High Carb Snacks for Athletes

bowl of oatmeal with fruit and nuts to provide quick energy before training - high carb snacks for athletes

Do you find yourself “hitting the wall” or “bonking” before your workout is done? 

Are you frustrated that you aren’t meeting your performance goals? 

Trust me, I’ve been there. 

Looking back, it’s clear I was majorly underfueling for my long workouts and was missing high-carb snacks in my diet! 

Get ready to discover 12 high carb snacks for athletes that will power you through those miles with a smile!

Why do endurance athletes need carbs?

Carbohydrates are the most important nutrient to provide quick energy during endurance training and racing. Think of them as the fuel that drives us towards the finish line! We use the glucose (sugar) from carbohydrate sources to fuel our high-intensity exercise and endurance training. 

Carbohydrates are turned into glycogen stored in the muscles to be used for energy later. These glycogen stores are depleted during endurance and high-intensity exercise. 

We need to consistently eat high-carb foods throughout the day to maximize and replenish glycogen stores. Low glycogen stores can lead to severe fatigue and bonking! 

An athlete’s carbohydrate needs depend on the duration and intensity of training. Foods high in simple carbohydrates are easily digested and provide energy for training. 

How many carbs do athletes need?

The amount of carbohydrates athletes should consume pre-workout depends on the duration and intensity of training. Carbohydrate needs increase with longer and higher intensity workouts.

Exercise DurationCarbohydrate Intake
30 – 60 minutes< 1 gm carbs/kg
60 – 90 minutes1 gm carbs/kg
90 minutes – 2.5 hours2 gm carbs/kg
> 2.5 hours3 – 4 gm carbs/kg

For example, a 180 lb (82 kg) athlete should consume 164 grams of carbohydrates before a 2 hour easy run. 

When should athletes eat high carb snacks?

It’s probably not the best idea to try to fit all your carbohydrate needs in right you head out for a long workout or you could be stopping for some extra bathroom breaks. 

Aim to finish meals with most of your pre-training carbohydrate needs around 2-4 hours before your workout. This gives your body time to digest your food and build up those glycogen stores. 

Include protein, fat, and fiber with your pre-workout meal a few hours before you train to meet your nutrition needs and feel satisfied. 

Reach for an easily digestible snack about 30 to 90 minutes before your workout. Simple carbohydrates will digest and provide energy quickly! 

You may be feeling overwhelmed and thinking “Wow, that’s a lot of carbs to eat before my run!” Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered with this list of high carb snacks for athletes to fuel your workouts.

bowl of banana slices is high carb snack for athletes to provide quick energy

12 Easy High Carb Snacks for Athletes

Download my FREE High Carb Snacks for Athletes PDF – perfect to print so you’re never wondering how to fuel before your workouts!

Bananas

A medium-sized banana contains about 27 grams of carbohydrates and digests very quickly! These are a great snack any time of the day and can be made a more balanced snack by adding nut butter for some protein and fat. 

My go-to snack before a 90 minute swim practice is a banana with Nutella and it really hits the spot at 5:30am! 

Yogurt

Yogurt is easy to digest, even for those with lactose intolerance, and is a great source of carbohydrates depending on the flavor and brand. Note that Greek yogurt is lower in carbohydrates and higher in protein than most other yogurts so it’s important to read nutrition labels! Build your own yogurt parfait by adding fruit, granola, or cereal. 

Fruit Smoothies

The best part about smoothies is that they are totally customizable, so they can be a great source of fuel for workouts or be a recovery snack. Before a workout, add in fruits, yogurt, fruit juice, honey, or maple syrup for energy! After a workout, consider adding more protein for recovery like milk, Greek yogurt, nut butters, trail mix, or protein powders. 

Bagel

A single bagel is about 60 grams of carbohydrates to fuel your training depending on the brand and flavor. You can add protein to your snack with nut butter and cream cheese, or add even more carbs with fruit and honey. 

Oatmeal

A cup of oatmeal has about 27 grams of carbs and can be made easily digestible by making overnight oats. Add in frozen fruit, honey, maple syrup, trail mix, or granola for extra carbs! 

Applesauce

Applesauce is a great source of carbs and applesauce pouches are a great snack for the athlete on-the-go. Sweetened applesauce has about 47 grams of carbs per cup and unsweetened applesauce has about 28 grams of carbs.

Rice Cakes

Rice cakes are very easy to digest with 7 grams of carbs per cake so a few rice cakes are a great snack. Slather on some nut butter, bananas, and honey for an even higher carb snack! 

Graham Crackers 

Each graham cracker has 11 grams of carbs, which makes them the perfect snack to grab just before your workout! As always, read the nutrition label for exact amounts of carbs depending on the brand and flavor.

Pretzels

Just 16 mini pretzels have 23 grams of easy to digest carbs making it a great pre-workout snack! On top of that, a serving of pretzels have 280 mg of sodium to help you get ahead of your electrolytes if you’re a heavy sweater. 

Fig Bars

The Nature’s Bakery Fig Bars are one of my favorite snacks and have 38 grams of carbs to fuel your training session. Consider crumbling them on yogurt or slathering them in nut butter for even nutrients. 

PB&J

I truly believe that a great peanut butter and jelly sandwich is the most underrated food. Grab an Uncrustable or make your own sandwich for 28 grams of carbs before you head out for your next run. 

Banana Bread

A slice of banana bread provides a quick and delicious energy boost with about 33 grams of carbs depending on the recipe. If you need a good recipe, I highly recommend Sally’s Baking Addiction for all your baked goods. You can thank me later.

Foods to avoid before exercise

High-Fiber Foods

Fiber is a complex carbohydrate that is important for regulating blood sugar and keeping us full. However, it takes longer to digest than simple carbohydrates so it will not provide the quick energy we need and may cause GI distress. 

High-Fat foods

Similar to fiber, fat takes much longer to digest than carbohydrates and is not the main source of fuel for workouts. This slow digestion will likely cause GI distress during exercise so aim for 1 tbsp of peanut butter with your high carb snacks right before training. 

Hot, Spicy Foods

These foods can cause acid reflux and heartburn, which will cause abdominal discomfort while exercising. Save your favorite spicy foods for your post-workout recovery meals!

Final Thoughts

High carb snacks are the fuel for endurance training and are especially important in the 30-90 minutes prior to exercise. Focusing on high carb snacks before workouts can build up our glycogen stores and prevent us from bonking during those long training sessions. Simple carbs are easily digested and available quickly for energy during workouts so it’s important to avoid high fiber that is considered a complex carbohydrate and will digest slowly.

If you still need help knowing what and when to fuel for your performance, let’s work together! My Endurance Fueling Guide is perfect for athletes looking for self-paced nutrition education.

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