Add These Must-Read Cycling Cookbooks to Your Kitchen Shelf
Cyclists require balanced, nutrient-dense meals to fuel their rides, enhance recovery, and sustain performance. Whether you're looking for plant-based options, performance-driven meals, or everyday whole-food recipes, these cookbooks provide a variety of nutritious and delicious recipes designed to support an active cyclist’s lifestyle.
As cyclists, we know that fueling our bodies properly is just as important as maintaining our bikes. The right nutrition can make all the difference in our performance, recovery, and overall enjoyment of the sport. That's why we've compiled a list of must-read cookbooks and nutrition guides specifically tailored for cyclists.
Whether you're a weekend warrior or a competitive racer, these books will help you pedal your way to better health and stronger rides.
The Cycling Chef: Recipes for Performance and Pleasure
By Alan Murchison Authored by Michelin-starred chef and elite athlete Alan Murchison, this book provides over 65 mouth-watering recipes—including breakfasts, salads, main meals, desserts, and snacks—each designed with busy cyclists in mind.
The Cycling Chef: Recipes for Getting Lean and Fuelling the Machine
By Alan Murchison This cookbook focuses on achieving sustainable weight loss without compromising performance. It features more than 65 quick and easy recipes rich in protein, designed to be cooked in under 30 minutes.
The Cycling Chef: Plant-Powered Performance
By Alan Murchison This collection of plant-based recipes is designed to fuel cyclists effectively. It offers a range of vegan dishes suitable for pre-ride, mid-ride, and post-ride nutrition.
Skratch Labs Cookbook Series
Skratch Labs has developed a series of cookbooks aimed at athletes and active individuals, focusing on real, whole-food recipes designed to enhance performance and recovery. Here are their notable publications:
The Feed Zone Cookbook
Authored by Dr. Allen Lim and Chef Biju Thomas, this cookbook offers 150 athlete-friendly recipes that are simple to prepare, using fresh ingredients. The dishes are designed to meet the demands of training and racing, providing a balance of flavors to satisfy cravings and fuel performance.
Feed Zone Portables
This sequel focuses on 75 portable food recipes suitable for athletes on the go. From rice cakes to two-bite pies, these easy-to-make recipes ensure that athletes have access to real food during their activities, promoting better nutrition and performance.
Feed Zone Table
Emphasizing the importance of shared meals, this cookbook presents 100 new dinner recipes designed to bring friends and family together. The dishes cater to active lifestyles, ensuring that meals are both nutritious and communal.
These cookbooks provide practical and flavorful meal options tailored to the needs of athletes and active individuals
Whole Food Cooking Every Day
By Amy Chaplin This cookbook offers 250 vegetarian recipes emphasizing whole, unprocessed ingredients. While not specifically tailored for athletes, its focus on nutrient-dense foods can support an active lifestyle.
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat: Mastering the Elements of Good Cooking
By Samin Nosrat This James Beard Award-winning book explores the four fundamental elements of cooking. Though not athlete-specific, it provides a deep understanding of cooking techniques to create balanced meals.
The Kitchen Shelf
By Eve O'Sullivan and Rosie Reynolds This cookbook demonstrates how to create delicious meals with a limited number of pantry staples. While not focused on athletic nutrition, it offers practical recipes that can be adapted to support an active lifestyle.
Rise and Run: Recipes, Rituals, and Runs to Fuel Your Day
By Shalane Flanagan and Elyse Kopecky This book provides over 100 nutrient-dense breakfast recipes designed to fuel athletes' mornings, along with training tips and morning routines.
The Plant-Based Cyclist
By Nigel Mitchell This cookbook offers practical advice and recipes for cyclists interested in a plant-based diet, focusing on performance and recovery. If you want to ride simply powered by the goodness of plants, The Plant-Based Cyclist will help inspire, equip, and empower you to do just that.
Chris Carmichael's Food for Fitness: Eat Right to Train Right
By Chris Carmichael This book offers a comprehensive eating plan designed for active individuals, from weekend warriors to elite competitors. It provides healthful recipes that supply the energy, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants necessary for optimal performance.
The Vegetarian Athlete's Cookbook
By Anita Bean This cookbook offers over 100 protein-rich, meat-free recipes designed to meet the nutritional needs of active individuals. Read this book to discover fast, healthy, tasty vegetarian and vegan recipes for breakfast, main meals, desserts, snacks and shakes – and all featuring full nutritional analysis.
The Culinary Cyclist: A Cookbook and Companion for the Good Life
By Anna Brones This unique cookbook offers gluten-free and vegetarian recipes, such as creamy sea salt chocolate cake and baked eggs in avocado halves. It also provides tips on hosting dinner parties, gifting food, and organizing two-wheeled picnics.
Sports Nutrition for Young Athletes
For all my youth sports coaches and parents out there. Authored by Anita Bean, this practical guide is tailored for young athletes, their parents, coaches, and physical education teachers. It offers comprehensive nutritional advice, eating plans for training and competition, and easy, nutritious recipes and snacks designed to give young sports enthusiasts a competitive edge. The book also addresses weight management, body composition myths, and the warning signs of eating disorders.
The Plant-Based Athlete: A Game-Changing Approach to Peak Performance
Written by Matt Frazier and Robert Cheeke, this research-based guide connects a plant-based diet with peak athletic performance. It features interviews with professional athletes who have transitioned to plant-based nutrition, providing insights into how such a diet can enhance strength and endurance. The book also includes practical advice on nutrition and training strategies to help athletes optimize their performance.
The No Meat Athlete Cookbook
Authored by Matt Frazier, founder of the No Meat Athlete movement, and food writer Stepfanie Romine, this cookbook offers over 125 vegan recipes designed to support athletic performance and overall health. The dishes focus on whole, plant-based ingredients and include breakfast options, homemade sports drinks, nutrient-dense main courses, and wholesome desserts. Each recipe is crafted to be both nutritious and flavorful, making it easier for athletes and active individuals to thrive on a plant-based diet.
Biked Goods Bakin' Biker '25 Cookbook
By Biked Goods The 2025 edition of "Bakin' Biker" offers over 100 simple-to-prepare, energizing, and delicious real-food recipes designed for busy cyclists. It features favorites like Portable Sweet Potato Pancake Sandwiches and Happy Biker Bars. Available in both print and digital formats.Shop Now
Diversify Your Cycling Cookbooks
Having a diverse selection of nutritional resources is crucial for cyclists looking to optimize their diet and performance. Each of these books offers unique insights and recipes that can help you fuel your rides, support recovery, and maintain overall health. Whether you're a seasoned cyclist or just starting out, there's something in this list for everyone.
We encourage you to explore these books further and find the ones that best suit your cycling lifestyle and dietary preferences. Remember, good nutrition is a key component of cycling performance and enjoyment. Happy reading, and happy riding!
Have a cookbook you’d like to recommend and have added to this list? Share it in the comments below!
