Trail Snack Ideas for Cyclists with Dietary Restrictions

Hi all.

I'm an avid cyclist, and almost every weekend, except during winter, you can find me out on the trails. I normally ride between 30 and 50 miles. I've had my colostomy for over a decade now, and in the past, I've been able to eat whatever I want when I'm riding. Over the past couple of years, I've developed some blockages, and my GI doctor wants me to eliminate nuts and reduce fiber.

So in the past, my trail snacking would, of course, be nuts, dried fruits like figs and dates, and apples with the skins on. Apples can get warm, but they still travel well. So with these staples out of the picture, just what am I supposed to snack on? Someone suggested dried berries and dried bananas, but dried berries have almost no taste, and dried bananas are often fried in oil. Peeled apples, uh, don't travel well in the saddlebag. I suppose I could pack a second peanut butter sandwich, but I'd like a little variety.

G-Day WilcoFan,

Try beef jerky.

Regards, IGGIE

String cheese, cereal bars, cold cereal in a baggie without milk, of course, sweet potato chips... enjoy your rides.

Hello WilcoFan.
A colleague from work used to ride that sort of mileage each day until he recently came off and broke a few bones. At our age that can be much more difficult to recover from and he has taken my advice and started walking instead.
I don't travel very far nowadays on my (now) electric tricycle but I am still an avid snacker when cycling or walking.
All sorts of different sandwiches have been tried but my favourites are cheese & tomato, manuka honey, strawberry jam & blueberry jam. However, a couple of years ago I tried many breakfast cereals and found that the ones based on muesli and made into crunchy lumps were ideal for travelling and dipping into whenever. Often, I find that a mini Mars bars make a pleasant change and, instead of water, I use an aloe vera drink to wash it all down with as it has bits of the plant in it which also doubles up as a 'snack' and definitely helps with gut problems.

Best wishes

Bill
 

Wilcofan. What about breakfast bars? I like the round pretzels with peanut butter in them. But of course, I eat strange things…. I am so proud you can do the things you do; keep up the good work.

How to Get Back to Fitness After Ostomy Surgery with Ryan | Hollister

Pretzels, protein bars without nuts, stick a peeler in your bag and peel your apple when ready to eat it, tangerines,

Get some small plastic containers and put fresh fruit in them like berries or sliced bananas. Actually, you could slice apples and squeeze lemon juice on them to keep them from turning brown. You could try frozen fruit; it would probably thaw by the time you want to eat it.

Have you tried drying your own bananas? It seems like you could do that in a dehydrator fairly easily. Maybe even just the oven?

You might try a protein drink. I know it's not exactly a snack like you are thinking, but it could work for something portable if you buy it in the little bottles. Like Premier Protein, it comes in lots of flavors, so you can have variety.

Yogurt or carob-covered raisins and berries, dried apricots and figs, protein bars, cut raw veggies... do NOT recommend dried chickpeas!

I've found that anything with oats is great and doesn't cause me any blockage issues. (Actually helps with slowing my ileo output a bit.)

I either buy 'Graze' bars (here in the UK) or make a flapjack recipe. I can add peeled, chopped apple or other dried fruit into the recipe, and they keep for ages in an airtight container. To up the flavor, I have added finely chopped crystallized ginger or powdered ginger, allspice, and cinnamon. Choc chips would work too!

The cereal bars are a great idea. I'm unable to eat dairy, so the cheese would be out. Thanks.

Protein bars, as long as they don't contain dairy (or if they do, a trace amount of dairy), and carrying an apple peeler are great ideas. I'm not sure how berries would keep on warmer days. Squeezing lemon juice on apples sounds good.

I forgot to mention that I can't eat dairy. Dried apricots are good. I did 30 miles yesterday, and cutting raw carrots worked.

Pretzels with peanut butter are great. I even put them in the same bag as my peanut butter sandwich. That way, some of the peanut butter gets on them too.

Nutella with the little breadsticks or pretzel sticks can be good. They come in single-serving containers.

Are you really a fan of Wilco? I didn't think many people appreciated them!

I used to do a lot of long rides before work and health issues got in the way. Now that I'm recovered and healthier with my ileostomy, I'm hoping to get back on the bike again.

So, while not as tasty as good old trail mix, I am used to the various power bars and Lara bars out there. You have to check the ingredients (like everything in the new normal), but I'm sure some of those flavors are OK for Ostomates. Some of the gummies would also help, as they may slow your output while riding until you are done or at least at a good spot to empty out (depending on your ride trail).

Hi Wilco,

Nice to see some ostomate cyclists are out there besides myself. I've been riding with this thing protruding from my abdomen since 2013, and I've learned a good bit about what sits well with my situation in terms of fueling on the bike. I stay away from the sugary gels that destroy one's teeth, so it's (mostly) all the natural stuff for me. If ever I plan a very high mileage day with more than 5-6 hours, I'll supplement with Vitargo, but other than that, it's all natural, minimally processed foods. My number one go-to is the humble Larabar; they're made with just a few ingredients (dates, some nuts, and say lemon for a lemon bar, etc.) and I try to not go through more than four on a ride while it's usually around three. Other favorites are, of course, bananas, and for longer rides of 3-4 hours, I always make a good bag of sugar-free granola with some raisins thrown in to devour during the mid-ride break. If it's just going to be less than three hours, I just stick with the Larabars and a couple of bananas. Longer rides, I've been known to take as many as four bananas as they're perfect for bag holders such as we are.

In terms of advice for avoiding blockages, I'd caution eating anything that absorbs fluids (like jerky) without a good fluid chaser. You likely already know that when we're pushing hard on the bike, our system becomes sympathetic and redirects body fluids away from organs such as the intestines (that's why output almost comes to a halt on the bike when the proper intensity is held) and is prioritized to the working muscles. All the best to you, and may your riding be safe and epic! Godspeed