10 Pre-Ride Breakfasts To Power Your Next Endurance Cycling Ride
This Bombin’ Blueberry Bircher is designed to provide long-lasting energy and keep you feeling full. It's light, creamy, and incredibly satisfying.
Fueling your morning ride with the proper nutrition is crucial for optimizing performance and endurance. In this blog post, we present ten delicious and nutritious pre-ride breakfasts that provide the perfect balance of carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats.
From energizing smoothies to hearty bircher muesli bowls and protein-packed wraps and pancakes, these meals are designed to sustain your energy levels and help you hit the trail or road feeling your best.
Whether you're gearing up for a long-distance journey or a quick morning spin, these recipes will inspire your morning routine and set you up for a successful morning ride.
Read further to learn pre-ride breakfast nutrition tips along with 10 recipes to help power you through your ride!
5 Pre-Ride Breakfast Nutrition Tips
EAT ENOUGH! The best equipment, training plans, and coaching won’t matter if your fuel tank is empty. Undereating can be detrimental to your training and long-term well-being and is something I don’t wish upon anyone. There are a few ways to know or gauge if you’re eating enough (or not). To start, calculate your basal metabolic rate (BMR) and then multiply your BMR by your activity level to determine your total daily energy expenditure. Find calculators online to help you with this and use it as a benchmark. Read below for more tips on how many carbs to eat.
If possible, eat a full meal 3-4 hours before a long or hard training ride/race to give your body enough time to digest. Eat a substantial carb-rich meal and stick to familiar foods that contain low amounts of fat and fiber. If you’re able to get in a full meal 3-4 hours before your ride, you can eat a simple, quick snack 15-30 minutes before the ride to top off your glycogen stores.
Consuming 3-4g per kg of body weight in carbs is recommended for your pre-training/race meal. If you are 75kg (or 165 lbs), this would be 225-300g carbs. If it’s 3 hours before your ride, aim for 3g per kg and if it’s 4 hours before your ride, aim. for 4g per kg.
Adding a smoothie or glass of fruit juice to your pre-ride breakfast can help you hit these carb marks in tip #3 without overstuffing yourself. See recipe #6 for a Tart Cherry and Banana Smoothie
Omit/limit fat and fiber - When it comes to building your pre-ride meal, omit/limit the amount of oil/butter or use a light cooking spray or water instead of oil. Limit or omit other fats (avocado, nuts, and cheese) and fiber (greens and beans). Fat and fiber take a long time for the body to digest and can make exercising feel uncomfortable.
Time to eat! Let’s dive into these 10 pre-ride breakfast recipes to help you crush your next endurance ride.
1. Bombin’ Bircher Muesli
Serves 1
Time 5 minutes prep, 20 minutes to overnight for soaking
Ingredients
Blueberry Bircher
½ cup Classic DIY Muesli Mix (sign up for a free Bakin’ Biker’s Club to get the recipe)
1 Tbsp quinoa flakes (substitute rolled oats)
½ cup Greek yogurt
½ cup unsweetened apple juice
½ cup milk of choice
1 tsp of chia seeds
1 Tbsp lemon juice (optional, to help with digestion)
Toppings
1 Tbsp pepitas
1 Tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes
1 Tbsp honey
½ cup fresh blueberries
Directions
Add muesli, quinoa flakes, yogurt, apple juice, milk, chia seeds, and lemon juice, if using, to a cereal bowl. Stir and let rest for 20 minutes at room temperature or store covered in the fridge overnight.
Top with pepitas, coconut flakes, honey, and fresh chopped blueberries. Enjoy!
Baker’s Tip
Making your own homemade muesli mix is easy. To get started, follow The DIY Muesli Formula.
The Ultimate DIY Muesli Formula = 4 cups grains + 1 cup nuts/seeds + 1 cup dried fruit + optional seasoning.
By following this formula, you’ll get roughly 35-40g of carbs, 7-9g of fat, and 6-8g of protein per ½ cup serving. A balanced way to start your ride!
2. A Biker's Classic Bircher Muesli
Serves 2
Time 5 minutes to prep, 20 minutes to overnight for soaking
Ingredients
2 Honeycrisp or other crisp apples, divided
1 cup of Classic DIY Muesli
1 cup unsweetened almond milk (substitute milk of choice)
2 Tbsp Greek yogurt
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1-2 Tbsp honey
Chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds for topping (optional)
Directions
Grate 1 apple using the large holes of a box grater. In a small bowl with a lid, combine the shredded apple, muesli, milk, apple juice, lemon juice and zest, and cinnamon. Stir, cover, and let soak for 20 minutes at room temperature or refrigerate overnight.
Chop the other apple. Divide muesli between two bowls. Top with chopped apple, a drizzle of honey, and extra nuts if desired.
