Chitown_Mike

I like to cook, and I really like making my own bars for rides and such because I know what goes in them and I know what my body likes and responds well to, and what it doesn't. I have made GCN's bars before (here is their vid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMJEIiWV3VQ) and they were excellent on long rides.

Anyone make their own fruit, or Larabar-style bars? *Looking for recipes for some. *Right now I make it with a base of organic prunes, some dried organic coconut, a drop of vanilla extract, organic peanut butter, and I will throw in some sort of organic granola or nuts and use my food processor to mix it all up. *Freeze it, cut it up into blocks, and take it on rides. *Great for the instant simple sugars and the longer complex carbs on long rides, and protein. *Also make a nice snack during the work day!

Looking to see what other riders that make their own do, want to try some other flavors. Figured we can share what we make so we can keep it healthy and without all of the weird stuff like high-fructose corn syrup

TrojanHorse

That Lim fella has a cookbook called the feed zone (I think) that features some home made rice cakes and whatnot for food.

I find that I normally lack the time or willpower to prep that much in advance so I reach into my stash of clif bars or payday bars, but I'd rather do my own if feasible.

Chitown_Mike

I like cooking and such so maybe that's why I do it. However the fruit bars don't require baking, just food process them like crazy, shape, freeze, cut into blocks, and refreeze. Probably take about 10 minutes for me, clean up is a little hassle since everything is coated in dried fruit guts, but using a rubber spatula means I clean out the food processor pretty quickly.

Willbird

My favorite right now is this one, not a "bar" bar as such though.

Recipe: Mushroom & Swiss Frittata | Runner's World

It is in the feed zone portables book.

I honestly have not use them as "ride food" yet, I take them to work to eat during my shift, I have tried white and brown rice, either is fine, and have used the white mushrooms and portabella and either is fine, even tossed in some canned when I did not have quite enough fresh mushrooms. The white rice would probably be better for ride food maybe ??

I toss in 1/2 teaspoon of coarse ground black "butcher pepper"...might require less of a finer mesh pepper, have went up to 1 full teaspoon but that was MAYBE a bit much ? I like lots of fresh ground pepper on lots of things though :-).

I have made them in a silicone "dessert bar" pan too for a smaller portion or a more rectangular shape.
Steel Reinforced Silicone Dessert Bar Pan | Overstock™ Shopping - Great Deals on Silicone Bakeware

Bill

Willbird

Oh one more thing :-).....I tried freezing them, and you could live on them I guess, but compared to fresh the frozen ones suck :-).

Thought about making up everything but the eggs into a mix and try vac sealing THAT for quicker prep during the week but have not gotten to it yet. You can toss the rice into the rice cooker and have the other stuff just about ready to go when the rice cooker "pops" over to warm.

korbjonathan

i follow skratch labs recipe books for everything.

Willbird

I have both books and love them, one BIG difference between their stuff and dry bricks you can buy in the store is water content, the recipe I posted up is 45% water...making it a lot easier on the digestive system, and we would have to drink water to hydrate the brick type inside of us anyway :-).

baron von trail 

I made a pretty good paste from raisins, salt and banana. Super energy! But, it was messy trying to carry and eat it on the trails, especially on hot days. So, I switched to buying GU Gels which come in nice 100 kcal packages. Plus you can get them with caffeine.

Willbird

I tried those like 20 years ago when they were pretty new, should stash some on the bike :-), so far I ride mostly on weekdays and not really far or long enough to need fuel on a ride that Subway cannot provide :-)

baron von trail 

My new habit is riding on a mostly empty stomach and fueling every hour with a gel. On commutes, I eat a PBJ sandwich on whole grain before walking the dogs. it digests by the time I start the 20-mile ride into work. I eat a good lunch, but eat nothing after it. I'll gel though before riding the 30-mile trip home. I feel better riding on an empty stomach.

I get better cycling results that way. Trying to get my calories by eating before or during a ride never really agreed with me.

Willbird

At first eating and then riding or walking was the ONLY I could really eat Quakers Old fashioned, if I ate them and just sat in front of the computer it fired my blood sugar up to like 180.

I had 70g today (I usually eat 80 but for to the bottom of a container and just had 70g)....fasting sugar was 95, 30 minutes after the oats was 104, went for a 35 minute walk and it was 100...checked about an hour later and it was 90. So my insulin response may be getting closer to normal :-).

Also registered a record low blood pressure today, no meds at all for over 30 days...110/74

Dunno if I have ever seen it so low :-).


Bill

Sullalto

I use https://www.amazon.com/Feed-Zone-Port.../dp/1937715000

etw

Here are some energy bars that are easy and tasty

Ellie Krieger

baron von trail 

The rule of thumb, IIRC, is always walk at least 500-1000 steps a few minutes after eating. I try to do at least that.

Willbird

Well that may be a good plan overall :-)......but a "normal" person with no diabetic tendencies can eat ANYTHING and not see an excessive blood sugar spike from it, and returning to "normal" is one of my overall goals :-).

Bill

Nikon shooter

I made these and they're great, better than cherry pie Larabar.

cherry pie larabars

linnefaulk

https://www.bikeradar.com/fitness/art...gy-bars-11916/ This was just posted today/ I have thought about making my own but they usually don't last long enough for me to eat them all. I really like Kind bars.

linnefaulk

Make your own organic energy bars - BikeRadar This was just posted today/ I have thought about making my own but they usually don't last long enough for me to eat them all. I really like Kind bars.

etw

Homemade KIND Bars