Figuring out what to eat during a long run is probably more complicated than what to eat before or after running. For starters, you need to make sure whatever option you choose provides you with enough energy for your workout, without causing any distress to your gut. You also need to like how it tastes, so you’re motivated to eat it on the go. And it also has to be easy to open so you’re not fumbling with wrappers while you’re trying to maintain your stride.

Of course, you can turn to energy gels, as they’re designed for sports performance, offering up the right balance of carbs in an easy-to-consume package. And some tasty flavours are out there (at least some people think so!). These can provide you with energy when it comes time to run longer and harder… but they’re only ideal if you like the texture. And again, what if it doesn’t sit well with your stomach?

Enter: energy gel alternatives. Similar to energy gels, there are other foods designed with athletes in mind, like chews and sports drink mixes (to name a few!). These products vary in flavor, texture, ingredients, and cost, and can help you meet your energy needs on longer runs. Even so, they’re not the only option when it comes to alternate ways to fuel your long runs and challenging workouts.

We spoke with two sports dietitians to help narrow your search and find the best alternatives to gels. Read on for their best advice.

When to Consider Using an Energy Gel Alternative
Energy gel alternatives for runners can come in handy in quite a few scenarios.

“Anytime you go over an hour in duration, it’s a good idea to take in some type of supplemental carbohydrate during your run,” Professor Kelly Pritchett, board-certified specialist in sports dietetics, and professor of nutrition and exercise science at Central Washington University tells Runner’s World.

Typically, around 60 to 90 minutes into exercise, we get close to depleting our glycogen levels, depending on the intensity of the workout and whether our glycogen stores (where our body goes first for energy) were full to begin with, says Pritchett. That’s why experts recommend consuming 30 to 60 grams of carbohydrates every hour.

“If you’re running at a higher intensity, you’re going to deplete your glycogen much quicker than you would at a lower intensity,” Pritchett adds. This is why she recommends fueling even if you only train for 75 minutes at a higher intensity.

During high-intensity exercise, blood in your body gets distributed away from the gut to your working muscles, which can cause GI distress for some. Pritchett says this could be one reason to consider a gel alternative. Texture, taste, and cost are other reasons to look for an alternative.

If GI distress on your long runs has you searching for other options, ensure you’re getting enough carbs, water, and electrolytes before switching things up, says Nicole Lund, registered dietitian nutritionist and clinical nutritionist at NYU Langone Sports Performance Center. Failing to drink enough water while consuming carbs can cause some GI distress, so it’s essential to make sure you’re meeting your needs.

Lund explains that if you find you are getting enough water, carbohydrates and electrolytes but still experience some issues, then it could be time to consider alternative food options.

Before you toe the line on race day, test any gel alternatives on your long runs so you know what works best for you. Lund recommends keeping a journal where you track any symptoms, as well as when and what you ate before and during each run. She also notes that some of her clients are sensitive to a particular ingredient in sports products, maltodextrin, so take note if this is in your go-to product and keep track of how it settles for you, especially in the later miles of a long run.

When it comes to finding something to take the place of a gel, there are plenty of sports products and other unconventional options to choose from. Here’s what our experts recommend.

4 Gel Alternatives for Runners

1. Sports Drinks and Other Liquids
You can always drink your carbs. As mentioned, exercise can slow blood flow to your gut, which slows down digestion. Because liquids are easier to digest, they offer another way to help you get the fuel you need, says Lund. She adds that sports drinks are a great option, along with honey sticks or packets.

If drinking your carbs is more tolerable on long runs, Pritchett recommends turning to a high-carbohydrate sports drink, the amount of which can vary depending on the brand.

When it comes to finding the right sports drink, pay attention to the ingredients list. Sodium, in particular, is the primary electrolyte lost in sweat, so you want to make sure you’re getting enough of it on your long runs, says Pritchett. She recommends checking the sodium amounts, aiming for about 500 to 700 milligrams per liter of fluid.

Other sports drinks may include caffeine, which can be problematic if it’s something your trying to avoid or it doesn’t settle well for you. Also, stay away from “sugar-free” sports drinks as a source of fuel because they likely provide no energy, and the artificial sweeteners may lead to bloating and GI distress, she says.

2. Sweets
Here’s your chance to satisfy your sweet tooth. Gummy bears, peach rings, jellybeans, sour candies and other small, sweets can be an unconventional way to fuel your runs.

Just make sure you read the nutrition label and pay close attention to how many carbohydrates the product provides per serving, says Pritchett. This way you can ensure you’re consuming enough carbs for your workout.

3. Chews
Like sweets, chews are a great alternative to gels and plenty of sports-specific chews to choose from. . That’s because they contain a mix of carb sources, like glucose and fructose, which allows for easier digestion.

If you don’t like the texture of a gel, but are searching for something that will sit well in your stomach, chews have plenty of products in different flavors to choose from.

4. Whole Foods
Compared to the other options on this list, packing a whole food will take a bit more planning because you have to figure out how to carry them, says Pritchett. If you don’t have pockets, you may want to look to investing in a race belt or pack to hold all your necessities.

Once you figure out how to carry the food, you can try options like bananas, fig bars, pretzels, dates or boiled potatoes with salt, Pritchett says.

She recommends you spend some time testing these options, especially if you have a sensitive gut. Not only does exercise make them harder to digest because of that diversion of blood flow, but some whole foods contain nutrients that also slow digestion (i.e fibre) and some may not contain a mix of carb sources, which also makes them harder to digest on the run.

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