Are you one of those people that doesn’t like to eat a whole bunch while on rides? Can only take a bite or two of that granola bar, but desperately needs to keep from bonking? Has tried the goos and gels or jellies but don’t necessarily like the price of them? I like them but sometimes I don’t like all the extra “added” ingredients or want a caffeine-free version.

Lululemon originally posted an article on July 3rd 2013 interviewing Emma Cutfield, Registered Holistic Nutritionist and Education Manager at Vega, specializing in sport performance.  Emma shared her favorite recipes for DIY gels to help fuel your personal best…naturally!

An endurance gel may not seem significant in portion, yet can mean the difference between “hitting the wall” or, reaching your personal best on race day and during your long runs.

You don’t need a culinary education or science degree to prep your own homemade gels. Promise! All that’s required is a passion for clean and natural ingredients. The base recipe given here replicates the Vega Sport Endurance Gel, which will be available on course during the SeaWheeze and is made primarily with dates and coconut oil.

Gels based from whole food, plant-based sources are easy to digest maximizing your energy gain. Because they’re made primarily with simple yet functional sugars, they’re also packed with naturally occurring vitamins, minerals and electrolytes which help your muscles function properly through-out the demands of endurance running. Supplying your body with additional carbohydrate mid-run also helps prevent muscle breakdown, helping you crush goal, after goal, after goal. (from article) 

Go to the article! There’s several different variations on the recipe! You can store them for up to a week in your fridge, but they sound so amazing, you’ll probably suck them right down! You can store them in little baggies, but it seems like a great time to invest in a reusable 5oz “flask” that will fit the equivalent to 4-5 gel packs. It will reduce garbage and be easy to use while riding!

(I’d personally print or save this gem offline because by doing this terrible deed of lazy-ass journalism by hard linking to the article, who knows how long it will stick around. Definitely worth keeping for your spring and summer arsenal, though!)