My Standard Pre-Workout Snack (And Other Great Options)

What you eat before a workout plays a big role in your energy levels, performance, and recovery.

If I’m training within an hour or two of waking up, here’s what I typically eat:

• 2 slices Dave’s Killer Bread
• 20g Peanut Butter
• 30g Jelly
• 1 Banana
• 1 Chobani Flipz Yogurt

That totals ~650 calories: 27g protein, 17g fat, and 113g carbs.

This meal works well because it provides a mix of fast-digesting carbohydrates (banana, jelly, yogurt) for quick energy, along with some slower-digesting carbs (bread) for sustained fuel.

The peanut butter adds a small amount of fat and protein, but not enough to slow digestion too much.

If I'm training within 30-60 mins of waking, I might cut the pb and yogurt and do two slices of bread with jelly. 

Or I might just do a banana and rice cakes if I really want to limit protein and fat.

How to Adjust Based on Timing

The closer you eat to your workout, the simpler and faster digesting your meal should be.

Here’s why:

• Fat and protein slow digestion. If you’re training within 45 minutes of eating, you want to avoid too much fat or protein, since they take longer to break down and can leave you feeling sluggish.
• Fast-digesting carbs fuel your workout. Simple carbohydrates like rice cakes, jelly, honey, bananas, and white bread provide quick energy that your muscles can use almost immediately.
• You don’t need much. Even 20-40g of carbs is enough to make a noticeable difference in your energy and performance. So even on a cut, you should be taking in some carbs pre-workout. 

And yes, carbs before training are a great idea even if fat loss is your main goal. For more on why, read What’s the Most Effective Way to Lose Weight?

Other Effective Pre-Workout Snack Options

If you’re looking for alternative pre-workout snacks, here are a few great choices depending on how much time you have before training:

If you have 60-90 minutes before training:

• Oatmeal with honey and banana
• Toast with jam and a small amount of peanut butter
• Greek yogurt with granola and fruit
• Cereal with milk and a banana

If you have 30-60 minutes before training:

• Rice cakes with jelly and banana
• White toast with honey
• A granola bar and a banana
• Low-fat yogurt (non-greek) with honey

If you have 15-30 minutes before training:

• A banana and honey
• A few rice cakes with jam
• A sports drink with some fruit
• Dried fruit (like dates or raisins)

Final Takeaway

Your pre-workout meal doesn’t need to be complicated just focus on quick-digesting carbs and minimizing fat and protein if you're eating close to your session.

Experiment with different options to see what sits best for you, and make sure to get more carbs with some protein and healthy fats post-workout to support recovery.

P.S. I share more training and nutrition insights on:

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