Imagine this: you have finished your long term and you search in your pockets hydration vest to find the key to the front door. You desperately want to drink a pint of water and lie down on the floor with your legs against the wall. But before you put your feet up – or jump in the shower – you need to refuel your muscles. Because the longer you wait to eat something, the longer it takes to recover. Enter the snack after the race.
The goal is not devour an entire meal. It really is an “appetizer” after exercise to help the body recover as quickly as possible. And while ready-made bars are great for making things easier, sometimes it’s nice to make your own in advance. After all, the ideal post-workout snack should include a mix of carbohydrates, such as oats (to replenish depleted glycogen stores) and protein, such as peanut butter (to repair and rebuild muscles).
Keep scrolling for our new favorite berry bar recipe
Easy Berry Bar Recipe
‘Perfect for a healthy breakfast, snack or dessert. You can get creative with fruit and if you have frozen berries in the freezer they work great. It’s also fun to do with little ones if you have a family at home!’ says the nutritionist Rhiannon Lambert.
Ingredients (for 8 people)
- 3 bananas
- 90g oat flakes
- 2 tablespoons of peanut butter
- 90g blueberries
- 150 g chopped strawberries
- 150 g of Greek or coconut/soy yogurt
Method
- Mash the bananas in a rectangular baking dish, add the chopped strawberries, blueberries, oatmeal, nut butter and Greek yogurt.
- Mix until well combined and distribute evenly.
- Bake at 180°C for 35 to 40 minutes until the top is golden brown.
- Let cool and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
