Runner-Friendly Summer Recipes (2024)

FAQs

What is a good meal prep for runners? ›

Try make-ahead meals and freezer meals. For breakfast, make baked egg cups, overnight oatmeal, or chia pudding. For lunch or dinner, baked sweet potatoes to use for stuffed sweet potatoes, chili, or a filling soup or stew is easy to store and eat for later. Even casseroles or pasta dishes can be made ahead of time.

After breakfast, you should consistently consume nutritionally balanced food every two to four hours throughout the day. This eating plan will keep your 'engine running', so to speak, ensuring your metabolic efficiency and enhancing your ability to power through your run. So, don't let yourself go hungry.

Eat fruits and vegetables.

Unlike processed foods, which typically don't contain much water and can be harder to digest, many fruits and vegetables are full of water and nutrition. Experts recommend eating produce with high water content, such as berries, watermelon, cucumbers, tomatoes, celery and bell peppers.

Beans, broccoli, and berries: remember those three B's as you don't want to eat them just before a run or a workout. The same goes for apples, lentils, anything whole grain, and other brassica vegetables (Brussels sprouts, cabbage, cauliflower, and kale). These are some of the top foods that runners should avoid.

Quinoa, chia seeds, oats, bananas, almonds, salmon, sweet potatoes, leafy greens, berries, lean meats, beans and lentils, Greek yoghurt, eggs, maca root, green tea, dark chocolate, tuna, coconut, pumpkin seeds, and wheat germ are some of the greatest superfoods for enhancing stamina.

Avoid heavy meals the day before the race and only eat familiar foods on the day itself. Bread/toast, bagel, peanut butter, fruit without skin (banana), pulp-free fruit juice or sports drink for a pre-race breakfast.

Best Healthy Snacks for Runners

This includes dried fruits, nuts, nut butters, crackers, pretzels, hummus, apples, bananas and other fresh fruits, yogurt, and cheese sticks. This way you will be able to build a healthy snack at any time, including some of those below.

What happens if a runner doesn't eat enough? ›

If a runner is under-fueling, they might feel fatigued (that “dead legs” feeling) during or after runs, not able to hit their goal paces, have a hard time recovering after runs, experience unintended weight loss, and may have a higher risk of injuries.

Eggs are a great source of protein, B12 and iron – which is particularly useful for runners who are vegetarian – and one of the only dietary sources of Vitamin D. Moreover, eggs are one of the only sources of a nutrient called choline, which we make in small quantities in our body.

Healthy sources of fat include nuts, nut butters, avocados, olive and coconut oils. Limit use of vegetable oils such as corn, cottonseed or soybean oil. Dietary protein plays a key role in muscle repair and growth. Preferred sources of protein include lean meats, eggs, dairy (yogurt, milk, cottage cheese) and legumes.

"I normally don't recommend runners go for a run on an empty stomach due to blood sugar and energy level concerns," Garcia said. "Starting a run fasted can induce hypoglycemia symptoms, make a runner feel sluggish, and can negatively impact their recovery time."