As a cyclist, having the right fuel on hand can make all the difference in your performance, endurance, and recovery. While store-bought energy bars and snacks are convenient, making your own at home allows you to control the ingredients, tailor them to your energy needs, and avoid unnecessary additives.

Making your cycling fuel—like energy bars, rice cakes, and recovery snacks—is often cheaper, more nutrient-dense, and tastier than their packaged counterparts. Plus, they give you the flexibility to experiment with flavors and textures to find what works best for you.

This list of 25 essential pantry ingredients is designed to help you stock your kitchen pantry with key ingredients for making baked or no-bake energy bars, oat-based bites, rice cakes, and portable ride snacks. Each ingredient plays an essential role in providing carbohydrates for fuel, binding bars together, adding texture, or boosting flavor and nutrients.

I’ve broken the list into four main categories to make it easier to build the perfect energy bar and homemade snacks:

Base Ingredients: These provide structure and supply slow-digesting carbohydrates for sustained energy.
Natural Binders and Sweeteners: Help hold bars together while adding quick-digesting carbs for immediate energy.
Crunch & Texture Boosters: Enhance flavor and consistency while supplying additional nutrients.
Flavor and Nutrient-Boosting Add-Ins: Ingredients that support digestion, electrolyte balance, and endurance.

With these 25 pantry essentials, you’ll be able to create endless combinations of homemade ride fuel—so you’re always prepared for your next training session, long ride, or race.

Base Ingredients (For Structure and Carbs)

These ingredients provide sustained energy and act as the foundation of homemade bars.

1. All-purpose flour or Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour - Used in homemade muffins, pancakes, and energy bars, these flours provide quick-digesting carbohydrates for sustained energy. Favorite brand: Bob’s Red Mill or King Arthur

2. Rice Flour and Oat Flour - Light and easy to digest, perfect for soft energy bars, waffles, and ride snacks that are gentle on the stomach. Favorite brand: Bob’s Red Mill or Arrowhead Mills

3. Rice (White or Sushi Rice) - Used in homemade rice cakes, rice is a favorite among endurance athletes for its easy digestibility and sustained fuel. Favorite brand: Nishiki Rice brand

4. Oats (Rolled or Quick Oats) - A staple for homemade bars and bites, oats provide long-lasting energy and are easy to digest when cooked. Favorite brand: One Degree Organics Rolled Oats and Steel Cut-Oats

5. Sweet Potatoes (Cooked and Mashed or Shredded) - Rich in complex carbs, fiber, and beta-carotene, sweet potatoes are a great endurance fuel source. Favorite kinds: Beauregard, Jewel, Red Garnet.

6. Quinoa (Cooked)- A carb-rich grain with a small amount of protein, perfect for balancing energy snacks. Favorite brand: Ancient Harvest

7. Sliced White Bread - A simple, quick-digesting carb for on-the-bike fuel, ideal for DIY ride sandwiches. Favorite brand: Dave’s Killer White Bread

One Degree Oragnics Sprouted Rolled Oats.jpg

Natural Binders and Sweeteners

These ingredients hold bars together and provide fast-absorbing energy.

8. Medjool Dates - High in natural sugars and potassium, dates provide quick energy and act as a natural binder. Dates also make a great base ingredient. Their sweet, soft, and caramel-like texture makes dates a great addition to your pantry. Favorite brand: Rancho Meladuco Medjool Dates and Date Lady Date Syrup

9. Maple Syrup or Honey - Quick-digesting natural carbohydrates that also help bind homemade snacks together while adding flavor. Favorite brand: Maple Valley Cooperative

10. Brown Rice Syrup - A mild, slow-burning sweetener that provides steady energy without a sugar crash. Favorite brand: Lundberg Family Farms

11. Nut and Seed Butters (Peanut, Almond, Cashew, Tahini) - These add healthy fats and some carbs to improve texture and energy density in bars. Favorite brands: Nuts.com and Soom Food Tahini

12. Coconut Sugar - A lower glycemic sweetener that adds a natural caramel-like flavor without refined sugar. Brown sugar is another great sugar source for making energy bars and providing carbs. Favorite brand: Madhava Coconut Sugar

13. Coconut Oil - A great binding agent that provides quick-burning fuel for endurance efforts. Coconut oil contains medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs), which are easily digested, rapidly transported into circulation, promptly metabolized in the liver, and quickly converted into energy rather than stored as fat in the body. Overall, coconut can help improve energy levels, endurance, digestion, and metabolism. Favorite brand: Nutiva Organic Virgin Coconut Oil

14. Bananas (Mashed or Dried) - A classic endurance food, bananas offer fast-digesting carbs and electrolytes for sustained energy.

