Top 10 Meal/Snack Ideas for Runners (written for UK Athletics 10/08).

To save you time on scouring the Internet for meal ideas, runbritain.com editor NICOLA BAMFORD gives a few examples of pre/post-run and session meals as well as snacks, which she incorporates into her own diet...

· Chicken/beef and vegetable stir-fry – a great meal for stocking up on protein, iron and veggies – and very tasty, too.

· Chicken/salmon wrap – use wholegrain wraps and lean chicken or sandwich-sliced salmon, together with salad for a protein or omega-3 oil and vitamin-rich bite to eat.


· Mince in pita bread – use wholemeal pita bread, lean beef or turkey mince, peas and add low-fat pasta sauce to combine for a carbohydrate and iron-filled delicious dish.

· Spaghetti Bolognese – use wholegrain pasta or spaghetti, lean beef mince, broccoli or peas, onion, tomato puree and garlic for a delectable dish that contains everything you need.


· Bananas and custard – cover a banana in low-fat and low-sugar custard for a nifty little snack.

· Rivitta and egg – top dark-rye Rivitta with scrambled egg for a quick carbohydrate and protein fix.


· Cereal – have a wholegrain cereal with fruit pieces and low-sugar content – a great snack for any time of day.

· No-added-sugar Angel Delight- flavours include chocolate, vanilla and strawberry. Use skimmed milk to help make a tasty snack.


· Fruit salad/natural yoghurt OR fruit smoothie– combine all of your favourite fruits like strawberries, banana and grapes and cover in natural yoghurt – or alternatively, mix in a blender to make a scrumptious smoothie.

· Bagel, banana, orange, cereal bar – merge several of your favourite snacks into one like this carbohydrate, Vitamin C and sugar-based combination.