Looking for the best pre-workout snacks to fuel your workouts? Discover 10 great pre-workout snack ideas to increase your energy, support muscle development and maximize your performance.
Hello hello! How is the week going? I hope you have a good one! I have a morning of meetings today and am looking forward to a hot yoga class this afternoon.
For today’s article, I wanted to chat a little about pre-workout snacks and share some of my favorite options.
When it comes to fitness, exercise and nutrition are the ultimate duo. You can crush your workouts as much as you want, but if your diet isn’t right, you’ll feel the difference – in your energy, your endurance, and your results.
One of the biggest changes in sports nutrition is learning when and what to eat before and after training. While a good post-workout meal helps with recovery (you can read my favorites here), your pre-workout snack sets the tone for your entire session.
Not all foods are ideal before exercise. Some can make you feel sluggish or bloated. Today I wanted to round up some of the great pre-workout snacks that can help you fuel your body, maximize your performance, and feel strong through every rep, mile, or flow.
10 Great Pre-Workout Snacks
In this article, we’ll cover why your pre-workout snack is important, what makes it effective, and some of my favorite options that balance protein, healthy fats, and complex carbs. These combinations give you constant energy, prevent fatigue and support your long-term fitness goals.
Is a pre-workout snack necessary?
The short answer: generally, yes!
Eating a small snack 30 to 90 minutes before your workout can make a huge difference in your energy and endurance, especially if you workout in the morning or haven’t eaten in a few hours.
A good pre-workout snack provides the building blocks your muscles need to function well, and it helps you avoid that dizzy, “running” feeling mid-workout.
Your body needs carbohydrates for quick energy, as well as proteins and fats to stabilize your blood sugar and keep you healthy. When you skip your pre-workout meal, you risk destroying your muscles for energy instead of building them.
The right combination can help you:
– Train longer and harder
– Maintain concentration and endurance
– Prevent early fatigue or energy drops
– Promotes lean muscle growth and fat loss
What Makes a Good Pre-Workout Snack
1. Balanced macronutrients
Your pre-workout fuel should contain a mix of complex carbohydrates, protein and a touch of healthy fats.
Carbs give you immediate energy, while proteins support your muscles and fats fill you up without weighing you down.
2. Easy to digest
You don’t want to go into a workout feeling full or sluggish. Opt for snacks that are light but substantial enough to nourish you, like whole grain toast (with good ingredients), fruit, yogurt, or a small smoothie.
3. Calendar
Try to eat your snack 30 to 60 minutes before your workout. If it’s a larger meal, give yourself 90 minutes to digest.
Everyone’s digestion speed is different, so experiment and find what works best for you.
4. Whole, Simple Ingredients
Avoid anything overly processed or loaded with sugar and artificial ingredients. Your body works best when you give it real food, especially before you ask it to move, lift weights, and sweat.
Liv would be horrified that my *dogs* were on the Internet
What are good snacks to eat before a workout
Here are some of my favorite pre-workout snacks that give me energy without that heavy feeling. Whether you go to the gym, do a workout Sculpture Society Courseor incorporating a quick strength circuit at home, these are easy, quick and satisfying options.
1. Greek Yogurt with Berries and Honey
This combo gives you complex carbs from the fruit, protein from Greek yogurt, and a little natural sweetness from honey.
It is refreshing, light and gives a boost of energy without weighing you down.
2. Cereal Toasts with Peanut Butter and Banana
A classic for a reason! Grain bread gives you slow-digesting carbohydrates, peanut butter adds healthy fats and protein, and banana gives you potassium for muscle function.
If you like peanut butter, check out my summary of healthy peanut butter snacks for more ideas.
3. Protein Smoothie
A quick and easy option, especially on busy mornings. Use your favorite protein powders, add frozen fruit, spinach and almond milk for a light and filling snack.
Bonus: You can add adaptogens or greens powder for extra nutrients.
4. Almond Butter and Strawberry Rice Cake
Crispy, creamy and satisfying! This one gives you a good balance of carbs, protein and fats without being too heavy.
Ideal 30 minutes before a workout.
5. Oatmeal with chia seeds and almond milk
If you work out in the morning, this warm and cozy snack is perfect. Oats are packed with complex carbs, and chia seeds offer healthy fats and fiber for slow-burning energy.
6. Cottage cheese with pineapple
An underrated snack that’s high in protein and provides quick-digesting carbs. Cottage cheese helps build muscle, while pineapple gives you bromelain, an enzyme that helps digestion. I LOVE this combo and it makes me sad that dairy isn’t my friend lol.
7. Apple slices with almond or peanut butter
Soft, crunchy and balanced. You’ll get simple carbs from the apple and some protein and fat from the nut butter.
It’s great before a workout or when you just need something quick on the go.
8. Grain toast or gluten-free toast with avocado and sea salt
Another simple winner. The toast provides complex carbs and the avocado adds healthy fats to keep you full and energized.
You can also sprinkle with hemp seeds or drizzle with olive oil for added nutrients.
9. Hard-boiled egg and a small piece of fruit
Perfect if you’re heading to an early morning workout. The egg contains proteins and fats, and the fruit quickly provides you with carbohydrates as a source of energy.
10. Homemade energy bites
Mix oatmeal, peanut butter, a little honey or maple syrup and protein powder to make on-the-go bites. It is my classic recipe. The photos are 100 years old but the combo stands the test of time. Can we also take a moment of silence for the blogs of yesteryear?! Horrible photos, even worse writing, and 167 comments! The good old days haha.
Energy Bites are small, portable, and perfect before your workout. (Plus, they double as a post-workout snack!)
Your pre-workout snack doesn’t need to be complicated; it just has to be strategic. Choose options that are light, nourishing, and designed to fuel your body for the future.
And don’t forget your post-workout recovery meal – check out my list of best post workout snacks to help you refuel and rebuild.
I think it’s also important to remember that it’s not that valuable. I think eating right and training are huge wins (and are the biggest hurdles for most people), so if you focus on pre- and post-workout nutrition, that’s a step up! Eat nourishing, not too heavy foods during your workouts, and you should be good to go!
Any questions I can answer for you? What is your favorite workout fueling strategy?
xo
Gina