15. Applesauce (Unsweetened) - A low-fat natural sweetener that adds moisture and quick energy to bars.

Crunch and Texture Boosters

These ingredients enhance texture and provide extra micronutrients.

16. Dried Fruits (Raisins, Cranberries, Apricots, Figs, Cherries, Currants) Packed with concentrated carbohydrates, dried fruits provide natural sweetness and fast energy. Favorite brand: Made In Nature

17. Nuts and Seeds (Cashews, Almonds, Sunflower Seeds, Pumpkin Seeds) - Adds crunch, protein, and micronutrients while helping to stabilize blood sugar. Favorite brand: Nuts.com

18. Unsweetened Shredded Coconut - Provides healthy fats and a chewy texture, adding flavor and energy density to bars.

19. Puffed Quinoa, Rice Crisps, and O’s Cereal - These add light crispiness and an extra carbohydrate boost without added sugar. It can also be used as a base ingredient in energy bars when combined with a sweetener and binder. Favorite brands: One Degree Organics and Nature’s Path

Flavor and Nutrient-Boosting Add-Ins

These ingredients enhance digestion, energy release, and overall endurance.

20. Chia Seeds - Help with hydration, digestion, and sustained energy release due to their fiber content. Also helps bind ingredients together. Favorite brand: Nutiva

21. Sea Salt - A natural electrolyte source that helps with hydration during long or hot rides. Favorite brands: Redmond Real Salt

22. Cinnamon, Ginger, and Cardamom - These warming spices boost circulation, digestion, and flavor without added sugar. Favorite brands: Diaspora Co

23. Dark Chocolate Chips, Cacao Nibs, or Cocoa Powder - A natural antioxidant source that enhances flavor and provides a small energy boost. Favorite brands: Navitas Cacao Nibs, Theo Dark Chocolate Bar, Navitas Cacao Powder, and Guittard

24. Vanilla Extract, Lemon, Orange, and Maple Flavors - Enhance natural sweetness without extra sugar. Favorite brand: Frontier Co-op

25. Espresso Powder - Adds caffeine for an energy boost and enhances the chocolate flavor in bars. Favorite brand: King Arthur

Why Make Your Own Energy Bars and Snacks?

Better Digestion: Choosing real, water-rich foods can significantly improve digestion during your rides. Research shows that foods like white rice, bananas, sweet potatoes, eggs, plant-based milk, and jam-filled sandwiches are easier on the digestive system. By skipping artificial sweeteners, preservatives, and high-fiber additives that can cause GI distress, homemade energy bars and snacks provide a more stomach-friendly option with naturally higher moisture content than many store-bought alternatives.
Cost-Effective: Store-bought energy bars can be expensive. Making homemade energy bars can be 3-5 times more cost-effective, saving you money and allowing you to use quality ingredients along the way
Customizable Nutrition: Control the carbs, protein, and fat ratios to match your training needs and dietary preferences.
No Preservatives or Artificial Additives: Many packaged bars contain unnecessary fillers, excess sugar, and artificial ingredients.
Better Taste and Variety: Homemade options taste fresher and allow for endless flavor combinations based on your cravings.
Sustainability and Less Waste: Reduce packaging waste and opt for eco-friendly homemade alternatives.

Reccomend Read: 5 Rad Reasons for Cyclists to Fuel Their Rides with Real, Homemade Food

Quick DIY Baked Energy Bar Recipe

This simple baked energy bar recipe uses pantry staples to create a chewy, nutrient-dense snack that’s perfect for fueling your rides.

Ingredients

2 cups rolled oats (or oat flour for a smoother texture)

½ cup nut butter (peanut, almond, or cashew)

½ cup mashed banana or applesauce

¼ cup honey or maple syrup

¼ cup chopped dates or dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, apricots)

¼ cup chopped nuts or seeds (cashews, almonds, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds)

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon sea salt

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ cup dark chocolate chips or unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line an 8x8-inch baking pan with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, mix together the oats, cinnamon, salt, and any optional add-ins like chocolate chips or coconut.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the nut butter, banana or applesauce, honey or maple syrup, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until fully combined. The mixture should be thick and slightly sticky.
Transfer the mixture to the lined baking pan and press down firmly to create an even layer.
Bake for 18-22 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and slightly firm to the touch.
Remove from oven and allow to cool completely before slicing into bars.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or refrigerate for a longer shelf life.