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    Bike Snacks: What to Eat When Cycling in Ireland

    By Lucianne Hare
    More by Lucianne

    Combining Snacking and Cycling

    Eating is an essential part of any cycling trip. In fact, eating is an essential part of any trip abroad. But when it comes to cycling, particularly on multi-day trips, it’s crucial to eat well to maintain energy levels, protein levels, glucose levels and general nutrition. Multi-day cycling trips can be tough on the body, requiring plenty of fuel to keep going. Food and drink are often a highlight of the trip, indulging in the hearty Irish cuisine for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

    But what about in between meals? When cycling in Ireland, it’s essential to keep hydrated and fuelled up on nutritional snacks, treats and goodies. Below, have a look at some of our favourite snacks for cycling trips in Ireland.

    Featured Bike Snacks

    All Real Bars

    All Real Bars are a great option for those who want their bike tour to be as sustainable as possible. All Real takes its commitment to sustainability seriously with fully compostable non-plastic packaging and all-natural ingredients, including milk from grass-fed Irish cows and Irish sea salt.

    The All Real brand was born from two entrepreneurs who had a passion for protein bars but wanted an all-natural, non-artificial version. Yearning to make a difference with their brand, these engineers-turned-chefs wanted to prove that single-use plastics weren’t the only option for single-serving nutrition bars.

    Beyond the branding and compostable packaging, All Real bars also needed to be delicious – which, of course, they are! All Real bars come in a variety of flavours depending on what you want, including a multi-pack for cyclists who want a little bit of everything. Flavours included almond vanilla, cashew cookie dough, peanut butter, chocolate sea salt, lemon coconut, chocolate mint, chocolate and hazelnut, and more.

    These gluten-free energy bars are designed to be protein-heavy and are ideal for long endurance needed for cycles, and the compostable packaging is ideal for disposal. For these reasons, you’ll see these delicious protein bars on every Wilderness Ireland bike trip this season.

    Learn more here.

    High 5 ZERO Electrolytes

    Less of a snack but rather a vital drink, the High 5 electrolyte tablets are nonetheless an important part of any long-distance or multi-day cycling trip.

    Tablets that are dissolvable in your water bottle might be small, but they pack a bundle in terms of vitamins. Drinking the electrolyte-mixed water will help you to avoid cramps – an experience best avoided! – while also keeping up with valuable vitamins, salts and minerals. Electrolyte tablets are also great for efficient rehydration, making them an essential part of your cycling tour in Ireland.

    The tablets come in a number of flavours, including berry, citrus, orange, grapefruit and others. Packaged in tubes of 20, the High 5 tablets are sugar-free, have zero calories, and help replace vital minerals, such as key electrolytes, sodium and magnesium, making it simple and easy to stay hydrated.

    When joining a Wilderness Ireland bike tour, you’ll be provided with these tablets. Dissolve into your water bottle – we recommend that you bring your own water bottles to reduce plastic wastage and avoid single-use plastics where possible – for that extra mineral and vitamin boost. Happy cycling!

    Learn more here.

    Clif Bars®

     

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    Yes, we admit that Clif Bars® aren’t Irish. But they are tasty and popular worldwide.

    Clif Bars® are energy bars made with a nutritious blend of organic rolled oats and other ingredients to help you sustain energy for long distance cycling. Using 70% organic ingredients, they come in a variety of flavours such as chocolate and almond, coconut chocolate chip, peanut butter banana, crunchy peanut butter, blueberry crisp, and more.

    According to their website, eating Clif Bars® provides energy from their multiple carbohydrate sources and a blend of protein, fat and fibre, slowing digestion and keeping energy levels sustained. This allows you to go harder for longer, pushing yourself up Ireland’s hills or letting you get that extra push to finish a longer day on the saddle.

    They recommend that cyclists should eat Clif Bars in the morning ahead of your day’s cycle as well as during the cycle to help store energy, prevent hunger cravings, and keep feeling fit and lively during your day’s two-wheeled adventure.

    Though you won’t find them in your bike snack selection, Clif Bars® are available from most large grocery stores in Ireland.

    Learn more here.

    SiS Gel Pouches

    SiS, or Science In Sport, offers Mini GO Energy bars or SiS GO Isotonic Energy Gels. Both are great options for cyclists. The bars, like most energy bars, give you long energy that is great for endurance cycling. The gel packs, on the other hand, give you a quick sugar refill. Depending on your cycling needs, it could be worth combining the two types of SiS packs.

    Multiple gel flavours are available, including classic tastes like lemon, orange, and pineapple. Other flavours include apple and blackcurrant, banana fudge, as well as chocolate and red berry.

    The 60 ml gel packs are a quick and digestible supply of carbohydrates (20g per pack) that can help eliminate fatigue and allow a quick energy intake without feeling bloated. We’ve found that across the board, gels are, well, gels. They may not be the most delicious thing due to their very nature, but they are very effective and efficient, and overall, we’ve found that SiS gels are pretty palatable and are easy to dispense from the pouch.

    Learn more about the gels here or the bars here.

    Date Energy Balls

    For something a little bit different, why not snack on date energy balls? For cyclists who are also hands-on in the kitchen, you can make them yourself and bring them along on your tour.

    Rivalling trail mix, energy balls are an easy snack to carry and eat while pedalling and offer similar benefits. There are many variations of date energy balls, but common ingredients include dates (of course), oatmeal, nuts, maple syrup, coconut, cocoa powder, and sunflower seeds. Other optional ingredients might include cinnamon, crushed pretzels, or perhaps other types of dried fruit.

    Check out this no-bake recipe if you’re keen to try making your own (though of course other similar recipes exist; find one that works best for you).

    If cooking isn’t among your interests or your travel plans make it hard to travel with homemade energy balls, the Sibly Classic Nut Butter Energy Ball is a store-bought option. Sibly’s version of this delicious treat is a mix of dark chocolate, nut butter, oats, honey, berries, peanut butter, and more. Not only that, but it’s a local Irish product and addictively delicious.

    Learn more here.

    Note: Before embarking on your multi-day bike trip, we recommend that you experiment with a few different types of bike snacks – from bars to gels to electrolyte tablets and more – to find the combination that works best for you. Add this to your regular bike training schedule, as no one will know your own body’s needs and eventual limitations better than yourself. 

    Cycling Tours in Ireland

    Meet the Author: Lucianne Hare

    Swapping the gentle hills and lakes of Yorkshire for the wild landscapes and rugged coastlines of Sligo and Donegal, Lucianne is our resident expert surfer, swimmer and all things water sports.

    View profile More by Lucianne

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