whole host of other benefits. Super ride food.

Baked Almond and Peanut Butter Banana Oat Bars

Rude Health makes porridge, which puts all other porridge to shame. A particular favourite of mine is the Almond Butter and Sea Salt Porridge mix - it takes the traditional oat-based breakfast to the next level.

Porridge and oats are not just for breakfast though. Baked oat bars make an awesome ride snack.

Check out the full recipe here - Just swap in the Rude Health's Almond Butter and Sea Salt Porridge for the 'Rolled Oats' listed in the ingredients.

These tasty oat bars will provide great slow release energy, without the sweetness and stickiness of many energy bars.

Rude Health Sprouted Spelt Sandwiches

Read a pro-cycling chef's cookbook (such as Vélochef or The Grandtour Cookbook), and you will see that many professional cycling teams are moving away from the much loved pasta, and turning back to traditional (ancient) carbohydrates, such as spelt and rye bread.

Low-GI carbohydrates, such as the ancient grain spelt, provide a great sustainable slow-release energy source.

I use a breadmaker to make a mixed spelt and granary flour loaf. Slice it up, and then make it into great sandwiches using nut butters, hummus, or mashed bananas. Wrap them in foil, and pop them in your jersey pocket.

Sweet Potato and Cacao Snack Bar

Lastly, because sometimes you run out of time, and cannot make your own fabulous ride snacks... Here is a ready-made 'Rudely Alternative' option.

The Sweet Potato and Cacao Snack bar is Rude Health's alternative to a traditional cereal bar. Sweet potato provides a great slow release source of energy, as well as being soft and easy to eat; making it the perfect (if slightly unexpected) ingredient for an energy bar.


Four ideas for alternative fuel for the ride. No excuse not to get out and enjoy the winter training, with some tasty snacks in your pockets.