Gear review: best nutrition bars and gels for real food alternatives

I wanted to know whether I could rely on ordinary food for long trail sessions, instead of treating every gel as the default. This gear review compares the best nutrition bars and gels with real food alternatives, judging them on carbohydrate availability, fat and fibre, sodium, taste, packability and cost. The goal is practical: less packaging, fewer gels, and fuel that still works when the race gets hard.

The answer is yes, with boundaries. Dates, bananas, boiled potatoes and properly made oat-and-nut bars can do real work on the bike. During faster running, a commercial gel is hard to beat for concentrated, rapidly available carbohydrate. A hybrid approach gave me the best consistency: whole food during walking sections, plus a measured top-up when the pace rises.

My testing included long trail runs around Melbourne and conditions common at Australian multiday events, rather than comparing labels at a desk. That means heat, ordinary aid-station food and carrying something edible for twelve hours. I would not recommend a food I had only sampled during a short walk.

Why whole food is not automatically better

Carbohydrate remains the main currency of endurance performance. A common working range is 30–60g per hour, adjusted for body size, pace, gut training and event duration. More is not automatically better, especially when the stomach is already full of water.

Fat and fibre can slow gastric emptying, while a banana or dense date bar supplies volume along with its sugar. That can feel welcome at a walk, but troublesome when the pace rises or the race clock starts pressing. A small amount of fat is not the problem; a large, fatty serving often is.

Real food adds variety, micronutrients and some sodium, but it does not replace the full range of carbohydrate sources used in ultras. It works best as a calculated part of the fuelling plan, rather than an all-or-nothing rejection of sports products.

Bars that earn a place in the pack

My preferred homemade bar is a date, oat and seed slice. Soak 200g pitted dates in warm water, blend with 100g oats, 80g nuts and a spoonful of honey, then press into a small tray and bake until firm. Dates bind the mixture; oats and nuts give it enough substance to feel like food.

Two small squares are a sensible walking-section serving. They travel well and crumble less than a biscuit, although the nuts slow digestion compared with a plain gel. I freeze individual slices overnight and carry them in a zip bag so they do not become a sticky block in a warm pack.

Supermarkets stock straightforward fruit-and-nut bars, including Makatoni, alongside imported options such as Clif. Local bars are usually smaller and cheaper, but ingredients vary widely. Check added oils, sweeteners and carbohydrate per serve; a healthy-looking snack can still be poor running fuel.

Gels that still have a role

Real food does not make the gel obsolete. Its advantage is precision: a standard 25–30g serve provides predictable carbohydrate, uses little volume and can usually be swallowed while running. That matters when an aid station is crowded, the terrain is technical or the appetite has disappeared.

I keep a standard gel from GU or an Australian equivalent such as FAN Energy, then use the label to confirm its carbohydrate content. For longer ultras, I prefer at least 20g per serve. A lower-sugar gel can work for a brief top-up, but it is not automatically enough for an hour of running.

The best gel is the one that stays easy to drink after several hours of exertion. Taste matters, but so do packaging and sodium: some gels contribute little sodium, while a drink mix may already cover that need. A gel supplies fuel, not the fluid or electrolytes needed to replace a hard-earned litre of sweat.

Heat, flights and the Australian market

Australian conditions change the comparison quickly. Melbourne’s variable weather can turn a cool morning into a warm afternoon, while summer training around Brisbane or Perth creates another problem: gels soften and bars lose their shape. An insulated bag protects both better than another elastic strap.

The local market rewards planning. Coles, Woolworths and Aldi are convenient for backup bars, but stock varies between locations. Imported gels often cost more and need mail-order planning. Buying two familiar brands locally is less exciting than ordering a six-pack, but better than relying on one unfamiliar flavour on race day.

Labels deserve more attention than social-media ratings. Food Standards Australia New Zealand requires ingredients containing tree nuts, milk, soy and other listed allergens to be declared, which matters when sharing food at an aid station. If a product makes supplement claims, TGA rules may apply; the AIS Sports Supplement Framework is a classification guide, not a safety approval.

Training before race day

Every candidate needs a proper training trial. Taste a bar once and you have learned almost nothing; use it during a long effort of two hours or more, at the pace you expect in a race. I repeat the test on different days because one good session can hide a tolerance problem.

Start with familiar carbohydrate, then introduce one change at a time. A banana with peanut butter, dates with a measured gel, or a boiled potato with salt are easier to assess without a new drink mix competing for attention. Keep notes on intake, stomach comfort and when the next serving feels necessary.

Training has to fit the rest of life. For the wider training context, I refer to Run University when fitting long efforts around work and family commitments. That keeps nutrition in its proper place: a supporting part of the week, not a separate obsession.

Building a repeatable race-week routine

I protect consistency rather than making last-minute changes. That approach shapes how I use training resources: I favour a dependable setup over frantic adjustment. Race nutrition should extend a workable training routine, not become a separate experiment.

During race week, I test each option under realistic constraints: from a normal breakfast, out of a running pack, during a long session and without a bathroom nearby. I check whether the food stays acceptable when thirsty or tired. The goal is a repeatable response from my gut, not culinary perfection.

Small changes are easier to control than a completely new menu. If a bar causes discomfort every time, I drop it; if a gel becomes unpalatable, I change the flavour rather than forcing it down. Keeping one tested backup limits the effect of a missed aid station or delay.

My pick for the next race

My pick for the best whole-food bar is the homemade date, oat and nut slice. It is inexpensive, portionable and satisfying on steep walking sections. The best off-the-shelf alternative is a simple fruit-and-nut bar such as Makatoni, chosen for its carbohydrate label rather than its protein claim.

For a gel, I favour a standard 25–30g carbohydrate serve over a low-sugar top-up. It handles a fast section better, takes little space and gives me a number I can calculate. Pair it with a handful of dates if I want real food alongside it; that works better for me than eating a full bar while running.

The strongest backup is a salted boiled potato when a support point provides it, or a banana and jam roll. On a remote trail, these need a container and become heavier than a bar. The practical takeaway is to carry one bar, one gel and one emergency real-food option, then use them deliberately: whole food on slower sections, and a measured gel when the pace rises or heat makes eating difficult.