3. Endurance Cakes
Makes 12 cakes
Time 10 minutes prep, 10-15 minutes to cook
Ingredients
2 eggs
1 cup milk of choice
½ cup Greek yogurt
3 Tbsp melted unsalted butter or coconut oil, cooled
¾ cup all-purpose (substitute gluten free 1:1 baking flour)
¾ cup buckwheat, amaranth, millet, spelt, or more all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp coconut or cane sugar
½ tsp fine sea salt
2-4 Tbsp extra milk or apple juice, if/as needed to reach the desired consistency
For serving
Warm maple syrup
Quick Berry Compote (see below)
Toasted nuts and seeds
Directions
Beat the eggs, milk, and yogurt at high speed until light and foamy, about 3 minutes, using a stand or hand mixer. Stir in the cooled melted butter or coconut oil.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, sugar, and sea salt in a separate bowl to evenly distribute the ingredients.
Gently and quickly mix the dry ingredients into the egg-liquid mixture with a rubber spatula. Don’t overmix or beat the batter (a few lumps are OK)! Add extra milk or apple juice juice as needed to reach desired consistency and gently stir in. (If you prefer thicker pancakes, go easy with the extra liquid.) Let the batter rest for 10-15 minutes.
Heat a large non-sticky heavy frying pan over medium heat, or set an electric griddle to 375°F. Lightly grease the frying pan or griddle with cooking spray and a small dab of butter or coconut oil. The pan or griddle is ready if a drop of water will skitter across the surface, evaporating immediately.
Drop ¼ cupfuls of batter onto the frying pan or griddle. Cook on one side until bubbles begin to form and break, about 2 minutes; then turn the pancakes and cook the other side until brown, about 1½-2 minutes. Turn over only once.
Serve immediately with a choice of maple syrup, jam, or Quick Berry Compote and toasted nuts and seeds.
How to Make a Quick Berry Compote
Combine 1 pint of raspberries, 1 pint of blueberries, and 1 pint of chopped strawberries in a mixing bowl. Add maple syrup or sugar and lemon juice. Stir, cover, and let rest in the fridge until ready to heat. Warm slowly in a saucepan. When simmering, remove from heat and serve over pancakes.
Per 4 Pancakes: 420 calories, 54g carbs, 4g fiber, 15g fat, 16g protein (does not include toppings)
4. Rice and Scrambled Eggs
Serves 1
Time 8 minutes to cook
Ingredients
2 eggs
2 cups cooked white rice, warmed
1 tsp gochujang or sriracha (optional)
1 Tbsp tamari, soy sauce, or Bragg Liquid Aminos
1 tsp toasted sesame oil (optional)
Dash of sea salt
Green onions
Sesame seeds or furikake seasoning, for topping
Directions
Crack eggs into a bowl and whisk with a fork.
Heat a non-stick frying pan over medium-low heat. Once hot, add the eggs and lightly scramble. When they’re mostly set, add gochujang or sriracha, if using, and stir to combine.
Add warm pre-cooked rice to the pan and stir to combine. Season the eggs and rice with tamari, soy sauce, or Bragg Liquid Aminos, toasted sesame oil, and sea salt. Fold to incorporate and let warm.
Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds or furikake seasoning and serve!
Per Serving: 650 calories, 100g carbs, 6g fiber, 13g fat, 22g protein
5. Leftover Rice and Banana Breakfast Porridge
Serves 1
Time 2 minutes prep, 10 minutes to cook
Ingredients
1 egg yolk
1 cup milk of choice
1 cup cooked Calrose or sushi rice
1 ripe banana, sliced
½ tsp vanilla extract
Dash of sea salt
Dash of ground cinnamon, ginger, and/or cardamom
2 Tbsp chopped Medjool dates or raisins
Date syrup, for serving
Directions
Whisk together egg yolk and milk in a small saucepan over low-medium heat. Add the rice, banana, vanilla, sea salt, and desired spices. Cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice soaks up some milk.
Scoop into a cereal bowl, and top with chopped dates or raisins, an extra sprinkle of cinnamon, and a drizzle of date syrup.
Per Serving: 600 calories, 120g carbs, 6g fiber, 7g fat, 12g protein
6. Tart Cherry and Banana Smoothie
Serves 2
Time 5 minutes
If you need something quick to eat 1-2 hours before a ride or need to get in additional carbs to your main meal, add this tart cherry and banana smoothie to your pre-ride breakfast lineup.
Ingredients
1 cup frozen tart cherries
1 ripe banana, cut and frozen in 1-inch pieces
¼ cup tart cherry juice
¼ cup Greek yogurt
¼-½ cup unsweetened almond milk
2 Tbsp almond butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp almond extract
Directions
Add all ingredients to a high-powered blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Add more milk, 1 Tbsp at a time, as needed to reach desired consistency. Pour into a glass and enjoy.
7. One-pot quinoa and Berries
Serves 1
Time 10 minutes
Move over, oatmeal! Quinoa is here to shake up your breakfast routine.
