{"id":29222,"date":"2017-05-18T16:21:15","date_gmt":"2017-05-18T20:21:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nomeatathlete.com\/?p=29222"},"modified":"2020-02-03T13:03:45","modified_gmt":"2020-02-03T18:03:45","slug":"homemade-running-fuel","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nomeatathlete.com\/homemade-running-fuel\/","title":{"rendered":"Real Food on the Run: 10 Homemade Running Fuel "Pouch" Recipes"},"content":{"rendered":"

Note from Matt: This post was written by Stepfanie Romine, co-author of the new <\/em>No Meat Athlete Cookbook<\/a>. Unlike other recipes we’ve posted, this one isn’t from the book — but it nicely captures the practical, real-food spirit of the Fuel & Recovery chapter (my favorite part of the book).<\/em><\/p>\n

Experiment and enjoy this one, and when you have a minute, check out Sports Illustrated’s recent article<\/a> about <\/em>The No Meat Athlete Cookbook, in which they condensed the first few chapters into a nice piece that I think is perfect for helping this movement reach mainstream awareness, plus shared a substantial and delicious lentil-mushroom pasta dish from the book.<\/em><\/p>\n

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You know those runners who can eat or drink whatever they want during a workout or race? The ones that scarf down anything and everything, and never seem to have any trouble?<\/p>\n

Yeah, I’m not one of those runners. Chances are you aren’t either.<\/p>\n

Whatever the reason — a finicky digestive system, a food sensitivity or allergy, or simply a preference for knowing what\u2019s going in your body — most of us have to pack our own food and drinks during rides and runs.<\/p>\n

And if you’re anything like me, you’d much prefer to make your own fuel than buy processed gels with ingredients you can’t pronounce.<\/p>\n

Awhile back, while discussing the \u201cFuel & Recovery\u201d chapter of the new No Meat Athlete Cookbook<\/a><\/em>, Matt shared with me one of the quirky foods he ate while training for an ultra…<\/p>\n

Baby food.<\/p>\n

More accurately, fruit-and-veggie-based squeeze pouches for toddlers that he discovered at Starbucks (yup, Matt and his then six-month-old son were pretty much eating the same food). While they were made with real food and served their purpose, the disposable pouches and hefty price tag made them less than ideal for regular consumption.<\/p>\n

But it got me thinking: Could I create a cheaper version on my own? A homemade, real-food, energy-packed running fuel that’s easy to eat on a long run?<\/p>\n

Turns out it’s simple, and since I’ve started using reusable silicone pouches<\/a> there\u2019s much less waste, too. But if all you’ve got on hand is plastic baggies, that works too — just bite off the corner and squeeze when you’re ready to eat, just like you would with an energy gel.<\/p>\n

Introducing the Homemade Running Fuel Pouch<\/h3>\n

Since Matt first discovered the pureed food pouch several years ago, several other companies have gotten on board. Most notably CLIF, who has a line of squeezable pouches they call Organic Energy Food<\/a> (I hear Scott Jurek<\/a> fueled much of this Appalachian Trail speed record with them).<\/p>\n

This type of fuel has taken off because it’s easy to consume — no chewing necessary — and consists of real fuel instead of the junk in energy gels.<\/p>\n

And as I discovered, they’re really simple to make. You either mix or puree the ingredients together with enough water to achieve your desired texture, then use a funnel to pour them into your pouch. That\u2019s it.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not haute cuisine, but it is good, simple fuel to mix into your regular rotation of mid-exercise eats. Below I share the versions I love most, but you\u2019ll notice that these are not detailed recipes and, in some cases, offer ranges rather than exact amounts.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not us being lazy. It\u2019s because we know that each athlete is different, and you\u2019ll want to customize these to your palate and that day\u2019s workout.<\/p>\n

Tips:<\/strong><\/p>\n