Ingredients
¾ - 1 cup cooked quinoa
3 Tbsp apple or orange juice
1 Tbsp honey or maple syrup
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp brown or coconut sugar
1 cup berries (blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, strawberries)
2 Tbsp walnut pieces or almond slices
1 Tbsp hemp or chia seeds
Dash of sea salt, cinnamon, a dollop of yogurt, and/or a splash of milk for serving
Directions
Add cooked quinoa to a medium-sized pot and toast for 3-5 minutes or until warm. Add fruit juice, honey or maple syrup, lemon juice, and sugar. Stir to coat. Take the pot off the heat and gently fold in the berries. Let sit briefly. Top with nuts of choice, a dash of sea salt, cinnamon and/or a dollop of yogurt. Eat!
Nutrition Tip
Quinoa for breakfast? YEP! Here is why it’s great for cyclists: Quinoa is high in protein compared to other grains and provides all nine essential amino acids. It's also rich in B vitamins and minerals, supporting energy production and muscle function.
8. Quick Quinoa and Sweet Potato Hash
Serves 1
Time 10-12 minutes to cook
Ingredients
Hash
½ Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (substitute water for less fat)
1 cup cooked sweet potato (cut into ½-inch chunks)
¼ cup chopped red bell pepper
2 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
¼ tsp garlic granules
1 cup cooked quinoa
Salt and pepper to taste
2 eggs
Chopped green onion, lemon wedge, shredded Parmesan cheese, and/or Sriracha or hot sauce for serving
Quick Lemon Ginger Vinaigrette
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp minced ginger
⅛ tsp garlic granules
½ Tbsp tamari, soy sauce, or Bragg Liquid Aminos
Garnish
Chopped green onion
Shredded Parmesan cheese
Lemon wedge
Sriracha or hot sauce
Directions
Bring a small, lightly oiled or greased frying pan to medium heat. Add sweet potatoes. Cook covered for 3-5 minutes or until reheated. Add red peppers and parsley and season with garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Taste and adjust seasonings as desired. Cook for 1-2 more minutes.
Next, add the cooked quinoa and stir to combine the mixture. Make 2 wells in the hash to crack the eggs. Crack the eggs into the wells, cover, and cook for 3-5 minutes or until the eggs are cooked as you like.
While the eggs are cooking, prepare the Quick Lemon Ginger Vinaigrette. Add all ingredients to a small bowl, and stir to combine. When the eggs are done, drizzle the vinaigrette over the hash, top with chopped green onions, Parmesan cheese, and an extra squeeze of lemon juice.
Per serving: About 600 calories, 20g fat, 80g carbs, 10g fiber, 28g protein, 728mg sodium
9. Strawberries 'N Cream Overnight Oats
Serves 2
Time 5 minutes prep, 20 minutes to overnight for soaking
Overnight Oats
1 cup sprouted rolled oats or Classic DIY Muesli
1 cup unsweetened almond or oat milk
⅓ cup Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp maple syrup
½ tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp almond extract (optional)
Pinch of sea salt
Sliced almonds for topping
Macerated Strawberries
1 cup sliced strawberries
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp lemon zest (optional)
Directions
Add oats, milk, Greek yogurt, maple syrup, vanilla extract, almond extract (this is what gives it that shortcake taste!) and sea salt to a small bowl. Stir, cover, and refrigerate overnight. Alternatively, let rest at room temperature for at least 20 minutes before eating.
30 minutes before you’re ready to eat, slice strawberries and add to a small bowl. Pour in maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, and zest if using. Stire and let sit until ready to eat.
Add soaked oats between 2 dishes and serve with Macerated Strawberries and fruit juices. Top with almond slices. Time to eat!
Baker’s Tips
To add a warm element to this dish, heat a small skillet over medium heat. Add strawberries, maple syrup, and lemon juice. Saute for 3-5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in balsamic vinegar and lemon zest if using.
10. On-The-Go Sweet Potato Breakfast Burritos
Makes 6
Time 5 minutes prep, 10 minutes to cook
Ingredients
Burrito Filling
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 cup cooked sweet potato
½ cup cooked Calrose or sushi rice
6 eggs lightly whisked
1 Tbsp coconut sugar
1 Tbsp tamari or Bragg Liquid Aminos
¼ tsp garlic granules
Pinch of sea salt and black pepper
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
6 white or wheat flour tortillas
Toppings
Salsa or Pico de Gallo
Homemade Bitchin’ Sauce
Avocado slices
Sriracha
Directions
Heat 1 Tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add sweet potato to the skillet and mash with a fork. Cook for 3-5 minutes.
Next, add the cooked rice, eggs, coconut sugar, tamari or liquid aminos, garlic powder, sea salt and pepper, and shredded cheddar cheese. Stir until eggs have set to a scramble. Remove from heat.
Divide sweet potato egg scramble mixture among the tortillas and add a choice of toppings and spreads. Roll, fold, wrap, and share burritos with some friends before a group ride.
Looking for more Pre-Ride meals to fuel your Cycling efforts?
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